Tag: 2024 season

Red Sox release prospect Brainer Bonaci after season-long suspension

The Red Sox have released minor-league infielder Brainer Bonaci, per the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Bonaci, 22, did not play affiliated ball in 2024 after being handed down a season-long suspension in February for violating the minor-league domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse policy. The nature of the violation remains unknown.

Bonaci originally signed with the Red Sox for $290,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in July 2018. The switch-hitter entered the 2023 season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 16 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He batted .297/.354/.464 with 18 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 45 RBIs, 44 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 30 walks, and 80 strikeouts in 79 games (350 plate appearances) between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland while seeing playing time at second base, third base, shortstop, and left field.

Shortly after being promoted from Greenville to Portland last August, Bonaci was placed on the reserve list and sent home to Venezuela “on administrative leave” while Major League Baseball began an investigation. He was reinstated in September to play in the Arizona Fall League but appeared in just two games for the Glendale Desert Dogs before being placed on the restricted list in October for violating the policy.

Though he was subsequently suspended for the entire 2024 minor-league season, Bonaci caught on with Los Senadores de Caracas of the Venezuelan Major League (Liga Mayor de Béisbol Profesional) this year. The Catia La Mar native then represented his country in last month’s WBSC U-23 World Cup and was named to the All-World Team after slashing .360/.480/.414 in eight games.

(Picture of Brainer Bonaci: Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

In Dominican Summer League, Red Sox prospect Avinson Pinto showed ‘the strong baseball IQ and defensive skills to stick at shortstop’

Before the 2024 Dominican Summer League season began, Baseball America’s Ben Badler identified infielder Avinson Pinto as a potential sleeper from the Red Sox’ most recent international signing class.

Pinto, Badler wrote, “didn’t get a ton of attention as an amateur player” before signing with Boston for $25,000 as a 16-year-old free agent in January. The native Venezuelan celebrated his 17th birthday on May 29 and made his professional debut for DSL Red Sox Red five days later.

In 44 regular-season games, Pinto batted .320/.407/.393 with four doubles, two triples, one home run, 16 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, 17 walks, and 15 strikeouts over 172 plate appearances. The young switch-hitter then went 7-for-27 (.259) with one triple, four RBIs, and a team-leading eight runs scored in seven playoff games to help the organization claim its first Dominican Summer League title since 2016.

Pinto hit the first home run of his professional career on June 21.

Among the 197 DSL hitters who made at least 170 trips to the plate in the regular season, Pinto posted the seventh-lowest swinging-strike rate (12.9 percent) and ninth-lowest strikeout rate (8.7 percent). He also ranked 15th in batting average, 54th in on-base percentage, 58th in wRC+, 64th in OPS (.800), 69th in slugging percentage, and 87th in speed score (7.2), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Pinto saw all of his playing time on the field this year come at shortstop. In the process of logging 328 innings at short, the athletic 5-foot-11, 150-pounder committed six errors in 193 chances while “showing the strong baseball IQ and defensive skills to stick” at the position, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Pinto is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 53 prospect in Boston’s farm system. Like Justin Gonzales and Edwin Brito, he is also projected to make his stateside debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League next year.

(Picture of Avinson Pinto via his Instagram)

Who is Edwin Brito? Get to know the Red Sox’ home run leader in the Dominican Summer League this season

While Justin Gonzales was rightfully recognized as the Red Sox’ 2024 Latin Program Position Player of the Year last month, he did not lead the organization’s two Dominican Summer League affiliates in home runs this season.

That distinction would belong to another 17-year-old slugger in the form of Edwin Brito, who signed with the Red Sox for $450,000 ($200,000 more than Gonzales) as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in January.

A native of Puerto Plata, Brito made his professional debut for DSL Red Sox Red in June. The right-handed hitter initially got off to a slow start offensively but finished the regular season slashing .251/.361/.450 with six doubles, two triples, a team-high eight home runs, 32 RBIs, 27 runs scored, two stolen bases, 21 walks, and 46 strikeouts over 51 games (205 plate appearances). He then went 6-for-24 (.250) with seven RBIs in seven playoff games to help secure the organization’s first DSL title since 2016.

