Tag: 2025 season

How did speedy Red Sox OF prospect Miguel Bleis fare in 2025?

Red Sox prospect Miguel Bleis is coming off a season in which he was named the organization’s Minor League Baserunner of the Year. This article will examine how the speedy outfielder fared on the 2025 campaign as a whole.

Due to a quad injury suffered late in spring training, Bleis did not make his season debut until High-A Greenville’s fifth game of the season on April 9. The 21-year-old then spent the better part of the next five months with the Drive, batting .226/.314/.422 with 15 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 41 RBIs, 48 runs scored, 20 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 75 strikeouts over 77 games (325 plate appearances). He was promoted to Double-A Portland on August 1.

Bleis’ promotion came one day after the Red Sox traded fellow outfielders James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard to the Dodgers for starter Dustin May. Though Bleis provided the Sea Dogs with much-needed outfield depth, the right-handed hitter struggled offensively down the stretch, slashing just .209/.263/.291 with six doubles, one home run, 10 RBIs, 10 runs scored, seven stolen bases, six walks, and 31 strikeouts in 30 games (118 plate appearances) to close out his season.

Altogether, Bleis slashed .220/.300/.385 (100 wRC+) with 21 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 51 RBIs, 58 runs scored, 27 stolen bases (in 33 attempts), 41 walks, and 106 strikeouts in a career-high 107 games (443 plate appearances) between Greenville and Portland. That includes a .169/.267/.292 line against lefties and a .237/.310/.412 line against righties.

As The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier noted in September, Bleis was the only Red Sox minor leaguer to hit 10-plus homers and steal 20-plus bases. Additionally, among the 19 in the system who made at least 400 trips to the plate last year, Bleis ranked first in fly ball rate (44.7%) and pull rate (62.4%), second in infield fly ball rate (36.5 percent), third in weighted stolen base runs (1.6), fifth in speed score (6.2), seventh in isolated power (.164), and ninth in walk rate (9.3%), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Bleis saw playing time at all three outfield positions between his stops in Greenville and Portland last season. The athletic 6-foot-2, 205-pounder logged 480 innings in right, 347 2/3 innings in center, and (for the first time in his career) 34 2/3 innings in left, committing four errors and recording 10 assists in 210 total chances. He also made seven starts at DH.

Bleis, who turns 22 in March, received the largest bonus ($1.5 million) of any international free agent the Red Sox signed in 2021. The Dominican native burst onto the scene in 2022 by lighting up the rookie-level Florida Complex League and entered 2023 as a consensus top-100 prospect. That May, however, Bleis suffered a left shoulder subluxation that required season-ending surgery. Since then, he has shown flashes of his tantalizing potential, but has mostly been unable to put it all together on a consistent basis for an extended period.

Baseball America currently ranks Bleis as Boston’s No. 17 prospect. MLB Pipeline has him slightly higher at No. 13. Both outlets acknowledge that his power, speed, fielding, and arm strength tools grade within the 50-60 range on the 20-80 scouting scale, though his hit tool lags behind at 30-40.

After being left off the Red Sox’ 40-man roster in November, Bleis went unselected in December’s Rule 5 Draft. Barring a trade or other surprise move, he is projected to return to Portland for the start of his age-22 season in April. If he can adjust his approach at the plate while maintaining his power, it would not be surprising to see Bleis reach Triple-A Worcester before the end of the year.

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

How did power-hitting Red Sox OF prospect Justin Gonzales fare in 2025?

After playing a key role in winning a Dominican Summer League championship and being named the organization’s 2024 Latin Program Position Player of the Year in his professional debut, Red Sox outfield prospect Justin Gonzales took another step forward in 2025.

Gonzales, originally signed for $250,000 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in January 2024, arrived in Fort Myers for his first spring training in the United States last March. At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, the then-18-year-old quite literally stood out on the backfields of the Fenway South complex.

Though he did not see any action in the Grapefruit League as a big league call-up, Gonzales suited up for the Red Sox in both the Spring Breakout and Futures at Fenway South prospect showcases on March 13 and 14, respectively. In the latter, the young slugger put his power on full display by crushing a no-doubt home run that left his bat at 110.4 mph over the faux Green Monster at JetBlue Park.

In the weeks that followed, Gonzales remained in Fort Myers for extended spring training and technically began his season in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. After just one game with the FCL Red Sox (in which he went 0-for-4 with an RBI and two strikeouts), Gonzales was promoted to Low-A Salem on May 6 and immediately became one of the youngest players in the Carolina League.

