Tag: 2025 season

How did former Red Sox pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz fare in first season with Yankees organization?

With the Red Sox and Yankees set to square off in a best-of-three Wild Card series in the Bronx beginning Tuesday night, it feels like an appropriate time to revisit the noteworthy trade the two clubs made at the Winter Meetings last December.

Just hours after pulling off a blockbuster five-player trade with the White Sox for All-Star ace Garrett Crochet on December 11, the Red Sox acquired rookie catcher Carlos Narvaez from the Yankees for pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz.

In a rare swap between division rivals, Boston obtained a 26-year-old backstop who has since emerged as the club’s top catching option and one of the best defenders at his position. New York, on the other hand, obtained a young pitcher who just now appears to be tapping into his potential.

A former fourth-round draft pick of the Red Sox in 2021 out of Leadership Christian Academy in Puerto Rico, Rodriguez-Cruz reached High-A Greenville last season before being dealt to the Yankees a little more than nine months ago. The 22-year-old right-hander began opening eyes in spring training and broke camp with High-A Hudson Valley in early April.

In 15 appearances (14 starts) for the Renegades, Rodriguez-Cruz posted a 2.26 ERA (2.58 FIP) with 99 strikeouts to 37 walks over 83 2/3 innings in which he held opponents to a .174 batting average. He was rewarded with a promotion to Double-A Somerset shortly before the MLB All-Star break in July and — even after struggling in his debut at the level — produced a 2.64 ERA (2.28 FIP) with 74 strikeouts to 20 walks over 11 starts (61 1/3 innings) for the Patriots in which opposing hitters batted .198 against him.

Following the conclusion of the Double-A season, the Yankees moved Rodriguez up another level so that he could end the year with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The righty started the RailRiders’ penultimate game of the regular season on September 20, allowing four earned runs on eight hits, no walks, and three strikeouts over five innings. He took the mound again in the deciding Game 3 of the International League championship series last Thursday and was saddled with the loss after surrendering five earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.

Despite how it ended, 2025 was nonetheless a standout year for Rodriguez-Cruz. Between three minor-league levels, he finished the regular season having forged a 2.58 ERA (2.47 FIP) with 176 strikeouts to 57 walks across 27 total outings (26 starts) spanning exactly 150 innings pitched. Among the 288 minor-leaguers who threw at least 100 innings this season, he ranked third in FIP, fifth in xFIP (2.81), seventh in groundball rate (54.5 percent), 13th in batting average against (.192), 17th in ERA, 19th in strikeout rate (29 percent), 25th in WHIP (1.07), 30th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.56), and 39th in swinging-strike rate (13.8 percent), per FanGraphs.

In the days since his season drew to a close, Rodriguez-Cruz has already been recognized by Baseball America as a High-A All-Star, a First Team Minor League All-Star, and the Yankees’ 2025 Minor League Player of the Year. The 6-foot-3 hurler is currently ranked by the publication as the No. 5 prospect in New York’s farm system and the No. 99 prospect in the sport. What helped him gain traction this year is an already-diverse pitch mix that now consists of a mid-90s sinker that has reached 98 mph, a four-seam fastball, a sweeper, a curveball, a splitter, and a gyro slider.

Rodriguez-Cruz, who does not turn 23 until next August, is in line to be added to the Yankees’ 40-man roster for Rule 5 protection purposes this winter. If that does indeed happen, Rodriguez-Cruz could very well put himself in position to debut at the big-league level at some point in 2026.

(Picture of Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz: Madison McCall/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

Is Red Sox IF prospect Yoeilin Cespedes primed to bounce back in 2026?

Earlier this month, Baseball America identified one prospect from each organization in need of a bounce-back 2026 season after a disappointing 2025.

Their pick from the Red Sox? Infielder Yoeilin Cespedes, who celebrated his 20th birthday on September 8.

Originally signed for $1.4 million as a highly-touted international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in January 2023, Cespedes made great strides to begin his professional career. Out of the gate, the Azua native was recognized as a Dominican Summer League All-Star and the Red Sox’ Minor League Latin Program Position Player of the Year. He followed that up by setting fire to the rookie-level Florida Complex League to kick off his 2024 campaign.