Defensively, Brito saw the majority of his playing time (33 of his 49 starts) this season come in right field, where he recorded six outfield assists and committed two errors in 46 chances. The projectable and stocky 5-foot-11, 195-pounder also logged 30 innings at first base as well as one-third of an inning in left field.

Earlier this year, Baseball America’s Ben Badler tabbed Brito as a name to know from the Red Sox’ 2024 international signing class given his above-average bat speed, above-average power, and above-average arm. Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero, on the other hand, described Brito as a “legitimate slug threat” when speaking with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier in September.

Brito, who turns 18 next month, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 54 prospect in Boston’s farm system. Like Gonzales, he is projected to begin the 2025 minor-league campaign in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

(Picture of Dominican Republic flags: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Who is Dalvinson Reyes? Get to know the Red Sox’ top pitching prospect in the Dominican Summer League this season

While Yermain Ruiz was recognized as the organization’s 2024 Latin Program Pitcher of the Year last week, he was not the top Red Sox prospect to pitch in the Dominican Summer League this season.

That distinction would belong to fellow right-hander Dalvinson Reyes.

Reyes, 17, signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic back in January. The Santa Cruz de Mao received a lucrative $450,000 bonus, making him the highest-paid pitcher from Boston’s 2024 international signing class thus far.

Prior to making his professional debut in June, Reyes was tabbed by Baseball America’s Ben Badler as a name to know since he has “the traits scouts typically gravitate to when looking for a young, projectable starting pitcher” and “the look of a pitcher who should throw significantly harder.”

In his first four starts of the season for DSL Red Sox Blue, Reyes allowed eight hits and two walks with 17 strikeouts over 16 scoreless innings in which opposing hitters batted .148 against him. The righty was then shut down for seven weeks as a result of experiencing midseason fatigue. He used that time to focus on strength training, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Upon returning to the mound on August 13, Reyes tossed a scoreless first inning in his lone start for DSL Red Sox Red. He then made two additional starts in the playoffs, allowing three runs (two earned) over 5 2/3 innings as the red team went on to claim the organization’s first DSL title since 2016.

All told, Reyes posted a 0.00 ERA (2.27 FIP) with 19 strikeouts to just two walks in five regular season starts (17 innings) between DSL Red Sox Blue and DSL Red Sox Red. That translates to a 31.7 percent strikeout rate and a 3.3 percent walk rate as he held opposing hitters to a .140 batting average.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Reyes operates with a smooth and repeatable delivery that features adept arm action. The projectable hurler “already sits comfortably in the low 90s while topping out at 94 with a four-seamer and two-seamer,” per Speier. He also mixes in a mid-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup that shows some late fade.

Reyes, who turns 18 next month, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 25 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 10th among pitchers in the organization. MLB Pipeline has him ranked 30th on its Red Sox Top 30 prospects list while SoxProspects.com lists him at No. 31 on its Top 60.

Like the aforementioned Ruiz, Reyes is projected by SoxProspects.com to make his stateside debut in the Florida Complex League at some point in 2025. As noted in his MLB Pipeline scouting report, Reyes already “has one of the highest ceilings among Boston’s pitching prospects.”

(Picture of Dalvinson Reyes via his Instagram)

Who are Justin Gonzales and Yermain Ruiz? Get to know the Red Sox’ Latin Program Position Player, Pitcher of the Year

Last Friday, the Red Sox honored Justin Gonzales and Yermain Ruiz as their 2024 Latin Program Position Player and Pitcher of the Year as part of a pre-game ceremony with the club’s six other minor-league award winners at Fenway Park.

Gonzales, 17, and Ruiz, 18, debuted in the Dominican Summer League this season after signing with the Red Sox as international free agents in January 2024 and August 2023, respectively. The former — a native of the Dominican Republic — received a $250,000 bonus while the latter — a native of Venezuela — signed on for just $10,000.

Gonzales split the 2024 campaign between DSL Red Sox Blue and DSL Red Sox Red. In 47 regular season games, the right-handed hitter batted .320/.391/.517 with 11 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 29 RBIs, 29 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 19 walks and 20 strikeouts over 192 plate appearances. He was named a DSL All-Star in July and playoff MVP in August after slashing .444/.471/.519 in seven games to help Red Sox Red take home the organization’s first DSL title since 2016.