Given his youth, it should come as little surprise that Gonzales initially struggled while transitioning to full-season ball. Despite those early difficulties, the right-handed hitter broke through and emerged as one of Salem’s top offensive performers. He earned Carolina League All-Star honors as a result of batting .298/.381/.423 with 23 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 27 RBIs, 45 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 52 strikeouts in 81 games (357 plate appearances) for Boston’s Low-A affiliate before being promoted to High-A Greenville in late August.

From there, Gonzales closed out his season by going 8-for-43 (.186) in an 11-game cameo with the Drive. Overall, he slashed .281/.363/.390 with 23 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 32 RBIs, 50 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 39 walks, and 65 strikeouts in 93 total games (410 plate appearances) between the FCL, Salem, and Greenville. That includes a .309/.420/.500 line against lefties and a .275/.350/.364 line against righties.

Among 19 Red Sox minor leaguers who made at least 400 trips to the plate in 2025, Gonzales (the youngest to reach that threshold) ranked second in batting average, wOBA (.370), and wRC+ (118), third in on-base percentage and strikeout rate (15.9%), fifth in OPS (.753), eighth in slugging percentage and walk rate (9.5%), and ninth in swinging-strike rate (11.7%), per FanGraphs. On the flip side, however, he posted the highest groundball rate (57.4%) in the group.

Defensively, Gonzales saw playing time at all three outfield spots between his stops in the FCL, Salem, and Greenville last season. The hulking outfielder logged 265 1/3 innings in right, 233 1/3 innings in center, and 145 2/3 innings in left, committing four errors and recording two assists in 151 total chances. He also made 16 starts at DH and has prior experience at first base.

Gonzales, who turned 19 in December, is ranked as the Red Sox’ No. 7 prospect by Baseball America and No. 5 by MLB Pipeline. Both outlets consider his power (55-60 on the 20-80 scouting scale) and outfield arm strength (60-70) among the best-graded tools in Boston’s farm system.

As highlighted in his Baseball America scouting report, Gonzales frequently generated exit velocities exceeding 100 mph last season, but nearly 60% of his contact came on the ground. If he can tweak his bat path to lift the ball more consistently — thereby tapping into his elite power potential — he could become “a monster” at the plate moving forward.

On that note, Gonzales is expected to return to Greenville for the start of the 2026 season. Such swing adjustments would likely work in his favor in the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League.

(Picture of Justin Gonzales: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox LHP prospect Jeremy Wu-Yelland earns first big league camp invite

The Red Sox invited 14 minor leaguers to major league spring training on Friday. Of those 14, Jeremy Wu-Yelland was the only left-handed pitcher to make the cut.

Wu-Yelland will be attending his first big league spring training camp in Fort Myers beginning next month. The 26-year-old is currently regarded as SoxProspects.com’s No. 48 prospect, which ranks 24th among pitchers in Boston’s farm system.

A former fourth-round draft selection of the Red Sox out of Hawaii in 2020 (who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022), Wu-Yelland is coming off an encouraging 2025 season. After pitching for China in World Baseball Classic qualifiers in the spring, the lefty broke camp with High-A Greenville. He posted a 3.09 ERA with 20 strikeouts to five walks in seven relief appearances (11 2/3 innings) for the Drive and was rewarded with a promotion to Double-A Portland in early May.

Although lower back stiffness cost him roughly one month of action across two separate trips to the injured list, Wu-Yelland was extremely productive when on the mound for the Sea Dogs. He pitched to a 3.18 ERA with 51 strikeouts to 11 walks in 18 relief appearances (34 innings) and held opposing Eastern League hitters to a .193 batting average.

Overall, Wu-Yelland forged a 3.15 ERA with 71 strikeouts to 16 walks in 25 total relief outings (45 2/3 innings) between Greenville and Portland last season. Left-handed hitters batted just .172 against him, while right-handed hitters fared slightly better at a .220 clip.

Among 53 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, threw at least 45 innings in 2025, Wu-Yelland ranked first in strikeouts per nine innings (13.99), strikeout rate (37.6 percent), and xFIP (2.52), fifth in WHIP (1.07) and FIP (2.86), 10th in batting average against (.201), 12th in walks per nine innings (3.15), 14th in walk rate (8.5 percent), 17th in swinging-strike rate (13.5 percent), and 18th in ERA, per FanGraphs.

