Tag: 2025 season

Red Sox prospect Mikey Romero catching eye of Alex Cora in spring training

Before Wednesday afternoon’s Grapefruit League contest against the Rays at JetBlue Park, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was asked about which prospects outside of The Big Three of Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer have caught his eye so far this spring.

“Mikey Romero, the last three, four days,” Cora quickly responded. “He’s a good player, a really good player. Good at-bats, good defender. Mikey Romero is a good player. We just got to get him healthy. He did everything this offseason to put himself in good shape. He’s a lot stronger now. This is the first time I’ve had a look consistently and I like him as a player. … Good instincts, really good instincts.”

Romero, who turned 21 in January, is not in major-league camp with the Red Sox in Fort Myers but has appeared in three Grapefruit League games thus far. The left-handed hitting infielder has gone 2-for-3 with one RBI, one run scored, and one walk while seeing playing time at second base and shortstop.

Originally selected by the Red Sox with the 24th overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Orange Lutheran High School (Calif.), Romero has already endured plenty on and off the field to this point in his professional career. The San Diego forwent his commitment to Louisiana State by signing with Boston for an under-slot $2.3 million and made a positive first impression in his brief pro debut between the rookie-level Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem.

Romero’s first full season in the professional ranks was not nearly as memorable. He opened the 2023 campaign on the injured list due to a stress reaction in his lower back that he suffered during spring training and did not return to action until late June. He then spent the better part of the next two months rehabbing with the FCL Red Sox and Salem before being promoted to High-A Greenville in mid-August. Just three games into his first stint with the Drive, however, Romero sustained a stress fracture that cost him the remainder of the year.

Altogether, Romero struggled to a .214/.294/.286 slash line with five doubles, two triples, 13 RBIs, 15 runs scored, two stolen bases, 14 walks, and 25 strikeouts over 34 total games (144 plate appearances) across three levels in 2023. He dropped from No. 6 to No. 16 in Baseball America’s Red Sox prospects rankings heading into 2024, though more pressing issues were at hand for Romero on a personal level.

On Valentine’s Day last year, Romero’s father — Mike Romero — passed away following a lengthy battle with tongue cancer. Mikey Romero then reported to Fort Myers for camp but was sidelined by back spasms and missed roughly the first month of the 2024 season as a result. He completed a three-game rehab assignment in the FCL before re-joining Greenville on May 15. From that point forward, he looked like a different hitter.

Romero consistently lined the ball in the air in the process of batting .271/.312/.509 with 20 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, 40 RBIs, 40 runs scored, one stolen base, 16 walks, and 58 strikeouts over 59 games (276 plate appearances) for Greenville. He was named the South Atlantic League Player of the Month for July and subsequently received a promotion to Double-A Portland in late August. He then closed out the season by slashing .243/.257/.543 with three doubles, six home runs, 12 RBIs, 11 runs scored, two walks, and 25 strikeouts in 16 games (74 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

Between the FCL, Greenville, and Portland in 2024, Romero batted .271/.312/.509 with 24 doubles, four triples, 16 home runs, 53 RBIs, 54 runs scored, one stolen base, 18 walks, and 84 strikeouts over 78 games (362 plate appearances). Among the 31 Red Sox minor-leaguers who made at least 360 trips to the plate last year, Romero most notably ranked second in isolated power (.238), fourth in slugging percentage, ninth in OPS (.821) and wRC+ (127), and 11th in batting average and wOBA (.366), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Romero saw most of his playing time last season come at either second base or shortstop. With Portland in particular, he made 14 starts at shortstop and just one at second base, committing two errors in 52 total defensive chances. He is listed at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds but currently weighs in at around 205-207 pounds as he continues to add muscle to his athletic frame.

In addition to shedding light on his strength gains, Romero looked back on a season that netted him 2024 SoxProspects.com Comeback Player of the Year honors when speaking with Rob Bradford on Audacy’s ‘Baseball Isn’t Boring’ Podcast earlier Wednesday.

“Last year was a really good year for me, finishing at Double-A,” Romero said. “You can look at the stats and see that it was a great year. I think just being healthy, and playing — towards the end of the season — every day, it was great. To get to play for [Iggy Suarez at High-A and Chad Epperson at Double-A], I learned so much. Being with the older guys once I got to Double-A was pretty cool, to just pick their brains and see how they go about their business.”