After batting .319/.400/.615 with five home runs and 24 RBIs in 25 FCL games, Cespedes received a promotion to Low-A Salem last June. Due to lingering soreness in his left hand, however, Cespedes was placed on the injured list before appearing in a game for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. He was then ultimately diagnosed with a broken hamate bone and underwent season-ending surgery in July as a result.

On the heels of a frustrating end to an otherwise promising first season stateside, Cespedes rehabbed through the winter and entered 2025 as Baseball America’s sixth-ranked Red Sox prospect. He broke camp with Salem in the spring and made his long-awaited Low-A debut in early April. In his first 70 games, he batted just .213/.264/.350 with 15 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 33 RBIs, 31 runs scored, six stolen bases, 21 walks, and 65 strikeouts over 303 plate appearances leading up to the MLB All-Star break in mid-July.

Coming out of the break on July 18, though, Cespedes began to produce more encouraging results. The aggressive right-handed hitter ended the year by slashing .252/.341/.424 with nine doubles, one triple, five home runs, 21 RBIs, 25 runs scored, five stolen bases, 20 walks, and 36 strikeouts in his final 40 games (174 plate appearances) for Salem.

Overall, Cespedes hit .227/.292/.376 with 24 doubles, five triples, 10 home runs, 54 RBIs, 56 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 41 walks, and 101 strikeouts over 110 games (477 plate appearances) as a 19-year-old in Low-A this season. That includes a .222/.292/.351 line in 381 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a .244/.292/.477 line in 96 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.

Among 47 qualified hitters in the Carolina League this year, Cespedes notably ranked first in pull rate (59.8 percent), seventh in isolated power (.150), eighth in line-drive rate (25.2 percent), ninth in fly-ball rate (42.6 percent), and 14th in slugging percentage, per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Cespedes saw all of his playing time on the field this season come at either second base or shortstop. The compact 5-foot-8, 181-pounder logged 773 2/3 innings at the former and 54 innings at the latter, committing 17 errors in 43o total chances. Interestingly, he did not play any shortstop after May 7. He also made 12 starts at DH.

Cespedes now finds himself ranked as Boston’s No. 14 prospect by Baseball America, which theorizes that he will “need to harness his bat-to-ball skills and ample bat speed more consistently” to take a step forward in 2026. Barring a trade or other surprise move this winter, he is expected to make the jump to High-A Greenville to start next season.

(Picture of Yoeilin Cespedes: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Who is Jesus Travieso? Red Sox pitching prospect posted 3.06 ERA, 31.8 K% in 2025

Red Sox pitching prospect Jesus Travieso entered 2025 as a relative unknown.

Signed for just $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in January 2024, Travieso made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last June, pitching to a 3.80 ERA (3.13 FIP) with 27 strikeouts to 10 walks in 11 starts (21 1/3 innings) in which opposing hitters batted .238 against him.

With only 21 1/3 professional innings under his belt, Travieso came into the 2025 season without much pomp and circumstance. The 18-year-old right-hander arrived stateside for his domestic debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League but struggled out of the gate, surrendering nine earned runs in his first three starts (seven innings) with the FCL Red Sox through May 19.

The following week, Travieso worked out of the bullpen for the first time as a pro and notched the first save of his young career with three scoreless frames against the FCL Braves. Including that outing, he forged a 0.84 ERA with 40 strikeouts to 18 walks over his next nine appearances (seven starts) spanning 32 innings in which opponents batted .147 against him. He was then rewarded with a promotion to Low-A Salem shortly after the FCL season ended in late July.

Carrying with him a 2.77 ERA through his first 12 outings (10 starts) of the year, Travieso was roughed up for four earned runs over 2 1/3 innings in his Low-A debut on July 27. The righty fared far better from there, though, as he finished the season by putting up a 2.31 ERA with 36 strikeouts to 10 walks in his final six appearances (five starts) and 23 1/3 innings for Salem. Opposing hitters did, however, bat .253 against him in that span.

