Tag: 2025 season

Red Sox spring training roster includes pair of righties who will be making first trip to major league camp

Earlier this week, the Red Sox added nine non-roster invitees to their spring training roster. Among those nine are two right-handers who are now slated to attend their first major league camp once pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers on February 12.

Their names? Brian Van Belle and Jacob Webb.

Van Belle, 28, is the longest-tenured of the two, having originally signed with the Red Sox as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Miami following the COVID-shortened 2020 draft. The Florida native’s signing bonus was capped at $20,000 and he had to wait until May 2021 to make his professional debut. He spent all of 2024 at Triple-A Worcester and most recently pitched for the Criollos de Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League.

In a career-high 30 appearances (nine starts) for the WooSox last year, Van Belle posted a 4.42 ERA (4.12 FIP) with 87 strikeouts to 30 walks over 93 2/3 innings in which opposing hitters batted .289 against him. While some of those numbers may seem uninspiring, the righty did forge a 2.70 ERA (3.57 FIP) with 61 strikeouts to 17 walks in his final 23 outings (three starts) and 63 1/3 innings of the season after being activated from the development list on May 21.

Among the 49 International League pitchers who threw at least 90 innings in 2024, Van Belle ranked fifth in xFIP (4.15), ninth in FIP, 13th in swinging-strike rate (12 percent), 14th in groundball rate (46.2 percent), 15th in walk rate (7.3 percent), 17th in walks per nine innings (2.88), and 20th in ERA, per FanGraphs. He also yielded a .351 batting average on balls in play, which suggests that he may have gotten unlucky at times.

As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, Van Belle made some mechanical adjustments early in the season and ended up lowering his arm slot. That change led to improved results out of the bullpen, though he was still used as a spot starter on occasion. By the end of the year, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound hurler was sitting between 90-93 mph and topping out at 94 mph with his fastball (four-seamer and sinker) while also mixing in an 85-88 mph cutter, an 83-86 mph changeup, and a 79-82 mph curveball.

In winter ball, Van Belle appeared in seven games (made four starts) for Caguas, allowing 10 earned runs on 23 hits, three walks, and 17 strikeouts over 21 innings. That translates to a 4.29 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. Looking ahead, he is currently projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Worcester’s bullpen for the start of the 2025 campaign.

Webb, meanwhile, was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 14th round of the 2021 draft out of Miami University of Ohio. The Fairborn native signed with Boston for $122,500 and made his professional debut in the Florida Complex League shortly thereafter. He most recently spent the majority of 2024 at Double-A Portland before receiving a late-season promotion to Worcester.

In 37 appearances (seven starts) for the Sea Dogs last season, Webb posted a 4.28 ERA (4.40 FIP) with 77 strikeouts to 27 walks over 80 innings in which opposing hitters batted .259 against him. The 25-year-old then joined the WooSox in September but surrendered eight earned runs across 3 2/3 innings in his first four outings at the Triple-A level.

Among the 47 Eastern League pitchers who threw at least 80 innings in 2024, Webb ranked eighth in swinging-strike rate (13.9 percent), 16th in walk rate (7.7 percent), 19th in walks per nine innings (3.04), and 22nd in strikeouts per nine innings (8.66), per FanGraphs. He yielded a .309 batting average on balls in play.

Listed at an imposing 6-foot-5 and 246 pounds, Webb throws from a deceptive, low three-quarters arm slot. The burly righty featured a 92-94 mph fastball last season that has reached 96 mph in the past and complemented it with an 80-84 mph slider and an 88-90 mph changeup. Back in August, Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes described Webb’s fastball as elite, noting how the “combination of velocity, slot, and vertical break allows the pitch to generate whiffs and a heavy rate of chases.”

Webb, who turns 26 in March, is projected to return to Portland’s bullpen for the start of the 2025 season. With that being said, it would not be all that surprising if he made his way back up to Worcester before long.

(Picture of Jacob Webb: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox sign veteran infielder Abraham Toro to minor-league deal

The Red Sox have signed free-agent infielder Abraham Toro to a minor-league contract, as was first reported by Daniel Alvarez Montes of El Extra Base. The deal comes with an invitation to major-league spring training.

Toro was one of nine non-roster invitees added to Boston’s spring training roster on Tuesday. The 28-year-old will earn a base salary of $1 million if he is on the major league roster this season, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.