In addition to earning 2025 SoxProspects.com All-Star honors, Wu-Yelland drew considerable Rule 5 buzz this offseason after being left unprotected by the Red Sox in November. Though there was “smoke” that Wu-Yelland might be taken high in the hours leading up to last month’s Rule 5 Draft, he went unselected and remains in Boston’s system without occupying a 40-man roster spot.

That status could, of course, change if Wu-Yelland impresses this spring and leverages his performance into a big league call-up at some point this season. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound southpaw throws from a lower three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium leg kick into his deceptive delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, he features a 90-92 mph cut-slider, a 94-96 mph fastball that tops out at 97-98 mph, and a 79-82 mph sweeper with a “very high” spin rate.

If Wu-Yelland, who turns 27 in June, does not make Boston’s Opening Day roster out of spring training, he is projected by SoxProspects.com to open the 2026 season in Triple-A Worcester’s bullpen. He could join fellow lefties Tyler Samaniego and Alec Gamboa in that regard.

(Picture of Jeremy Wu-Yelland: Kyle Mace/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Mikey Romero ranked No. 5 third base prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline

Earlier this week, MLB Pipeline ranked Red Sox minor league infielder Mikey Romero as one of the top 10 third base prospects in baseball heading into the 2026 season.

Romero slotted in at No. 5 on MLB Pipeline’s list behind the Brewers’ Andrew Fischer, the Mets’ Jacob Reimer, the Tigers’ Hao-Yu Lee, and the Athletics’ Tommy White. He placed ahead of the Diamondbacks’ LuJames Groover, the Blue Jays’ Juan Sanchez, the Dodgers’ Chase Harlan, the Brewers’ Brock Wilken, and the Giants’ Parks Harber.

Romero, who turned 22 last Monday, is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as Boston’s No. 6 prospect. The left-handed hitter is coming off a solid season in which he batted .245/.300/.452 with 33 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs, 76 RBIs, 61 runs scored, five stolen bases, 34 walks, and 132 strikeouts in 111 games (489 plate appearances) between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. He led the organization in doubles, extra-base hits (54), and RBIs.

After drawing praise from Red Sox manager Alex Cora in spring training, Romero returned to Portland (where he got into 16 games to end a bounceback 2024 season) for the start of the 2025 campaign. Despite missing most of June with arm fatigue, he still hit .254/.315/.440 with 18 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 40 RBIs, 40 runs scored, four stolen bases, 23 walks, and 74 strikeouts in 66 games (297 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs before receiving a promotion to Worcester in early August.

Reaching the Triple-A level for the first time, Romero initially struggled out of the gate but powered his way through it by slashing .232/.276/.469 with 15 doubles, nine home runs, 36 RBIs, 21 runs scored, one stolen base, 11 walks, and 58 strikeouts in 45 games (192 plate appearances) for the WooSox to close out his season. That includes a .214/.258/.500 line against lefties and a .235/.280/.463 line against righties.

While an aggressive approach led to his strikeout and walk rates going in the wrong direction, Romero made plenty of hard contact in his first stint with the WooSox. Among Triple-A hitters who saw at least 700 pitches last year, Romero ranked in the 95th percentile in barrel rate (14 percent), the 92nd percentile in average exit velocity (91.2 mph), the 89th percentile in hard-hit rate (47.1 percent), and the 85th percentile in expected slugging percentage (.443), per Prospect Savant.

On the other side of the ball, Romero saw playing time at every infield position besides first base between his stops in Portland and Worcester last season. By the time he joined the WooSox in August, however, he had moved off shortstop and was used strictly at either second or third base. At the keystone, he logged 164 innings and committed four errors in 73 chances. At the hot corner, he logged 216 innings and committed two errors in 49 chances.

Though he is listed at 6-feet and 175 pounds, Romero is now up to at least 210 pounds, adding considerable strength over the last two years following a 2023 that was marred by a series of back injuries, including a stress fracture. This winter, he took part in Trevor Story’s camp for teammates in the Dallas area and was in attendance for the Red Sox’ rookie development program in Boston. Sandwiched in between that was an appearance at Fenway Fest on January 10.

Amidst a busy offseason, Romero spoke to reporters (including Bill Ballou of The Worcester Guardian and Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe) at Fenway Park last week about what specific areas of improvement he has focused on.