Overall, Travieso posted a 3.06 ERA (3.15 FIP) with 90 strikeouts to 36 walks across 19 outings (16 starts) spanning 64 2/3 total innings between the FCL and Salem in 2025. Among 34 Red Sox minor-leaguers who threw at least 60 innings this year, Travieso ranked second in strikeouts per nine innings (12.53) and swinging-strike rate (17.5 percent), third in strikeout rate (31.8 percent), sixth in FIP and xFIP (3.16), 10th in ERA, and 17th in batting average against (.236), per FanGraphs.

Listed at 5-foot-11 and 140 pounds and equipped with a live arm, Travieso does not get much extension but still reached 99 mph with his upper-90s fastball this season. Throwing from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporating a high leg kick into his delivery, the projectable hurler also features an 82-86 mph slider and a changeup, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Travieso, who does not turn 19 until next March, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 38 prospect, which ranks 22nd among pitchers in the organization. He is projected by the site to return to Salem for the start of the 2026 season and will undoubtedly be an intriguing high-upside arm to follow.

(Picture of Jesus Travieso: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How did Red Sox pitching prospect, top international signing Sadbiel Delzine fare in professional debut?

Red Sox pitching prospect Sadbiel Delzine missed most of his first professional season due to injury. When on the mound, though, the young right-hander showed flashes of intriguing potential.

As an amateur coming out of Venezuela, Delzine stood out thanks in part to his physical upside, power, and pitchability. Given those traits, the San Felix native drew a great deal of interest from teams — including the Red Sox — leading up to the start of the 2025 international signing period in January.

After celebrating his 17th birthday on January 9, Delzine officially signed with Boston for $500,000 on January 15. Not only did he receive the highest signing bonus of any Venezuelan pitcher in the 2025 international class, but that $500,000 also represents the most the Red Sox have doled out for an international pitcher since they landed Chih-Jung Liu out of Taiwan for $750,000 in October 2019.

Roughly five months after putting pen to paper, Delzine made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League on June 3. He made three starts for DSL Red Sox Blue over the course of the next two weeks, posting a 4.82 ERA (2.75 FIP) with nine strikeouts to one walk across 9 1/3 innings in which opposing hitters batted .297 against him.

In the weeks following his June 17 outing against DSL Astros Blue (in which he pitched into the fourth inning for the first time as a pro), it was revealed that Delzine had been dealing with right flexor soreness. That ailment led to him being shut down for the remainder of the regular season, though he did return in time to make one playoff start that saw him allow one earned run on one hit, two walks, and one strikeout in his lone inning of work against DSL Athletics on August 26.

The overall body of work is obviously small, but Delzine was one of 31 Red Sox minor-leaguers to throw at least nine regular-season innings in the Dominican Summer League this year. Among those 31, he notably ranked first in groundball rate (64.3 percent), walk rate (2.6 percent), swinging-strike rate (30.8 percent), FIP, and xFIP (3.26), seventh in strikeout rate (23.1 percent), and 10th in WHIP (1.29), per FanGraphs.

“If he’d qualified, Delzine would be right there with Kendry Chourio and Kevin Defrank in the conversation for the best pitching prospect in the DSL,” Baseball America’s Josh Norris wrote on Tuesday. “Alas, an injury limited him to just 9 1/3 innings in the regular season before he re-emerged during postseason play.”

Already, Delzine is listed at 6-foot-5 and 198 pounds, though he is likely even bigger. The imposing righty primarily operates with an upper-90s mph fastball that has reached 96 mph. He also features a mid-80s gyro slider, a low-80s curveball, a mid-80s changeup, and an upper-80s cutter.

“At his best, Delzine showed a loose arm and a projectable body already capable of generating upper-90s velocity with his fastball,” Norris continued. “He backed it with a nasty curveball in the 79-84 mph range and a slider that came in a few ticks hotter. The heat was there when he returned to the mound, but the command of his pitches and synchronization of his body was a bit off-kilter.”

Delzine is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 25 prospect, which ranks 12th among pitchers in the organization. Barring a trade or other surprise move by the Red Sox this winter, he will likely begin his age-18 season by making his stateside debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League next summer.

(Picture of Sadbiel Delzine via his Instagram)

Former Red Sox prospect Cutter Coffey named 2025 Northwest League All-Star

Former Red Sox prospect Cutter Coffey has been named a 2025 Northwest League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Wednesday.