Among the 91 DSL hitters who made at least 190 trips to the plate in the regular season, Gonzales ranked eighth in slugging percentage, ninth in batting average, 10th in strikeout rate (10.4 percent), 12th in swinging-strike rate (16.2 percent) and line-drive rate (24.1 percent), 14th in OPS (.908), 17th in isolated power (.198), 20th in wRC+ (140), and 44th in on-base percentage, per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Gonzales saw playing time at three different positions in his first professional season. The hulking 6-foot-4, 210-pounder logged 236 innings at first base, 111 innings in right field, and 13 innings in center field. He recorded two outfield assists and committed three errors (all at first base) in 250 total chances.

“He’s a monster,” Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero said of Gonzales when speaking with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier last month. “He’s advanced physically compared to other guys. But the thing that stood out as he’s developed is his hand-to-eye. We know he can make a lot of good contact and he’s really honed his approach in terms of attacking pitches.”

Ruiz, meanwhile, spent all of 2024 with DSL Red Sox Red. In 11 regular season starts, the right-hander posted a 1.77 ERA and 4.39 FIP with 37 strikeouts to 15 walks over 45 2/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .172 batting average. He then went 2-0 in his two playoff appearances, including tossing two scoreless frames of relief in Game 1 of the championship series against the DSL Angels.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 27: Yermain Ruiz was recognized as the Red Sox’ Latin Program Pitcher of the Year. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Among the 53 DSL pitchers who threw at least 45 innings in the regular season, Ruiz ranked third in batting average against, seventh in WHIP (0.92), eighth in ERA, and 17th in line-drive rate (16.1 percent), according to FanGraphs.

Though there was little fanfare surrounding his signing last summer, Ruiz caught the Red Sox’ attention as an amateur thanks to his athletic frame, fast arm, and feel to pitch.

“He has done a good job of adding strength since signing, with his fastball climbing north of 93 mph,” Romero said of Ruiz in a separate conversation with BloggingtheRedSox.com. “We project him to be a starter and are hopeful he will be in the Florida Complex League rotation next year.”

Ruiz, who turns 19 next month, is listed at 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds. Gonzales, on the other hand, turns 18 in December. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 32 prospect in Boston’s farm system and is also expected to make the jump to the Florida Complex League in 2025.

(Pictures of Justin Gonzales and Yermain Ruiz: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox pitching prospect David Sandlin reached triple-digits with his fastball this season

In his first year with the Red Sox, pitching prospect David Sandlin emerged as one of the hardest throwers in the organization.

Sandlin was one of 90 prospect-eligible pitchers to reach triple-digits in the minor leagues this season, according to Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes. The 23-year-old right-hander accomplished that feat by maxing out at 100.4 mph with his four-seam fastball.

Acquired from the Royals for reliever John Schreiber in February, Sandlin broke camp with High-A Greenville this spring. The former 11th-round draft selection out of Oklahoma posted a 5.17 ERA (5.73 FIP) with 21 strikeouts to eight walks in his first four starts (15 2/3 innings) for the Drive before being placed on the 7-day injured list on May 14.

Due to right forearm tightness, Sandlin was sidelined for over a month and did not return to the mound until June 15. He then pitched to a 5.06 ERA (2.93 FIP) with 29 strikeouts to just three walks in his next six starts (16 innings) for Greenville before receiving a promotion to Double-A Portland on July 23. With the Sea Dogs, he produced a 5.61 ERA (5.36 FIP) with 32 strikeouts to seven walks in eight starts (25 2/3 innings) to close out the 2024 campaign.

Altogether, Sandlin forged a 5.34 ERA and 4.78 FIP with 82 strikeouts to 18 walks in 18 total starts (57 1/3 innings) between Greenville and Portland this season. Opposing hitters batted .269 against him, though his 33.2 percent strikeout rate, 15.9 percent swinging-strike rate, 7.3 percent walk rate, and 3.10 xFIP were among the top marks for those in the system who eclipsed the 50-inning plateau, per FanGraphs.