Romero enters 2025 ranked by Baseball America as the No. 18 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He is projected to break camp with Portland next month and is aiming to carry over the momentum he gained last year into the upcoming season. Simultaneously, he is looking to take advantage of the opportunity he is getting by playing in big-league spring training games for the first time and sharing a dugout with established veterans like Alex Bregman.

“It’s pretty awesome,” said Romero. “Whether I’m starting or whether I’m backing up, coming in in the sixth inning. It’s just cool to be in the same dugout as a lot of these guys. Bregman, just a bunch of these guys. It’s really cool. Getting to see how they go about their business, not only for me playing but also just to be around the caliber of players we have in this clubhouse. It’s pretty cool. I’m taking advantage of it and I’m excited.”

Though the past year has undoubtedly been tough for Romero, he has been able to maintain a positive mindset thanks in part to his faith and the implementation of routines that he expects will keep him healthy. He also got married in November and is looking forward to what lies ahead in both his life and playing career.

“Starting off the year with my dad passing was, obviously, tough on my family, on me,” Romero said. “But I think the Lord was gracious to me. I got to play a full year healthy, I had a pretty damn good year, and to get to the cherry on top I got to marry my now-wife. Going into 2025, there’s no better feeling to have her here with me as well as to be healthy and to be getting spring training reps and just to be around the guys.”

(Picture of Mikey Romero: Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

Red Sox bring back former top pitching prospect José De León on minor-league deal

The Red Sox have agreed to terms on a minor-league contract with free-agent right-hander Jose De Leon, a source confirmed to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. De Leon effectively announced the signing on Tuesday, when he posted a video of himself putting on a Red Sox hat to Instagram with the caption: “We’re back in business.”

This will mark the start of De Leon’s second stint with the Red Sox. The 32-year-old first joined the organization on a minors pact in August 2021 after being released by the Reds. He spent the remainder of the season in Fort Myers and made just two appearances for Boston’s rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate before leaving for the Blue Jays as a minor-league free agent that November.

Originally selected by the Dodgers in the 24th round of the 2013 draft out of Southern, De Leon was once viewed as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. The native Puerto Rican broke in at the big-league level in 2016 but was traded to the Rays for infielder Logan Forsythe the following January. He began to deal with arm troubles during the 2017 season, which led to him undergoing his first of two Tommy John surgeries in March 2018.

De Leon missed the entirety of the 2018 campaign and has seen limited in the majors since then. Altogether, the righty owns a lifetime 7.44 ERA (5.41 FIP) in 34 total outings (seven starts) spanning 65 1/3 innings between the Dodgers, Rays, Reds, and Twins. He logged a 4.67 ERA (3.83 FIP) in 12 appearances (17 1/3 innings) for Minnesota in 2023 before undergoing Tommy John surgery for a second time that June.

De Leon was subsequently outrighted off the Twins’ 40-man roster and spent all of 2024 in free agency without pitching at the major- or minor-league level. After finishing his rehab, though, De Leon showed flashes of his past potential in winter ball in Puerto Rico during the offseason. In 12 appearances (two starts) between the regular season and the Caribbean Series, he forged a 1.32 ERA with 15 strikeouts to 10 walks over 13 2/3 innings.

As noted by Cotillo, Red Sox manager Alex Cora presumably got a good look at De Leon over the winter since he pitched for Cora’s hometown team in Caguas. With that being said, De Leon — who does not turn 33 until August — figures to provide Boston with upper-minors pitching depth and seems likely to open the 2025 season at Triple-A Worcester if there is a spot for him there.

(Picture of Jose De Leon: Edgardo Medina/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Red Sox to sign veteran righty Nick Burdi to minor-league deal

The Red Sox have agreed to terms on a minor-league contract with free-agent right-hander Nick Burdi, as was first reported by Beyond the Monster’s Chris Henrique. The deal does not come with an invite to major-league spring training, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.

Burdi, 32, was originally selected by the Twins in the second round of the 2014 draft out of Louisville. The Illinois native switched organizations for the first time during the 2017 Rule 5 Draft and made his major-league debut the following September. He has since logged 31 relief appearances over parts of five seasons with the Pirates, Cubs, and Yankees.

After signing a minors pact with the Yankees last January, Burdi made the club’s Opening Day roster out of spring training. The righty forged a 1.86 ERA (5.44 FIP) with 12 strikeouts to nine walks in 12 outings (9 2/3 innings) out of the bullpen. He averaged 97.5 mph and reached 99 mph with his fastball while sitting in the upper 80s with his slider before hitting the injured list with right hip inflammation for the second time in as many months in late May.