Coffey, one of three prospects traded by the Red Sox to the Blue Jays for veteran catcher Danny Jansen last July, spent the entirety of the 2025 season with Toronto’s High-A Vancouver affiliate. The right-handed hitting 21-year-old batted .273/.359/.427 with 26 doubles, 11 home runs, 62 RBIs, 68 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 47 walks, and 100 strikeouts over 99 games (440 plate appearances). That includes a .295/.404/.359 slash line against lefties and a .268/.347/.444 slash line against righties.

After taking home Northwest League Player of the Month honors for July, Coffey spent most of August on the injured list. The young infielder returned to action for Vancouver on Aug. 27 and picked up hits in six of his final nine games en route to being recognized as the Canadians’ 2025 Offensive Player of the Year.

Among 32 qualified hitters in the Northwest League this season, Coffey ranked fourth in line-drive rate (24.7 percent), eighth in batting average and wRC+ (118), ninth in slugging percentage, 10th in on-base percentage, OPS (.786), and wOBA (.361), and 14th in walk rate (10.7 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Coffey saw playing time at every infield position besides first base for the Canadians this year. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder logged 394 innings at third base, 282 innings at second base, and 41 innings at shortstop, committing nine errors in 233 total chances. He also made 16 starts at DH.

A California native, Coffey was originally selected by the Red Sox with the 41st overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Liberty High School and forwent his commitment to the University of Texas by signing for $1.85 million. He had already reached High-A Greenville before being dealt to the Blue Jays along with infielder Eddinson Paulino and right-hander Gilberto Batista in exchange for Jansen a few days ahead of the 2024 trade deadline last summer.

Coffey is currently ranked as Toronto’s No. 27 prospect by MLB Pipeline, which describes him as having “a future as a utility infielder who provides some thump off the bench” if he can “get the most of his tools.” He does not to be added to the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster for Rule 5 protection purposes until next winter.

Assuming he remains in the Blue Jays organization through this winter and into next spring, Coffey — with exactly 200 regular-season games at the High-A level under his belt — would seemingly be a prime candidate to open the 2026 campaign with Toronto’s Double-A affiliate in New Hampshire.

(Picture of Cutter Coffey: Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox OF prospect Justin Gonzales recognized as 2025 Carolina League All-Star

Red Sox outfield prospect Justin Gonzales has been named a 2025 Carolina League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Tuesday.

Gonzales spent most of his first season in the United States with Low-A Salem after making a brief one-game cameo in the rookie-level Florida Complex League in early May. From there, the right-handed hitting 18-year-old batted .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 the Red Sox.

Among 47 qualified hitters in the Carolina League, Gonzales ranked first in batting average, second in OPS (.804), wOBA (.394), and wRC+ (131), third in slugging percentage and strikeout rate (14.6 percent), sixth in on-base percentage, 14th in swinging-strike rate (10.3 percent), and 17th in isolated power (.125), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Gonzales saw playing time at all three outfield positions for Salem. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder logged 226 1/3 innings in center field, 192 innings in right field, and 127 2/3 innings in left field, recording two assists and committing four errors in 127 total defensive chances. He also made 16 starts at DH.

Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Gonzales originally signed with the Red Sox for $250,000 as an international free agent in January 2024. As part of an impressive professional debut last season, the Bani native was recognized as a Dominican Summer League All-Star and Boston’s Minor League Latin Program Position Player of the Year.

Roughly two weeks before Salem’s season ended, Gonzales received a promotion to High-A Greenville in late August. He ended the year by going 8-for-43 (.186) with four RBIs, five runs scored, one stolen base, four walks, and 11 strikeouts in 11 games for 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 over 93 total games (410 plate appearances) between the FCL, Salem, and Greenville in 2025. That includes a .309/.420/.500 line against lefties and a .275/.350/.364 line against righties.

Gonzales, who turns 19 in December, is currently ranked as the No. 7 prospect in Boston’s farm system by MLB Pipeline. At the same time, Baseball America lists him at No. 12, while SoxProspects.com has him at No. 13. Barring a trade or other surprise move this winter, he will likely return to Greenville for the start of the 2026 minor-league season.