“David did join the Fuego club,” Red Sox director of pitching Justin Willard said of Sandlin reaching triple-digits when speaking with NESN’s Tom Caron and The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier on NESN’s ‘310 To Left’ Podcast last month. “He hit 100 and was sitting 96. It’s unreal stuff. Really excited about his development this year, again really raising the floor to give him a shot to be an elite starter.”

To complement his high-octane heater, Sandlin mixes in three other pitches: an 85-88 mph sweeping slider, an 86-90 mph splitter, and a 77-81 mph curveball. The athletic 6-foot-4, 215-pound righty throws those offerings from a three-quarters arm slot while incorporating a high leg kick into his delivery.

Sandlin, who turns 24 this coming February, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 11 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks third among pitchers in the organization. He is projected to return to Portland for the start of the 2025 season but will need to show that he can go deeper into his outings to fully tap into his starter potential.

(Picture of David Sandlin: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox prospect Chase Meidroth snubbed from International League All-Star team

Somewhat surprisingly, Red Sox infield prospect Chase Meidroth was left off Minor League Baseball’s 2024 International League All-Star team, which was unveiled on Wednesday.

Meidroth, Boston’s No. 11 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, enjoyed a productive season at Triple-A Worcester. The right-handed hitting 23-year-old was recognized as the WooSox’ Most Valuable Player after batting .293/.437/.401 with 20 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 57 RBIs, 87 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 105 walks, and 71 strikeouts over 122 games (558 plate appearances). That includes a .304/.457/.430 slash line against right-handed pitching and a .266/.387/.328 slash line against lefties.

Among 85 qualified hitters in the International League this year, Meidroth led in walk rate (18.8 percent), on-base percentage, and swinging-strike rate (3.2 percent). He also ranked fourth in strikeout rate (12.7 percent) and wRC+ (132), eighth in batting average, 18th in OPS (.838), and 26th in line-drive rate (25.9 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Meidroth — Double-A Portland’s 2023 Defensive Player of the Year — once again saw playing time at every infield position besides first base while with Worcester in 2024. The versatile 5-foot-10, 170-pounder (listed height and weight) logged 412 innings at shortstop, 275 1/3 innings at third base, and 137 2/3 innings at second base. He committed 10 total errors (seven at shortstop, three at third base) in 340 chances.

A native of Torrance, Calif., Meidroth was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round (129th overall) of the 2022 draft out of San Diego. He signed with Boston for an under-slot $272,500 that July and made his professional debut in the Florida Complex League shortly thereafter. In the two-plus years since then, Meidroth has utilized his contact skills and plate discipline to compensate for his lack of power, making him one of the organization’s more unique talents.

Despite being snubbed by Minor League Baseball, Meidroth was named to Baseball America’s 2024 Triple-A All-Star team last week. He is currently regarded as the Red Sox’ 13th-ranked prospect by the publication, which hypothesizes that he “could emerge as a bottom-of-the-order regular if he gains strength and bat speed.”

Meidroth, who does not turn 24 until next July, does not need to be added to Boston’s 40-man roster for Rule-5 purposes this offseason. He is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Worcester for the start of the 2025 campaign but may surface in trade talks over the winter if the Red Sox use their breadth of position-playing prospects to address other areas of need at the major-league level.

(Picture of Chase Meidroth: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Nelly Taylor named Red Sox’ Minor League Defensive Player of the Year

Last Thursday, Red Sox outfield prospect Nelly Taylor was named the organization’s 2024 Minor League Defensive Player of the Year. He was honored alongside the club’s seven other minor-league award winners during pre-game festivities at Fenway Park the following night.

Taylor, 21, was Boston’s 11th-round selection in last year’s draft coming out of Polk State College. Even before entering the professional ranks, the Clearwater, Fla. native had already gained notoriety for his glove work by earning 2023 Defensive Player of the Year honors in the Suncoast Conference.

To sway him away from his commitment to transfer to Florida State, the Red Sox gave Taylor an over-slot $300,000 signing bonus last July. The 6-foot, 180-pounder did not make his pro debut until this past April, but he wasted little time in establishing himself as one of the more athletic and toolsy outfielders in the lower levels of Boston’s farm system.