“The Red Sox do a good job of letting us know what we’ve got to be better at,” Romero said. “For me, it’s moving better laterally on defense, more arm strength. I take pride in my defense. I’m doing everything I can to know that, whatever pitcher is on the mound, they know that if the ball is hit to me, it’s an out.”

Romero, who was originally selected with the 22nd overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Orange (Calif.) Lutheran High School and then forwent his commitment to LSU by signing with the Red Sox for an under-slot $2.3 million, has put himself in a prime position to make his major league debut at some point in 2026. That is noteworthy when considering that he can become Rule-5 eligible for the first time later this year if he has not already been added to the 40-man roster by season’s end.

Given his emergence and sudden proximity to the big leagues, it would not be terribly surprising if Romero received his first non-roster invite to Red Sox spring training before camp begins in Fort Myers next month. He could join fellow infielder and rookie development program attendee Franklin Arias in that regard.

(Picture of Mikey Romero courtesy of the Boston Red Sox)

Which prospect did Red Sox acquire from Twins for Tristan Gray?

Before making the signing of Ranger Suarez official earlier Wednesday morning, the Red Sox made a trade with the Twins to create a 40-man roster spot for the All-Star left-hander.

In exchange for infielder Tristan Gray, who came over from the Rays for reliever Luis Guerrero in November, Boston acquired minor league catcher/first baseman Nate Baez from Minnesota.

Baez, who turns 25 in May, was originally selected by the Twins in the 12th round (354th overall) of the 2022 draft out of Arizona State. The Arizona native received a $125,000 signing bonus and was not ranked among Minnesota’s top prospects by publications such as Baseball America or MLB Pipeline at the time of Wednesday’s trade.

In 96 games between High-A Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita last season, Baez batted .278/.371/.423 with 17 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 54 RBIs, 56 runs scored, three stolen bases, 45 walks, and 65 strikeouts over 396 total plate appearances. The right-handed hitter reached the Double-A level for the first time via promotion in early June after excelling to the tune of a .331/.457/.453 line in 45 games (184 plate appearances) at High-A to begin the year. From there, however, he slashed just .237/.297/.400 in 51 games (21 plate appearances) for Wichita before being placed on the injured list for the remainder of the campaign on September 7.

Defensively, Baez evenly split his time on the field between catcher and first base with both Cedar Rapids and Wichita in 2025. From behind the plate, the 5-foot-11, 191-pounder (listed height and weight) made 43 starts and threw out 19 of 107 possible base stealers. In 43 additional starts as a first baseman, he committed just one error in 352 chances. He also made nine starts at DH.

Baez becomes the latest minor league catching option the Red Sox have acquired via trade this offseason, joining the likes of Ronny Hernandez, Luke Heyman, and Adonys Guzman. The club also added Raudelis Martinez in the minor league phase of last month’s Rule 5 Draft and signed veteran backstop Jason Delay to a minor league contract in October.

Barring another move, Baez seems likely to begin his first season as a member of the Red Sox organization with Double-A Portland. As was the case with the Twins last year, he can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft if he is not added to the 40-man roster by November’s protection deadline.

(Picture of Tristan Gray: Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Red Sox sign 6-foot-6 righty Patrick Halligan to minor league deal

The Red Sox have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with free-agent right-hander Patrick Halligan, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of SoxProspects.com. It does not appear as though the deal comes with an invitation to major league spring training.

Halligan, 26, has never pitched in the majors. The Virginia native was originally selected by the Royals in the 13th round (397th overall) of the 2021 draft out of Pensacola State College (Fla.). He received a $132,500 signing bonus but spent just one full season in Kansas City’s system before being released in March 2023.

Days after being cut loose by the Royals, Halligan latched on with the Braves and split the 2023 campaign between the High-A and Double-A levels while also pitching in the Arizona Fall League. The righty followed that up by putting together arguably his best professional season to date in 2024, as he forged a 3.02 ERA with 67 strikeouts to 25 walks in a career-high 41 appearances (one start) spanning 50 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. Opposing hitters batted just .191 against him.

Following the start of the 2025 season, Halligan was dealt to the Astros on April 11 as the player to be named later in the trade that sent veteran reliever Rafael Montero to the Braves three days prior. He reported to Houston’s Double-A affiliate in Corpus Christi and worked his way up to Triple-A Sugar Land of the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League in mid-June. Though he surrendered six earned runs in four outings (4 2/3 innings) for the Space Cowboys before being sent back down on July 1, Halligan finished the year having posted a 3.48 ERA with 62 strikeouts to 21 walks in 35 relief appearances (51 2/3 innings) for the Hooks.