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

How did Henry Godbout, top position player drafted by Red Sox this summer, fare in professional debut?

Henry Godbout was the first of six position players drafted by the Red Sox over the summer. This article will examine how the 21-year-old infielder fared in his professional debut this season.

Godbout was taken out of Virginia with the 75th overall pick in the 2025 draft, which the Red Sox had received as compensation for losing qualified free agent Nick Pivetta to the Padres in free agency last winter. Fresh off earning Second Team All-ACC honors in his junior season with the Cavaliers, the New York native signed with Boston for an at-slot $1.0938 million on July 22.

“Really good instincts, really good action,” Red Sox director of amateur scouting Devin Pearson said of Godbout when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo) following the draft. “They shift a lot at Virginia, but he’s able to cover a lot of ground and has worked both sides of the [second base] bag. We’re betting on the athlete here to be able to do both.

“Makes a ton of contact,” Pearson continued, “super athletic and fits our development strengths in terms of being able to tap into some more power.

After putting pen to paper in Fort Myers, Fla., and spending the remainder of July at the Red Sox’ Fenway South complex, Godbout reported straight to High-A Greenville (as opposed to Low-A Salem) and made his pro debut at Fluor Field on August 6. The right-handed hitter then went 6-for-17 (.353) with three doubles, two RBIs, four runs scored, six walks, and three strikeouts in his first six games with the Drive before suffering a hamstring injury in Greensboro on August 14.

Following an 11-day stint on the injured list, Godbout returned to action on August 28 and closed out the season by going 9-for-27 (.333) with three doubles, three RBIs, two runs scored, one stolen base, three walks, and three strikeouts in his final seven games of the 2025 campaign as Greenville came up just short of qualifying for a spot in the South Atlantic League playoffs.

Overall, Godbout batted .341/.473/.477 with six doubles, five RBIs, six runs scored, one stolen base, nine walks, and six strikeouts in 13 games (55 plate appearances) for the Drive. That includes a .333/.455/.667 slash line against left-handed pitching and a .343/.477/.429 slash line against right-handed pitching.

It is a small sample size, but Godbout was one of 261 hitters to accrue at least 55 plate appearances in the South Atlantic League this year. Among those 261, he ranked third in batting average and on-base percentage, fourth in strikeout rate (10.9 percent), fifth in OPS (.950), wOBA (.452), and wRC+ (182), sixth in swinging-strike rate (5.6 percent), 14th in slugging percentage, 21st in walk rate (16.4 percent), 76th in isolated power (.136), and 85th in line-drive rate (23.7 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Godbout unsurprisingly split his playing time with Greenville between second base and shortstop. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder logged 55 innings at second and 22 innings at short without committing a single error in 19 total chances. He also made three starts at DH.

On the heels of making a positive first impression in his pro debut, Godbout is already regarded among the top prospects in Boston’s farm system by numerous outlets. He is ranked No. 19 by MLB Pipeline, No. 21 by Baseball America, and No. 23 by SoxProspects.com, respectively.

Godbout, who turns 22 in November, is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Greenville for the start of the 2026 season. With a full offseason of developmental opportunities ahead of him, he could emerge as an even more intriguing prospect as well as a quick riser within the organization next year.

(Picture of Henry Godbout: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

3 Red Sox prospects crack Baseball America’s 2025 Dominican Summer League rankings

Late last week, Baseball America’s Josh Norris ranked the top 35 prospects who played in the Dominican Summer League in 2025.

Of those 35, three members of the Red Sox organization made the cut, with infielders Dorian Soto and Jhorman Bravo coming in at No. 8 and No. 26 and catcher Franklin Primera coming in at No. 33.

Soto, 17, received the highest bonus ($1.4 million) of any international free agent the Red Sox signed this year and is currently ranked by Baseball America as the club’s No. 10 prospect. The switch-hitting Dominican-born infielder put pen to paper in January and made his professional debut in June. He then batted .307/.362/.428 (104 wRC+) with 10 doubles, two home runs, 18 RBIs, 27 runs scored, one stolen base, 16 walks, and 28 strikeouts in 47 games (186 plate appearances) between Boston’s two DSL affiliates.