Originally selected in the fifth round of the 2016 draft out of Seminole State College (Seminole, Okla.), Toro was once viewed as an intriguing prospect and is a veteran of six big-league seasons. The native Canadian debuted in 2019 and has since appeared in 365 total games with the Astros, Mariners, Brewers, and Athletics.

After spending parts of three seasons with Houston, Toro was dealt to Seattle in July 2021 as part of the four-player Kendall Graveman trade. He remained with the Mariners through the end of the 2022 campaign but was then traded to the Brewers with Jesse Winker for Kolten Wong and cash considerations that December. He was limited to just 21 games with Milwaukee in 2023 before being dealt to Oakland for Chad Patrick that November

In 94 games for the A’s last season, the switch-hitting Toro batted .240/.293/.350 with 17 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 26 RBIs, 34 runs scored, four stolen bases, 20 walks, and 62 strikeouts over 364 plate appearances. That includes a .227/.287/.331 slash line against right-handed pitching and a .286/.313/416 slash line against left-handed pitching. His 17.4 percent whiff rate ranked in the 88th percentile of all big leaguers, per Baseball Savant.

On the other side of the ball, Toro saw playing time at four different positions for Oakland in 2024. The versatile 6-foot, 223-pounder made 49 starts at third base, 17 starts at second base, four starts at first base, and one start in left field. Defensively, he graded out as average regarding his range and arm strength.

Toro was designated for assignment and outrighted off the Athletics’ 40-man roster late last August, which allowed him to elect free agency in October. Altogether, he is a lifetime .220/.285/.353 hitter with 47 doubles, four triples, 34 home runs, 134 RBIs, 145 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 87 walks, and 228 strikeouts in 1,298 career plate appearances at the big league level.

Toro, who does not turn 29 until December, figures to provide the Red Sox with some versatile infield depth behind the likes of Rafael Devers, Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton, Romy Gonzalez, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer at Triple-A Worcester to open the 2025 season.

(Picture of Abraham Toro: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Top Red Sox pitching prospect resumes throwing after undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer

It appears as though top Red Sox pitching prospect Luis Perales has resumed throwing after undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer, based on a video posted to X by his trainer Luis Saborio on Wednesday.

Perales, the No. 5 prospect in Boston’s farm system according to Baseball America, was in the midst of a breakout 2024 season before injuring his pitching elbow last June. The 21-year-old right-hander started somewhat slow out of the gate in April but turned things around by posting a 3.42 ERA (1.92 FIP) with 46 strikeouts to 10 walks in seven starts (26 1/3 innings) for High-A Greenville. He was then rewarded with a promotion to Double-A Portland on May 26.

Just two starts into his first Double-A stint, however, Perales tore the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow on June 8. He was placed on Portland’s injured list the following day and ultimately underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery — or a full UCL reconstruction — towards the end of the month.

Altogether, Perales forged a 2.94 ERA (1.91 FIP) with 56 strikeouts to 12 walks in nine total outings (33 2/3 innings) between Greenville and Portland last year. Opposing hitters batted .250 against him, though it is worth noting that that figure is tied to an abnormally high .431 batting average on balls in play.

Not including the Dominican Summer League, Perales was one of 67 Red Sox minor-leaguers to pitch at least 33 innings in 2024. Among those 67, the righty ranked first in FIP (1.91) and strikeouts per nine innings (14.97), second in xFIP (2.09), strikeout rate (38.9 percent), and swinging-strike rate (19.6 percent), 10th in ERA and groundball rate (48.6 percent), 19th in walk rate (8.3 percent), 23rd in walks per nine innings (3.21), and 29th in WHIP (1.31), per FanGraphs.

At the time of his injury, Perales had recently entered Baseball America’s Top 100 rankings for the first time and was regarded as the No. 57 prospect in the sport. While he has since dropped from that list, Perales “just missed” being included in BA’s updated Top 100 rankings (which were released on Wednesday) heading into the 2025 campaign.

As highlighted by Baseball America’s Josh Norris, Perales saw his stock rise last season thanks — in part — to an uptick in fastball velocity and a revamped arsenal. To complement his high-octane heater that sat between 95-98 mph and reached 99 mph, the 6-foot-1 hurler mixed in a low-90s cutter, a mid-80s splitter, and a developing mid-80s sweeper.