Altogether, Halligan owns a lifetime 4.34 ERA with 282 strikeouts to 104 walks over 146 career minor league outings (14 starts) totaling 265 1/3 innings dating back to August 2021. That includes a 7.30 ERA with 10 strikeouts to 13 walks across 12 1/3 frames in parts of three seasons (2022, 2024-2025) at the Triple-A level.

Listed at an imposing 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, Halligan fits the physical mold the Red Sox have sought in pitchers under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and Co. In his four Triple-A appearances last year, the burly hurler featured a lower-90s four-seam fastball, a mid-80s slider, and a lower-80s splitter, per Prospect Savant.

It remains to be seen whether Halligan, who does not turn 27 until October, will start the 2026 season at Double-A Portland or Triple-A Worcester. Nonetheless, he is coming off an impressive stint in the Puerto Rican Winter League that saw him produce a 2.82 ERA with 30 strikeouts to six walks in 20 relief appearances (22 1/3 innings) for the Indios de Mayaguez. He has since joined the Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Winter League as a reinforcement for the playoffs there.

(Picture of Patrick Halligan: Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox sign former Yankees first-round pick TJ Sikkema to minor league contract

The Red Sox have signed free-agent left-hander TJ Sikkema to a minor league contract, the club announced on Tuesday. The deal includes an invitation to major league spring training.

Sikkema, 27, has never pitched in the majors. The Iowa native was originally selected by the Yankees with the 38th overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Missouri. He received a $1.95 million signing bonus and made his professional debut that June.

After not pitching in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic or in 2021 due to lat and shoulder issues, Sikkema was traded by the Yankees to the Royals alongside right-handers Beck Way and Chandler Champlain for outfielder Andrew Benintendi in July 2022. The lefty entered the 2023 season ranked by Baseball America as Kansas City’s No. 16 prospect but struggled to a 5.85 ERA in 34 relief appearances (72 1/3 innings) at the Double-A level. He was then scooped up by the Reds in the minor league phase of that December’s Rule 5 Draft.

Sikkema spent the last two seasons in the Reds organization before electing free agency in November. In 2025 alone, he posted a 4.57 ERA with 72 strikeouts to 31 walks in 23 appearances (15 starts) spanning a career-high 86 2/3 innings between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville. That includes a 3.47 ERA with 16 strikeouts to eight walks over five outings (four starts) and 23 1/3 innings for Cincinnati’s top affiliate after being promoted in late August. In his first taste of action at the Triple-A level, opposing hitters in the International League batted .247 against him.

Listed at 6-foot and 211 pounds, Sikkema featured five different pitches in his brief stint with Louisville last year. He worked with a lower-90s four-seam fastball and sinker, a lower-80s changeup, an upper-70s slider, and a sparsely-used mid-70s curveball. His 1.4 percent barrel rate ranked in the 85th percentile of all Triple-A pitchers in 2025, per Prospect Savant.

With experience as a starter and coming out of the bullpen, Sikkema figures to provide the Red Sox with versatile pitching depth from the left side at Triple-A Worcester to open the 2026 season. In addition to Sikkema, Boston added fellow southpaw Alec Gamboa, righties Osvaldo Berrios, Hobie Harris, and Devin Sweet, catcher Jason Delay, and infielder Vinny Capra to its spring training roster as non-roster invitees on Tuesday.

(Picture of TJ Sikkema: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Red Sox agree to minor league deal with former Pirates farmhand Matt Fraizer

The Red Sox have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with outfielder Matt Fraizer, as was first reported by Chase Ford of MiLB Central. The deal, which Fraizer himself confirmed on Instagram, does not include an invite to major league spring training.

Fraizer, who turns 28 later this month, has spent the entirety of his professional career to this point with the Pirates but has never played in the majors. The California native was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the third round (95th overall) of the 2019 draft out of the University of Arizona. He received a $525,000 signing bonus and emerged as an intriguing prospect on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Following a breakout 2021 season in which he batted .306/.388/.552 with 23 home runs and 68 RBIs in 112 games (499 plate appearances) between High-A and Double-A to earn minor league player of the year honors within the organization, Fraizer entered 2022 as Baseball America’s 12th-ranked Pirates prospect. From there, however, he stalled out in the upper levels of Pittsburgh’s system.