Though he was named a DSL All-Star in July, Soto did not play in the All-Star Game itself due to a wrist injury that ultimately “quieted his performance down the stretch.” Before that, Norris noted, he “showed an exciting blend of hittability, power, and remaining projection.”

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, Soto saw playing time at every infield position besides first base this year, logging 230 2/3 innings at shortstop, 42 2/3 innings at third base, and two innings at second base. He committed nine errors in 133 total defensive chances between those three spots and also made seven starts at DH.

“He’s a tall, lanky player with plenty of room for strength on his frame,” Norris wrote of Soto. “The added bulk might push him to third base, but he has plenty of arm strength for the position and should have the requisite power, as well.”

Bravo, also 17, signed with Boston for $150,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in January, but did not generate nearly as much buzz as Soto. In 34 games for DSL Red Sox Red, the left-handed hitter slashed .241/.328/.664 (77 wRC+) with one double, two triples, two home runs, 14 RBIs, 21 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 16 walks, and nine strikeouts over 134 plate appearances. He did not play after July 31 due to an unspecified injury.

Defensively, Bravo — like Soto — made at least one start at every infield position besides first base this season. The 6-foot-1, 176-pounder logged 106 innings at shortstop, 73 1/3 innings at second base, and 40 1/3 innings at third base, committing six errors in 105 chances. He also made three starts at DH.

As noted by Norris, Bravo’s offensive numbers do not necessarily jump off the page, “but scouts across the league raved about his skills and the foundation they set for the future.

“He has the chops not only to stick at shortstop, but to excel at the position,” Norris continued. “Some scouts grade his defense as nearly double-plus thanks to strong instincts, a stellar internal clock, and more than enough arm for the left side that includes a quick release and plenty of accuracy.”

Primera, meanwhile, was signed for just $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela last September. In his professional debut this season, the right-handed hitting 18-year-old batted .333/.465/.430 (144 wRC+) with 10 doubles, one home run, 27 RBIs, 33 runs scored, two stolen bases, 25 walks, and 15 strikeouts over 45 games (172 plate appearances) for DSL Red Sox Red. He was a late addition to the American League’s DSL All-Star roster in July but homered in his first at-bat to take home All-Star Game co-MVP honors.

“Overall, though, the most intriguing part of Primera’s offensive game revolves around his bat-to-ball skills,” Norris wrote. “He rarely swung and missed and did a fine job laying off pitches out of the strike zone. His game power is mostly gap-to-gap, and he’ll need to add some strength as he gets older. Scouts are bullish that he can make that necessity a reality.”

On the other side of the ball, Primera made 39 starts behind the plate for DSL Red Sox Red. The 6-foot, 179-pound backstop threw out 26 of 111 possible base stealers while allowing five passed balls and committing eight errors in 300 total chances. He also made six starts at DH.

“Primera also earns high marks for his defense, including above-average to plus grades for his receiving and arm strength,” added Norris. “He has the floor of a backup catcher in the big leagues with the upside for a bit more.”

It is still early, and plenty can change between now and then. Still, looking ahead to next season, all three of Soto, Bravo, and Primera could be in line to take the next step in their professional journeys by making their stateside debuts in the Florida Complex League.

(Picture of Dorian Soto via his Instagram)

Red Sox’ Yhoiker Fajardo named Carolina League Pitcher of the Month for August

Red Sox pitching prospect Yhoiker Fajardo has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Month for August, Minor League Baseball announced on Thursday.

Fajardo dominated Carolina League hitters to the tune of a 1.14 ERA (1.67 FIP) with 36 strikeouts to eight walks in six starts (23 2/3 innings) for Low-A Salem last month. Opponents batted just .159 against the 18-year-old right-hander, who was recognized as the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week on two separate occasions.

In 12 starts for Salem this season, Fajardo has forged a 2.79 ERA (2.43 FIP) with 53 strikeouts to 16 walks over 48 1/3 innings in which opposing hitters batted .230 against him. That comes after he posted a 0.44 ERA (2.41 FIP) with 24 strikeouts to seven walks in six outings (four starts) spanning 20 2/3 innings for the rookie-level Florida Complex League Red Sox to open the 2025 campaign before being promoted on June 17.