In his first 101 games of the 2024 campaign at Low-A Salem, Taylor made 54 starts in center field, 23 starts in left field, and 16 starts in right field. Between those three spots, he recorded three outfield assists (two in right, one in center) and committed four errors (two in right, one in center, one in left) in 208 total chances. After receiving a late-season promotion to High-A Greenville on August 27, he made five more starts in center field, two more starts in left field, and one start in right field. He did not record an assist or commit an error in 13 chances with the Drive.

To that end, Taylor was named the Red Sox’ Minor League Defensive Player of the Month on two separate occasions (May and August). Back in July, FanGraphs’ Eric Longehnagen described Taylor as “an actual fit in center field,” noting that he “certainly runs well enough to play out there, or at least continue to develop there, though his feel for the position is only fair.”

Taylor, Longenhagen wrote, “has a much better chance to occupy a premium defensive home than some of the more famous hitters in this system.” SoxProspects.com, on the other hand, describes Taylor as an “excellent defender” who possesses “plus speed” and “above-average range” in center field.

Offensively, Taylor batted .228/.336/.358 with 24 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 46 RBIs, 69 runs scored, 31 stolen bases, 60 walks, and 106 strikeouts in 101 games (434 plate appearances) for Salem. The left-handed hitter was riding a hot bat at the time of his promotion and subsequently slashed .289/.341/.553 with two doubles, one triple, two homers, eight RBIs, five runs scored, two stolen bases, three walks, and 13 strikeouts in 10 games (41 plate appearances) for Greenville to close out his first full pro season.

While a .713 OPS in 111 games (475 plate appearances) between Low-A and High-A may not necessarily jump off the page, Taylor did regularly make hard contact this season. As The Dynasty Dugout’s Chris Clegg wrote last month, “The underlying data shows Taylor can hit the ball hard as he has run a 90th percentile exit velocity near 105 mph, a pretty impressive mark.”

Elsewhere, Taylor’s 33 stolen bases on the year were the third-most among Red Sox minor-leaguers, as only Miguel Bleis (38) and Franklin Arias (35) had more. His 7.7 (out of 10) speed score also ranked first among the 12 Boston farmhands who registered at least 450 plate appearances this season, per FanGraphs.

Taylor, who turns 22 in January, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 37 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He has a unique story in that he underwent surgery to remove a Wilms tumor, a rare kidney cancer, at just five years old that prevented him from playing contact sports in his youth. As such, he has been tabbed by SoxProspects.com as “a player fans will want to root for” since he “has the work ethic to reach his potential.”

Assuming he remains with the Red Sox through the winter, Taylor is projected to return to Greenville for the start of the 2025 season as part of the Drive’s outfield mix.

(Picture of Nelly Taylor: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox OF prospect Jhostynxon Garcia recognized by Baseball America for breakout season

Earlier this week, Red Sox outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia was named a 2024 Second Team Minor-League All-Star by Baseball America.

Garcia came into the 2024 season with very little fanfare and was not ranked by Baseball America as one of the top 30 prospects in Boston’s farm system. The 21-year-old returned to Low-A Salem this spring and batted .258/.365/.517 with six doubles, one triple, five home runs, 19 RBIs, 20 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 15 walks, and 25 strikeouts in 24 games (104 plate appearances) before being promoted to High-A Greenville in late May.

Upon joining Greenville, Garcia turned things up a notch offensively and slashed a stout .311/.371/.627 to go along with 14 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs, 37 RBIs, 44 runs scored, one stolen base, 12 walks, and 50 strikeouts in 53 games (229 plate appearances) for the Drive. The right-handed hitter then received another promotion to Double-A Portland in mid-August and closed the year by posting a .263/.320/.386 line with four doubles, two triples, two home runs, 10 RBIs, 14 runs scored, two stolen bases, six walks, and 24 strikeouts in 30 games (126 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

Altogether, Garcia hit .286/.356/.536 with 24 doubles, five triples, an organizational-leading 23 home runs, 66 RBIs, 78 runs scored, 17 stolen bases, 33 walks, and 99 strikeouts in 107 total games (459 plate appearances) across three different levels in 2024. That includes a .274/.347/.506 slash line in 405 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a .380/.426/.760 slash line in 54 plate appearances against lefties.