Perales, who turns 22 in April, originally signed with the Red Sox for $75,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in July 2019. The Guacara native had to wait nearly two years to make his professional debut due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he showed enough from there to be added to Boston’s 40-man roster in November 2023 and receive protection from the Rule 5 Draft.

Given the expectation that the Red Sox will exercise caution and patience here, it seems likely that Perales will miss the entire 2025 season while focusing on his rehab. If all goes well, though, he could complete his recovery by the end of the year and put himself in a position to fully ramp up for a return to the mound at some point early on in 2026.

(Picture of Luis Perales: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox to bring back catcher Mark Kolozsvary on minor-league deal

The Red Sox are bringing back catcher Mark Kolozsvary on a minor-league contract, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel. The deal, which is presumably pending a physical, includes an invitation to major-league spring training.

Kolozsvary, 29, spent all of last season at Triple-A Worcester after signing a similar minors pact with Boston in December 2023. Serving as upper-level catching depth, the right-handed hitter batted .185/.349/.354 with two doubles, three home runs, 10 RBIs, 12 runs scored, two stolen bases, 11 walks, and 26 strikeouts in 27 games (83 plate appearances) for the WooSox. He was placed on the development list seven separate times.

On the other side of the ball, Kolozsvary unsurprisingly saw most of his playing time last year come at catcher. The 5-foot-7, 185-pound backstop logged 164 2/3 innings behind the plate while splitting reps throughout the season with Tyler Heineman, Nathan Hickey, Mickey Gasper, Kyle Teel, Reese McGuire, and Elih Marrero. He allowed just one passed ball and threw out six of 33 potential base stealers in that sample.

A former seventh-round draft selection out of Florida in 2017, Kolozsvary has 11 games of big-league experience under his belt with the Reds and Orioles. The ex-Gator debuted and appeared in 10 games for Cincinnati in 2022, going 4-for-20 (.200) with two doubles, one home run, three RBIs, three runs scored, one walk, and nine strikeouts. He did not register a plate appearance in the lone game he played for Baltimore in 2023. Between those two stops, he gunned down one of five possible base stealers.

Kolozsvary, who does not turn 30 until September, is well-regarded for his defensive prowess, game-calling skills, and ability to handle a pitching staff. He is slated to join Seby Zavala as the second catcher to sign a minor-league deal with and receive a non-roster invite to spring training from the Red Sox this winter.

Alongside Nathan Hickey, Kolozsvary and Zavala figure to provide Boston with experienced catching depth at Worcester to open the 2025 season. As currently constructed, the Red Sox have three catchers on their 40-man roster in Connor Wong, Carlos Narvaez, and Blake Sabol.

(Picture of Mark Kolozsvary: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

How did Red Sox pitching prospect Danny Kirwin fare in 2024?

Even though he was not signed until late April, pitching prospect Danny Kirwin still put together an impressive first season as a member of the Red Sox organization.

After going undrafted out of Rider University (Lawrence Township, N.J.) in 2023, Kirwin pitched in two summer leagues before signing with the Oakland Ballers that December. The right-hander originally planned on spending the 2024 season with the newly formed Pioneer League club. He instead became the first player in the team’s short history to have his contract purchased by a major-league organization when the Red Sox did so last April.

That came shortly after Ballers manager Micah Franklin posted a 45-second video on social media of Kirwin reaching 98 mph with his fastball during a bullpen session. The Red Sox, as it turned out, caught wind of the post and wasted little time in getting Kirwin to Fort Myers, Fla. for a physical and to sign a contract. He officially put pen to paper on April 24 and reported to Low-A Salem the following day.

Kirwin, who turned 25 in November, spent the remainder of the minor-league season with Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. In 20 appearances (five starts) for the Salem Red Sox, the righty posted a 3.63 ERA (3.65 FIP) with 69 strikeouts to 24 walks over 69 1/3 innings. Opposing hitters batted just .211 against him.

Among the 57 pitchers who threw at least 65 innings in the Carolina League last year, Kirwin ranked seventh in groundball rate (46.8 percent), 13th in batting average against, 18th in WHIP (1.13), 19th in xFIP (3.48), 21st in swinging-strike rate (13.4 percent), 24th in FIP, 25th in walks per nine innings (3.12), and 26th in walk rate (8.4 percent) and line-drive rate (21.5 percent), per FanGraphs.