Burdi missed the following two months and spent the remainder of the year at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre upon returning to action in July, compiling a 2.65 ERA (3.63 FIP) with 24 strikeouts to 11 walks in 18 appearances (17 innings) for the RailRiders. He returned to minor-league free agency at season’s end after being designated for assignment and subsequently outrighted off New York’s 40-man roster in September.

Missing time due to injury has, unfortunately, been the story of Burdi’s career thus far. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2017 and October 2020 and also had thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in June 2019. More recently, he had an emergency appendectomy in May 2023 and — as previously mentioned — was bothered by hip issues throughout the 2024 campaign. Altogether, he owns a 6.48 ERA (4.16 FIP) in 25 career innings at the big-league level.

If healthy, Burdi figures to provide the Red Sox with experienced bullpen depth at Triple-A Worcester to open the upcoming season. His younger brother, Zack, was the 26th overall pick in the 2016 draft and appeared in a total of 18 games for the White Sox, Orioles, and Rays from 2020-2023.

(Picture of Nick Burdi: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Red Sox pitching prospects Matt Duffy, Cole Tolbert slated to undergo Tommy John surgery

It appears as though the 2025 season is already over for a pair of intriguing Red Sox pitching prospects.

As was first reported by Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster, right-handers Matt Duffy and Cole Tolbert have been diagnosed with UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) tears in their pitching elbows. While Duffy’s was described as a full tear, both hurlers are scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery in Arlington, Texas on March 5.

Duffy, 23, was Boston’s fourth-round selection in the 2023 draft out of Canisius University in Buffalo, N.Y. The Ontario native forwent his commitment to transfer to South Carolina for his senior year by signing with the club for an under-slot $350,000 that July. He then spent the entirety of his first full professional season at Low-A Salem in 2024, compiling a 2.83 ERA (3.58 FIP) with exactly 100 strikeouts to 27 walks over 22 appearances (21 starts) and a staff-leading 98 2/3 innings in which opposing hitters batted .223 against him. That includes a sparkling 1.05 ERA (2.25 ERA) in his final nine outings (43 innings) after the calendar flipped from June to July.

Tolbert, meanwhile, was selected by the Red Sox in the 18th round of last summer’s draft out of Ole Miss. In a similar fashion to Duffy, the 22-year-old had been committed to transfer to Troy University for his senior season but instead signed with Boston for an under-slot $50,000 in July. He made his professional debut shortly thereafter and closed the 2024 campaign by posting a 5.56 ERA (3.23 FIP) with 14 strikeouts to six walks in five appearances (three starts) spanning 11 1/3 innings for Salem. Opponents batted .268 against him.

Neither Duffy (who turns 24 in October) nor Tolbert (who turns 23 in December) are currently ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com. The former was projected by the site to make the jump to High-A Greenville for the start of the upcoming season while the latter was slated to return to Salem. They will now miss all of 2025 and likely part of 2026 depending on the nature of their respective procedures.

(Picture of Matt Duffy: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

Red Sox to sign former All-Star lefty Matt Moore to minor-league deal

The Red Sox have agreed to terms on a minor-league contract with free-agent left-hander Matt Moore, as was first reported by WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford. The deal, which is presumably pending a physical, comes with an invite to major-league spring training, according to The New York Post’s Jon Heyman.

As an Article XX(B) free agent, Moore will have three opt-out clauses in his contract with the Red Sox. The 35-year-old will have the ability to return to free agency on March 22 (five days before Opening Day), May 1, and June 1 if he has not yet been added to Boston’s 40-man roster.

Moore, who turns 36 in June, is a veteran of 13 major-league seasons who was originally selected by the Rays in the eighth round of the 2007 draft out of Moriarty High School in New Mexico. A former top prospect, the Florida-born lefty broke in with Tampa Bay in 2011 and burst onto the scene two years later by being named a 2013 American League All-Star and finishing ninth in American League Cy Young voting. He underwent Tommy John surgery the following April and was later traded to the Giants in August 2016.

Moore struggled in San Francisco and bounced around a bit between the Giants, Rangers, and Tigers before suffering a torn right meniscus in just his second start for Detroit in April 2019. He underwent season-ending surgery as a result and subsequently took his talents to Japan for the 2020 campaign. He then leveraged a strong showing with the NPB’s Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks into a one-year deal with the Phillies for 2021. The Red Sox were interested in his services at that time but came up short in their pursuit.