After first reaching Triple-A Indianapolis in 2024, Fraizer spent most of last year with the Pirates’ top affiliate. The left-handed hitter slashed .305/.361/.452 with 18 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 20 RBIs, 29 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 19 walks, and 44 strikeouts in 62 games (220 plate appearances). He did not make his season debut until May 2 and ended the campaign on the injured list before electing free agency in November.

Defensively, Fraizer has plenty of experience at all three outfield positions. In 2025 alone, the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder made 23 starts in right field, 16 starts in left field, and 10 starts in center field, recording two assists and committing just one error in 112 total chances. He also made five starts at DH.

As noted by MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, the Red Sox have an exorbitant amount of outfield depth at the major league level, but were somewhat light in that area at Triple-A Worcester this winter following the departures of Jhostynxon Garcia (who was traded to the Pirates last month) and Trayce Thompson (who is a minor league free agent). To that end, Fraizer now figures to join the likes of Braiden Ward, Corey Rosier, and Phillip Sikes as outfielders not on the 40-man roster who could see significant playing time with the WooSox out of the gate in 2026.

(Picture of Matt Fraizer: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Which pitching prospects did Red Sox trade to Cardinals for Willson Contreras?

For the second time in as many months, the Red Sox swung a significant trade with the Cardinals on Sunday night.

After matching up on a deal that sent veteran starter Sonny Gray to Boston and pitchers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke to St. Louis in late November, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom connected yet again to close out the final weekend before Christmas.

As was first reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Red Sox acquired first baseman Willson Contreras and $8 million in cash considerations from the Cardinals for right-handers Hunter Dobbins, Yhoiker Fajardo, and Blake Aita.

This article will focus on the two prospects swapping teams in the deal: Fajardo and Aita.

Fajardo, who turned 19 in October, was ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 9 prospect. The Venezuelan-born righty was acquired by the Red Sox from the White Sox for left-handed reliever Cam Booser exactly one year ago Sunday. He originally signed with Chicago for $400,000 as an international free agent in February 2024 and earned Dominican Summer League All-Star honors in his professional debut.

Fajardo undoubtedly took another step forward in his stateside debut this past season. In 19 outings (17 starts) between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem, he posted a 2.25 ERA (2.47 FIP) with 83 strikeouts to 27 walks over 72 innings in which opponents batted .204 against him. That includes a 2.98 ERA (2.50 FIP) in his final 13 starts (51 1/3 innings) after being promoted in June. He was named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week twice and the Carolina League Pitcher of the Month for August.

Among 96 Carolina League pitchers who threw at least 50 innings in 2025, Fajardo ranked third in FIP and swinging-strike rate (15.9 percent), ninth in strikeout rate (27.8 percent), 11th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.34) and xFIP (3.14), 15th in groundball rate (50 percent), 26th in ERA, 33rd in WHIP (1.23), 36th in walks per nine innings (3.51), 39th in walk rate (9.4 percent), and 41st in batting average against (.229), per FanGraphs.

Listed at a projectable 6-foot-3 and 181 pounds, Fajardo throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his repeatable delivery. He operates with a four-pitch mix that includes a 93-96 mph two/four-seam fastball that can reach 97 mph, an 82-86 mph slider, and an 85-88 mph kick-changeup, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Aita, meanwhile, was set to be ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 26 prospect. The 22-year-old righty was selected by the Red Sox in the sixth round (177th overall) of the 2024 draft out of Kennesaw State and received an under-slot $300,000 signing bonus. He split his first full professional season between Salem and Greenville, posting a 3.98 ERA (4.10 FIP) with 99 strikeouts to 30 walks over 23 total outings (19 starts) spanning 115 1/3 innings in which opposing hitters batted .215 against him.

After taking home Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honors on two separate occasions early in the season, Aita was promoted to Greenville on June 10. From there, he closed out the 2025 campaign by forging a 3.78 ERA (4.61 FIP) with 54 strikeouts to 21 walks in 13 outings (10 starts) and 64 1/3 innings for the Drive. He held opponents in the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League to a .194 batting average.

Among 55 South Atlantic League pitchers who threw at least 60 innings in 2025, Aita notably ranked sixth in WHIP (1.03), 10th in batting average against, 16th in line-drive rate (19.8 percent), 19th in walks per nine innings (2.94), and 21st in walk rate (8.1 percent), per FanGraphs.