While Salem’s season ended in early September, Kirwin’s year continued in the Arizona Fall League. One of eight Boston minor-leaguers to make the trek out west, Kirwin was recognized as an AFL All-Star after forging a 2.84 ERA with 16 strikeouts to just one walk in five appearances (one start) spanning 12 2/3 innings for the Mesa Solar Sox.

Between his stints with Salem and in Arizona last season, Kirwin flashed some intriguing stuff on the mound. Throwing from a low three-quarters arm slot, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound hurler typically sat in the upper-90s with his high-octane fastball while also featuring a low-90s cutter and sinker, a mid-80s sweeper that he changed the grip on late into the year, and an upper-80s changeup.

A native of Lansdale, Penn., Kirwin returned to and spent part of his offseason training at Tread Athletics in Pineville, N.C. to further revamp his arsenal and mechanics. He recently debuted as SoxProspects.com’s 59th-ranked Red Sox prospect (29th among pitchers) and is currently projected by the site to open the 2025 campaign in High-A Greenville’s bullpen.

(Picture of Danny Kirwin: Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox sign former Cubs, Padres farmhand Yovanny Cruz to minor-league deal

In addition to Sean Newcomb, the Red Sox also signed free-agent right-hander Yovanny Cruz to a minor-league contract earlier this week and invited him to major-league spring training on Friday, per a club announcement.

Unlike Newcomb, Cruz has yet to pitch in the majors. The 25-year-old was originally signed by the Cubs as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in August 2016. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League the following June, underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021, and reached free agency at the end of the 2023 season.

Cruz then signed a minors pact with the Padres that November and spent all of 2024 with San Diego’s Double-A affiliate in San Antonio. The righty posted a 4.55 ERA (4.25 FIP) with 35 strikeouts to 16 walks in 23 relief appearances (29 2/3 innings) for the Missions before suffering a season-ending injury in July. Opposing hitters batted .308 against him.

Listed at 6-foot and 180 pounds, Cruz has flashed plus stuff in the past. Last season, for instance, the San Francisco de Macoris topped out at 101.3 mph with his four-seam fastball that typically sits between 96-99 mph. He has also shown the ability to throw a whiff-inducing slider and a changeup with intriguing qualities.

Cruz, who does not turn 26 until late August, figures to provide the Red Sox with high-upside bullpen depth at Double-A Portland to open the 2025 season. If that is indeed the case, it should be worthwhile to see if he can make it to Triple-A Worcester before the end of the year.

(Picture of Yovanny Cruz: Norm Hall/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Johanfran Garcia emerges as organization’s top catching prospect following Kyle Teel trade

After the Red Sox included Kyle Teel in the five-player trade that netted them frontline starter Garrett Crochet from the White Sox last month, Johanfran Garcia emerged as the highest-ranked catching prospect in the organization heading into 2025.

Garcia got off to a blazing hot start at the plate in 2024 but saw his season come to an abrupt end on May 1 when he was carted off the field at Low-A Salem after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee while running the bases. The then-19-year-old was placed on the full-season injured list on May 8 and underwent season-ending surgery shortly thereafter.

Garcia, who turned 20 in December, had been one of the top performers in the lower minors before suffering the injury. In 14 games for Salem (Boston’s Carolina League affiliate), the right-handed hitter batted a stout .385/.467/.596 with five doubles, two home runs, five RBIs, five runs scored, six walks, and 15 strikeouts over 60 plate appearances.

At season’s end, Garcia was one of 254 hitters who made at least 60 trips to the plate in the Carolina League. Among those 254, he ranked first in batting average, OPS (1.063), wOBA (.498), and wRC+ (207), second in slugging percentage, fourth in on-base percentage, eighth in line-drive rate (32.4 percent), and 12th in isolated power (.212), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Garcia unsurprisingly saw all of his playing time on the field in 2024 come at catcher. The 5-foot-11, 196-pound backstop logged 85 innings behind the plate for Salem, allowing two passed balls and throwing out six of 32 potential base stealers. He also made four starts at DH and has past experience at first base.

The younger brother of Red Sox outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia (who was added to the 40-man roster in November), Johanfran originally signed with Boston for $850,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in January 2022. The Valencia native is currently regarded by MLB Pipeline as the organization’s No. 17 prospect, eight spots below his older brother.