Among the 107 pitchers who entered play Thursday having thrown at least 45 innings in the Carolina League this year, Fajardo ranked second in FIP, fourth in swinging-strike rate (16.5 percent), sixth in line-drive rate (16.1 percent), 11th in xFIP (3.08), 14th in groundball rate (51.6 percent), 17th in strikeout rate (26.9 percent), 23rd in ERA, 25th in strikeouts per nine innings (9.87) and walks per nine innings (2.98), 26th in walk rate (8.1 percent) and WHIP (1.18), and 53rd in batting average against, per FanGraphs.

Fajardo has been nothing short of a revelation this season after being acquired from the White Sox for left-handed reliever Cam Booser last December. The native Venezuelan had originally signed with Chicago for $400,000 as an international free agent in February 2024 and was fresh off earning Dominican Summer League All-Star honors in his professional debut. He is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 22 prospect (12th among pitchers), while MLB Pipeline has him at No. 25 (14th among pitchers) and SoxProspects.com has him at No. 18 (11th among pitchers), respectively.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 181 pounds, Fajardo throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the young righty features a 93-95 mph fastball that can reach 96-97 mph depending on what variation (two-seam or four-seam) he throws, a tight 82-85 mph slider, and an 85-88 mph kick changeup.

Fajardo, who turns 19 in October, was also named SoxProspects.com’s Pitcher of the Month and the Red Sox’ Minor League Pitcher of the Month for August in recent days. He is slated to make one more start for Salem in the back half of its series against Fayetteville this weekend before the 2025 Carolina League regular season draws to a close on Sunday.

(Picture of Juan Valera: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote top prospect Franklin Arias to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted top prospect Franklin Arias from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Arias is moving up a level for the second time this season. The 19-year-old infielder opened the 2025 campaign at Low-A Salem and batted .346/.407/.397 (134 wRC+) with four doubles, nine RBIs, 15 runs scored, four stolen bases, six walks, and 12 strikeouts in 19 games (86 plate appearances) before receiving a promotion to Greenville in late April.

After getting off to a blistering start with Greenville that saw him net South Atlantic League Player of the Month honors for May, Arias began to cool off as spring turned to summer. The right-handed hitter continued to struggle offensively out of the All-Star break in July, but has fared relatively better as of late to bring his line up to .265/.329/.380 (107 wRC+) with 21 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 49 RBIs, 43 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 32 walks, and 35 strikeouts in 87 games (392 plate appearances) for the Drive.

Overall, Arias is slashing .279/.343/.383 (112 wRC+) with 25 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 58 RBIs, 58 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 38 walks, and 47 strikeouts in 106 games (478 plate appearances) between Salem and Greenville this season. That includes a .214/.296/.282 line against lefties and a .300/.358/.415 line against righties.

Between his stops in Salem and Greenville, Arias primarily split his playing time between shortstop and second base, logging 780 2/3 innings at the former and 44 innings at the latter. The rangy 5-foot-11, 170-pounder (listed height and weight) committed six errors (all at shortstop) in 364 total defensive chances. He also made 10 starts at DH.

A native of Venezuela, Arias originally signed with the Red Sox for $525,000 as an international free agent coming out of Caracas in January 2023. Lauded for his ability to make contact and fielding prowess, he made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League shortly thereafter. He impressed there before truly breaking out last season. As part of a standout 2024 campaign, he was recognized as a Baseball America Rookie and Florida Complex League All-Star, the Florida Complex League’s Top MLB Prospect and MVP, and Boston’s Minor League Baserunner of the Year.

Unsurprisingly, Arias was included in multiple top 100 prospects lists to begin the 2025 season. He is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 3 prospect and the game’s No. 50 prospect, while MLB Pipeline has him ranked as Boston’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 24 prospect in the sport. SoxProspects.com has him at No. 2 on its top 60 list behind only rookie left-hander Payton Tolle.

Arias, who turns 20 in November, is leading off and starting at shortstop in Portland’s series opener against Erie at Hadlock Field on Tuesday night. The Sea Dogs have 12 regular-season games remaining and currently trail Somerset by just 1 1/2 games for a spot in the Eastern League playoffs.

(Picture of Franklin Arias: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)