Known for his ability to spin the ball, Aita throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound hurler features a 92-95 mph fastball while also mixing in an 80-82 mph sweeper, an 86-89 mph cutter, and an 85-89 mph changeup into his arsenal.

(Picture of Willson Contreras: Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)

Red Sox trade Luis Perales to Nationals for fellow pitching prospect Jake Bennett

The Red Sox and Nationals swung an interesting trade involving two pitching prospects on Monday night, with Boston acquiring left-hander Jake Bennett from Washington for right-hander Luis Perales.

Neither Bennett nor Perales has pitched in the majors yet, though they were already on their respective clubs’ 40-man rosters. Bennett was added last month, so he has three minor league options remaining. Perales, on the other hand, was added in November 2023 and has just one option remaining.

This unique one-for-one swap marks the first major trade Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has made with one of his former top lieutenants in Paul Toboni, who left his role as assistant general manager in October to take over as the Nationals’ president of baseball operations.

Bennett, who turned 25 earlier this month, was originally selected by the Nationals in the second round (45th overall) of the 2022 draft out of Oklahoma. The former Sooner received a $1,734,800 signing bonus and made his professional debut in April 2023, only to undergo Tommy John surgery that September and miss the entire 2024 season as a result.

Bennett returned to the mound this past May and pitched at three levels, posting a 2.27 ERA (2.96 FIP) with 64 strikeouts to 19 walks over 19 appearances. (18 starts) totaling 75 1/3 innings between Low-A, High-A, and Double-A. Upon being promoted from High-A Wilmington to Double-A Harrisburg in July, the lefty forged a 2.56 ERA (3.20 FIP) with 33 strikeouts to 11 walks in 10 outings (nine starts) and 45 2/3 innings. He then struck out 25 (and walked only five) across 20 innings in the Arizona Fall League en route to being named an AFL All-Star.

Added to the Nationals’ 40-man roster for Rule 5 Draft protection purposes in November, Bennett was ranked as the organization’s No. 6 prospect by Baseball America, which characterized him as “a no-doubt starter with a good chance to settle in as a No. 4 type in a rotation.” Per his BA scouting report, the 6-foot-6, 234-pound southpaw has “a wide assortment of pitches that play up because he gets down the mound with plus extension. While he doesn’t blow batters away with raw velocity, Bennett is around the zone with six different pitches he can use to attack both sides of the plate. His four-seam fastball velocity was a tick higher in 2025 than it had been during his pro debut and averaged 92-93 mph and topped out near 96.

“His low three-quarters arm slot adds deception,” it continues. “He mixes in sinkers and occasional cutters to vary his fastball looks. Bennett’s carrying secondary pitch is his mid-80s changeup that fades to his arm side and flummoxes minor league right-handed batters, who hit .210 with no home runs against him in 2025. He has good touch on an average low-to-mid-80s slider and high-70s curveball, both of which he can spot for strikes and elicit some chases. He throws breaking pitches only about 20% of the time, opting for more of a fastball/changeup attack. Bennett has plus control of his entire arsenal.”

In a text exchange with MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, Breslow said that the Red Sox “feel like Bennett is a high probability starter that excels in some things that are hard to teach. Fastball playability driven by above-average extension and strike-throwing ability. His whiff rates and ability to manage hard contact have us confident in his ability to be a major league starter.”

Perales, who turns 23 in April, was ranked as Boston’s No. 5 prospect by Baseball America, which described him as having “a bazooka” for an arm. The native Venezuelan originally signed with the Red Sox for $75,000 as an international free agent in July 2019 and steadily rose through the system before reaching Double-A Portland in May 2024. He, unfortunately, tore the UCL in his pitching elbow and underwent Tommy John surgery the following month.

After a lengthy rehab process, Perales returned to Portland and reached Triple-A Worcester late in the 2025 season, appearing in three games for the two affiliates. Like Bennett, Perales then headed out west to pitch in the Arizona Fall League. There, the hard-throwing righty got up to 101 mph with his fastball and earned AFL All-Star honors, though he walked 11 (and struck out 19) in his 11 1/3 innings of work.

Unlike Bennett, Perales is more undersized at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds. Before Monday’s trade, he was expected to possibly factor into Boston’s 2026 rotation mix alongside other young pitchers like Connelly Early, Payton Tolle, Kyle Harrison, and Hunter Dobbins, among others. He will now begin this next chapter of his professional career with a rebuilding Nationals team and should have a chance to reach the majors as soon as next year.

(Picture of Luis Perales: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)