When making a recent appearance on Boston Sports Entertainment Network’s ‘The Pesky Podcast,’ Garcia (through interpreter and former Red Sox player development coach Fabian Castorena) said that he is feeling “much better now” and “is working to get back to the field.” In terms of where he is at in the rehab process with his right knee, he said that he is “about 65 to 70 percent ready to go.”

Since he is coming off major knee surgery and spent much of this past year rehabbing in Fort Myers, the Red Sox will likely exercise caution when it comes to Garcia’s status leading into the start of spring training next month. With that being said, he is projected by SoxProspects.com (who has him ranked 15th in the system) to open the 2025 season at High-A Greenville.

(Picture of Johanfran Garcia: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How did Red Sox relief prospect Isaac Stebens fare in 2024?

Despite dealing with his fair share of command and control issues throughout the year, Red Sox pitching prospect Isaac Stebens still turned in a solid 2024 season.

Stebens, who just turned 23 last month, was selected by the Red Sox in the 16th round of the 2023 draft out of Oklahoma State. The Stillwater native received an at-slot $150,000 signing bonus that July but did not pitch for a minor-league affiliate after putting pen to paper. He instead had to wait until last April to make his professional debut.

Stebens opened the 2024 campaign at Low-A Salem but was not there long. The right-hander allowed just three runs (one earned) on seven hits, four walks, and 14 strikeouts in six relief appearances (11 innings) before receiving a promotion to High-A Greenville on April 25.

In 29 outings for Greenville, Stebens posted a 3.68 ERA (3.77 FIP) with 73 strikeouts to 31 walks over 51 1/3 innings of relief in which opposing hitters batted .228 against him. That includes a 0.53 ERA (2.62 FIP) in his final 12 appearances (17 innings) of the season dating back to July 14.

Altogether, Stebens forged a 3.18 ERA (3.58 FIP) with 87 strikeouts to 35 walks in 35 total relief appearances (62 1/3 innings) between Salem and Greenville last year. Among 39 Red Sox minor-leaguers who threw at least 60 innings, Stebens ranked third in strikeout rate (31.3 percent), fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (12.56), 11th in FIP, 12th in ERA, 14th in xFIP (3.79), and 17th in batting average against (.220). On the opposite end of the spectrum, he ranked 33rd in walk rate (12.6 percent) and 34th in walks per nine innings (2.49), per FanGraphs.

Listed at 6-foot and 194 pounds, Stebens featured four pitches last season, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report. Throwing from a low three-quarters arm slot, the righty sat between 92-94 mph and topped out at 95 mph with his fastball while also mixing in an 83-84 mph slider, a 78-80 mph curveball, and an 84-86 mph changeup.

As he recently explained to hosts Andrew Parker and Chris Henrique on Beyond The Monster’s ‘To the Show We Go’ podcast, Stebens implemented three new pitches into his arsenal last year after primarily relying on his fastball at Oklahoma State. Because of that, the 2024 season served as somewhat of an adjustment period for him.

“I wouldn’t say it was seamless. It was definitely a grind,” Stebens said. “There was no backlash on my part. I was all about it. I knew it was what needed to be done. But going from throwing one pitch that’s pretty good to adding three more, it definitely increased my walk rate just because I didn’t know how to control those yet. So we’re still learning those. Hopefully, having a long career, I’m going to nail some of those things down.

“I was able to strike out more in less innings than I did at OSU [in 2023], so a lot of good things,” he continued. “But it was definitely a grind learning those new pitches, just utilizing them more than anything. I had three of the four I have now going into the year but the usage rate went from 85 percent fastball and 10 percent slider and five percent changeup to about 40-20-20, so it was a big difference to split up that 80 percent.”

Stebens is not currently regarded by publications such as Baseball America or MLB Pipeline as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. SoxProspects.com projects him to return to Greenville for the start of the upcoming season, though he made clear in his conversation with Parker and Henrique that he, at the very least, wants to make it to Double-A Portland before the end of 2025.

(Picture of Isaac Stebens: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Who is Yosander Asencio? Switch-hitting Red Sox OF prospect posted .834 OPS in 2024 Florida Complex League

When searching for under-the-radar Red Sox prospects who could break out to some degree in 2025, infielder-turned-outfielder Yosander Asencio is one name that may be worth monitoring.