Among the 386 minor-leaguers who made at least 450 trips to the plate this season, Garcia ranked fifth in wRC+ (151), ninth in isolated power (.250), 10th in slugging percentage, 15th in OPS (.892), 53rd in batting average, 80th in speed score (7.1), and 127th in on-base percentage, per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Garcia saw playing time at all three outfield positions between his stops in Salem, Greenville, and Portland this year. With the Sea Dogs in particular, the 6-foot-215-pounder made 27 of his 30 starts in center field, where he recorded one outfield assist and committed two errors in 61 defensive chances.

Aptly nicknamed “The Password” because of his unique first name, Garcia originally signed with the Red Sox for $350,000 as an international free agent coming out of San Fernando de Apure, Venezuela in July 2019. His younger brother, Johanfran, signed with Boston in January 2022 and is still viewed as one of the organization’s premier catching prospects even after tearing his right ACL in early May and undergoing season-ending surgery.

The elder Garcia, meanwhile, is now regarded by Baseball America as the No. 18 prospect in Boston’s farm system. If not for Kristian Campbell, the argument could be made that he was the organization’s top breakout performer this year. That is noteworthy when considering Garcia can become Rule 5-eligible this winter if he is not added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November.

Assuming he remains with the Red Sox in some capacity, though, Garcia — who turns 22 in December — is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland in 2025.

(Picture of Jhostynxon Garcia: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Hunter Dobbins named Red Sox’ Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year

Hunter Dobbins has been named the Red Sox’ Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year, the club announced on Thursday. He will be honored alongside the organization’s seven other minor-league award winners before Friday night’s series opener against the Rays at Fenway Park.

Dobbins is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 21 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks eighth among pitchers in the organization. The 25-year-old right-hander spent much of the season with Double-A Portland, posting a 3.17 ERA (2.92 FIP) with 98 strikeouts to 39 walks in 21 starts (105 innings) for the Sea Dogs.

Shortly before celebrating his 25th birthday on August 30, Dobbins received a promotion to Triple-A Worcester. He then closed out the 2024 campaign by pitching to a 2.61 ERA (3.67 FIP) with 22 strikeouts to nine walks in four more starts (20 2/3 innings) for the WooSox. That includes striking out six over five scoreless frames in his final outing of the year against Lehigh Valley on September 18.

All told, Dobbins forged a 3.08 ERA and 3.04 FIP with 120 strikeouts to 48 walks across 25 total starts (125 2/3 innings) between Portland and Worcester this season. That translates to a 22.9 percent strikeout rate and 9.2 percent walk rate while opposing hitters batted .237 against him.

Among the 84 minor-leaguers who threw at least 125 innings in 2024, Dobbins ranked fifth in FIP, 19th in ERA, 29th in groundball rate (43.2 percent), 30th in batting average against and swinging-strike rate (12.6 percent), 32nd in xFIP (3.93), 35th in strikeout rate, 38th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.59), 40th in WHIP (1.26), per FanGraphs.

A native of Bryan, Texas, Dobbins was originally selected by the Red Sox in the eighth round (226th overall) of the 2021 draft out of Texas Tech. Because he was still working his way back from the Tommy John surgery that cost him his entire junior season with the Red Raiders, Dobbins — after signing for $197,500 — did not make his professional debut until June 2022.

Since then, Dobbins has undoubtedly emerged as one of the more intriguing pitching prospects within the Red Sox organization. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound hurler throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. As recently highlighted SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall, Dobbins can show seven different pitches. Those offerings include a 93-96 mph fastball that reaches 98-99 mph, an 89-92 mph splinker (a splitter-sinker hybrid), an 87-90 mph cutter, an 81-83 mph slider, a 78-80 mph sweeper, a 76-78 mph curveball, and an 84-87 mph splitter.

While his command and control of the strike zone are still considered works in progress, Dobbins is in line to be added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster next month in order to receive protection from this winter’s Rule 5 Draft. Stranger things have happened over the course of an offseason, but Dobbins will presumably be taking part in his first big-league spring training once pitchers and catchers start reporting to Fort Myers in February.

(Picture of Hunter Dobbins: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)