Though his return to the United States did not go well out of the gate, Moore latched on with the Rangers on a minor-league pact before the start of the 2022 season and found new life as a reliever. He forged a 1.95 ERA (2.98 FIP) in 63 relief appearances (74 innings) for Texas and parlayed that bounceback effort into successive one-year deals with the Angels in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Moore wound up splitting the 2023 campaign between the Angels, Guardians, and Marlins, compiling a 2.56 ERA (3.73 FIP) in 50 total outings (52 2/3 innings). He returned to the Halos on a one-year, $9 million contract last January but struggled to a 5.03 ERA (6.17 FIP) with 41 strikeouts to 21 walks over 51 appearances (48 1/3 innings) before suffering a left forearm strain that ended his season a month early. He appears to be healthy now, however.

All told, Moore owns a lifetime 4.39 ERA (4.38 FIP) with 1,053 strikeouts to 486 walks across 369 outings (164 starts) spanning 1,142 2/3 career innings at the major-league level. That includes a 2.98 ERA (4.08 FIP) with 184 strikeouts to 79 walks in 164 relief appearances (175 innings) over the last three seasons.

While the surface-level numbers from last year may seem discouraging, Moore did hold opposing hitters to a .218 batting average. Left-handed hitters batted just .174 against him. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound southpaw also ranked in the 79th percentile of all big leaguers in expected batting average (.216) and the 76th percentile in hard-hit rate (35.5 percent), according to Baseball Savant. His average fastball velocity fell from 94 mph to 92.7 mph, though that may have been due in part to the aforementioned forearm strain he sustained.

The reported addition of Moore comes on the same day Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo) in Fort Myers that rookie lefty Zach Penrod underwent an MRI on his elbow Wednesday after experiencing soreness in the area earlier in the week. While the team plans on having more information relating to his results on Friday, there are some initial concerns about potential ligament damage that could lead to a lengthy absence.

Moore, meanwhile, becomes the 14th pitcher to receive a non-roster invite to camp from the Red Sox this spring. He joins fellow lefties Jovani Moran and Sean Newcomb in that regard. Boston also has southpaws Brennan Bernardino, Aroldis Chapman, Chris Murphy (rehabbing from Tommy John surgery), Penrod, and Justin Wilson as left-handed bullpen options on the 40-man roster.

(Picture of Matt Moore: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

Red Sox prospect Jeremy Wu-Yelland to pitch for China at WBC qualifiers

Last week, Red Sox pitching prospect Jeremy Wu-Yelland was named to China’s roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic qualifiers that will be held in Tucson, Ariz., from March 2-6.

Wu-Yelland was one of 14 pitchers to make the cut for China. The 25-year-old left-hander is a native of Spokane, Wash. but his mother’s side of the family is Chinese, hence the connection. He even has his Chinese name — “Light Of The Sun In The Morning” — tattooed onto his right arm.

Wu-Yelland was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft out of Hawaii. He signed with the club for $200,000 that July and made his professional debut the following May. After forging a 3.91 ERA in 23 starts (76 innings) between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville in 2021, he underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2022 and missed the entire season as a result.

Wu-Yelland returned to the mound in June 2023 as part of a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. The lefty was, however, limited to just three short appearances for the FCL Red Sox before being shut down for the remainder of the year. He subsequently opened the 2024 campaign on Greenville’s injured list due to stiffness and was then activated for his season debut in late May.

From there, Wu-Yelland posted a 5.67 ERA (but far more encouraging 3.77 FIP) with 42 strikeouts to 23 walks over 23 relief appearances (33 1/3 innings) for the Drive in which opposing hitters batted .238 against him. That includes a 3.46 ERA and 2.63 FIP across his final nine outings (13 innings) of the season.

Among the 164 minor-leaguers who threw at least 33 innings in the South Atlantic League last year, Wu-Yelland most notably ranked 26th in swinging-strike rate (15.3 percent), 35th in strikeouts per nine innings (11.34), 43rd in groundball rate (46.4 percent), 70th in FIP, and 74th in strikeout rate (26.4 percent), per FanGraphs.

As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, Wu-Yelland primarily operated with a three-pitch mix in 2024. Throwing from a three-quarters arm slot, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound southpaw flashed a 94-96 mph fastball that topped out at 97 mph, an 89-91 mph cutter, and an 80-84 mph slider. He has also featured a changeup in the past but may have scrapped that offering.