Not to be confused with Vladimir Asencio, Boston’s top international signing last winter, Yosander originally signed with the Red Sox for $85,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in January 2022. The Bajos de Haina native spent the first two seasons of his professional career in the Dominican Summer League, where he slashed .295/.458/.415 over 78 total games (308 plate appearances), before making his stateside debut in 2024.

Asencio, who turned 20 in November, enjoyed a solid season offensively in the Florida Complex League. The switch-hitter batted .271/.393/.441 with seven doubles, two triples, three home runs (the first three of his pro career), 27 RBIs, 23 runs scored, six stolen bases, 25 walks, and 48 strikeouts in 43 games (145 plate appearances) for the FCL Red Sox. That includes a .255/.377/.434 line from the left side of the plate and a .417/.533/.500 line from the right side.

Among the 82 FCL hitters who made at least 140 trips to the plate last year, Asencio ranked 14th in isolated power (.169), 17th in walk rate (17.2 percent), 20th in slugging percentage, 21st in OPS (.834), 22nd in wOBA (.403) and wRC+ (128), 25th in speed score (7.5), 28th in on-base percentage, and 33rd in batting average. Conversely, he posted the fifth-highest swinging-strike rate (21.8 percent) and ninth-highest strikeout rate (33.1 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Asencio saw playing time at all three outfield positions with Boston’s FCL affiliate. The 5-foot-11, 160-pounder (listed height and weight) logged a team-leading 116 2/3 innings in left, 90 1/3 innings in right, and 35 innings in center. He recorded three outfield assists without committing a single error in 53 total chances.

Asencio is not currently regarded by publications such as Baseball America or MLB Pipeline as one of the top prospects in Boston’s farm system. However, SoxProspects.com projects him to open the 2025 season at Low-A Salem, which would represent an opportunity for him to get his name out there more if he continues to produce the way he has been.

(Picture of Yosander Asencio: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox two-way prospect identified as potential 2025 breakout candidate

The Red Sox have several prospects who could break out in 2025, including those who have yet to make their professional debuts.

Conrad Cason, the club’s eighth-round selection in last summer’s draft, is one such name to watch. MLB.com’s Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo, and Sam Dykstra recently identified the two-way talent as a potential breakout candidate within Boston’s farm system this year.

Cason, 18, was taken with the 237th overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Greater Atlanta Christian School. The Georgia native forwent his commitment to Mississippi State by signing with the Red Sox for a well over-slot $1.25 million. However, he did not play for one of Boston’s minor-league affiliates after putting pen to paper at Fenway Park on July 29.

To cap off his high school career at Greater Atlanta Christian, Cason shined as both a pitcher and a shortstop en route to earning Gatorade Player of the Year honors in Georgia last spring. On the mound, the right-hander posted a 0.48 ERA with 99 strikeouts over 43 2/3 innings. At the plate, the right-handed hitter batted .364/.519/.545 with three home runs, 28 RBIs, 32 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases.

As a senior, Cason flashed a three-pitch mix that consisted of a 93-95 mph fastball that reached 97-98 mph, a low-80s split-grip changeup, and a tight slider with similar velocity, per his MLB.com scouting report. The athletic 6-foot-1, 190-pounder also possesses solid speed and power potential, which he put on display while showcasing his abilities as a shortstop at the MLB Draft Combine.

Though most teams preferred him as a pitcher during the pre-draft process, the Red Sox will provide Cason with an avenue to develop on both sides of the ball at the outset of his pro career. Devin Pearson, Boston’s director of amateur scouting, made that much clear when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo) shortly after Cason was drafted.

“Our group was actually a little bit split on it. We had some guys that liked him better as a pitcher and other guys that liked him better as a hitter,” Pearson said. “On both sides, you have an elite athlete who can throw 100 mph and hit balls very far. We will take that bet and see where he best fits but we’re going to develop him as a two-way player.”

Cason, who does not turn 19 until August, comes into the new year ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 15 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He is currently projected by SoxProspects.com (which has him ranked 16th) to open the 2025 minor-league season at Low-A Salem. How his workload is managed will presumably come into focus closer to Opening Day.

(Picture of Conrad Cason via his Instagram)