Wu-Yelland, who does not turn 26 until June, is not currently regarded by publications such as SoxProspects.com as one of Boston’s top pitching prospects. If healthy, he is projected by the site to make the jump to Double-A Portland as a member of the Sea Dogs’ bullpen to open the 2025 season. How he fares will likely depend on his command and control of the strike zone.

(Picture of Jeremy Wu-Yelland: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Who is Eduardo Rivera? Red Sox prospect led LBPRC in Ks, pitched in Caribbean Series this winter

As he prepares for his first spring training as a member of the Red Sox organization, it feels like an appropriate time to look back at the winter pitching prospect Eduardo Rivera had.

Rivera, a 21-year-old left-hander, spent the winter on his home island of Puerto Rico. The San Juan native opened the 2024-2025 Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (LBPRC) regular season with the Cangrejeros de Santurce and was excellent.

In 11 regular-season appearances (seven starts), Rivera posted a 1.15 ERA and 0.95 WHIP with a league-leading 56 strikeouts to 12 walks over 39 innings. He made an additional start for the Cangrejeros in the playoffs — in which he struck out eight across six scoreless frames — before they were eliminated by the Senadores de San Juan on January 12.

Three days after Santurce was knocked out of the semi-finals, Rivera joined the Indios de Mayaguez for their best-of-nine LBPRC championship series matchup against San Juan. The lefty got the starting nod in Games 2 and 6 (the clincher) and picked up where he left off by tossing 10 total innings of shutout ball as Mayaguez was ultimately crowned league champion for the 20th time in franchise history.

As a result of being on the championship-clinching team in the LBPRC, Rivera made Puerto Rico’s roster for the 2025 Caribbean Series in Mexicali, Mexico. He unfortunately struggled in his lone start against the Dominican Republic in round-robin action on February 4, surrendering seven runs (three earned) on six hits, one walk, one hit batsman, and five strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings. The Dominican Republic then defeated Mexico in the final on February 7 to take home its fifth Caribbean Series title.

Regardless of how it ended, it was nonetheless a productive winter for Rivera after what must have been a turbulent 2024 season stateside. The southpaw was released by the Athletics (the organization that originally selected him in the 11th round of the 2021 draft out of high school) last May. He then signed a minor-league contract with the Red Sox in June and made four appearances (one start) in the rookie-level Florida Complex League before joining Low-A Salem in late July.

In six outings (four starts) for Salem, Rivera forged a 1.99 ERA (2.56 FIP) with 30 strikeouts to seven walks over 22 2/3 innings in which opposing hitters batted just .175 against him. Among the 21 Red Sox minor-leaguers who threw at least 20 innings in the Carolina League last year, Rivera ranked first in WHIP (0.93), second in ERA and line-drive rate (16 percent), third in strikeout rate (33.3 percent) and xFIP (2.59), fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (11.91), batting average against, FIP, and groundball rate (54 percent), fifth in walks per nine innings (2.78), sixth in swinging-strike rate (14.7 percent), and seventh in walk rate (7.8 percent), per FanGraphs.

Rivera, who does not turn 22 until June, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 58 prospect in Boston’s farm system after previously being unranked. The imposing 6-foot-7, 237-pound hurler throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. He primarily operates with a 92-95 mph fastball that has reached 97 mph and also mixes in a changeup and slider.

Barring a trade or other surprise move, Rivera is projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to High-A Greenville for the start of the 2025 season. Whether he does so as a member of the Drive’s starting rotation or bullpen remains to be seen.

(Picture of Eduardo Rivera: Miguel Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Red Sox 2024 minor-league saves leader signs with American Association team

Former Red Sox minor-league reliever Felix Cepeda has signed with the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association, per the independent league’s transactions log.

Cepeda, 24, paced both the Red Sox organization and the Eastern League with 14 saves in 18 opportunities at Double-A Portland last season. The right-hander posted a 5.57 ERA (5.19 FIP) with 37 strikeouts to 20 walks in 30 relief appearances (42 innings) for the Sea Dogs. Opposing hitters batted .271 against him.

Despite leading the Eastern League in saves, Cepeda struggled in several other areas. Among the 135 pitchers league-wide who threw at least 40 innings last year, the righty ranked 87th in walk rate (10.3 percent), 101st in strikeouts per nine innings (7.93) and walks per nine innings (4.29), 115th in swinging-strike rate (10.5 percent), 117th in strikeout rate (19 percent), 119th in batting average against, 121st in xFIP (4.60), 124th in WHIP (1.57), 127th in ERA, and 128th in FIP, according to FanGraphs.

Cepeda, who hails from the Dominican Republic, originally signed with the Red Sox for $40,000 as an international free agent coming out of Bonao in July 2017. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound hurler made his professional debut the following June and steadily worked his way up the organizational ladder. He actually enjoyed somewhat of a breakout 2023 campaign that saw him pitch in the Arizona Fall League and earn first-time SoxProspects.com All-Star honors.

Though he came into the 2024 season ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 48 prospect in Boston’s farm system, Cepeda was unable to replicate the same kinds of results he produced in 2023. It should be noted that he spent time on the injured list in May and August before reaching minor-league free agency in November. He then allowed 11 runs (eight earned) in eight outings (eight innings) for the Algodoneros de Guasave of the Mexican Pacific League this winter.

Now, Cepeda — who does not turn 25 until July — will presumably look to re-establish himself in the American Association with the hopes of returning to affiliated ball sometime in the future. In the past, he featured a 95-96 mph fastball that got up to 98 mph and complemented it with a mid-80s slider and an upper-80s changeup.

(Picture of Felix Cepeda: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Is Red Sox OF prospect Miguel Bleis poised to bounce back in 2025?

Red Sox outfield prospect Miguel Bleis is in need of a bounce-back season in 2025. There is good reason to believe it could happen, at least according to one prominent publication.

Last week, Baseball America’s Jesus Cano identified 15 prospects “who are poised to bounce back with the new season on the horizon.” Bleis was among those 15 and the lone representative from the Red Sox organization.

Bleis, who turns 21 next month, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 9 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The Dominican Republic native originally signed with the Red Sox for $1.5 million as a highly-touted international free agent coming out of San Pedro de Macoris in January 2021.

As noted by Cano, Bleis showed signs of promise early into his career. Following a successful professional debut in the 2021 Dominican Summer League, he truly burst onto the prospect scene in 2022 by slashing .301/.353/.542 with 14 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 27 RBIs, 28 runs scored, and 18 stolen bases in 40 Florida Complex League games.

On the heels of earning 2022 FCL All-Star honors, Bleis entered Baseball America’s Top 100 rankings in 2023 and opened the season as the No. 88 prospect in the sport. The right-handed hitter broke camp with Low-A Salem but batted just .230/.282/.325 with three doubles, three triples, one home run, 16 RBIs, 18 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases over 31 games before suffering a left shoulder subluxation that ultimately required season-ending surgery that June.

After spending the next several months rehabbing — and adding more than 30 pounds of muscle to his wiry frame in doing so — Bleis had a normal spring training last year and returned to Salem for the start of the 2024 season. He then slashed .257/.349/.398 with 10 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 24 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, 21 walks, and 38 strikeouts in 43 games (195 plate appearances) before receiving a promotion to High-A Greenville on June 11.

Though he was riding a relatively hot bat at the time of his promotion, Bleis struggled to produce consistently in his first stint at Greenville. In 52 games for the Drive, he hit a disappointing .190/.265/.319 with six doubles, seven home runs, 25 RBIs, 32 runs scored, 22 stolen bases, 18 walks, and 54 strikeouts over 234 plate appearances.

Altogether, Bleis batted .220/.303/.354 (94 wRC+) with 16 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 47 RBIs, 56 runs scored, an organizational-leading 38 stolen bases, 39 walks, and 92 strikeouts in 95 total games (429 plate appearances) between Salem and Greenville last season. Among 21 Red Sox minor-leaguers who made at least 400 trips to the plate in 2024, Bleis most notably ranked second in wSB (1.9), fourth in speed score (6.7), and seventh in strikeout rate (21.4 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Bleis saw most of his playing time last year come in center field. Between Salem and Greenville, the approximate 6-foot-2, 203-pounder logged 532 2/3 innings in center, where he recorded four assists and committed six errors in 153 total defensive chances. He also made 19 starts in right field (where he recorded two more outfield assists) and 15 starts at DH.

With intriguing raw power and plus speed to support his range in the outfield, Bleis still possesses the kind of five-tool potential that could help him reclaim a spot on Baseball America’s Top 100 list in 2025. His chances of accomplishing that would likely improve if he can continue to refine his approach at the plate to the point where he is whiffing considerably less.

Barring a trade or other surprise move, Bleis is expected to return to Greenville for the start of the 2025 campaign. Given the fact that he can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time in December, it would not be surprising if he worked his way up to Double-A Portland before the season comes to a close.

(Picture of Miguel Bleis: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

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)