Tag: Baseball

Former Red Sox OF prospect Braden Montgomery (part of Garrett Crochet trade) named South Atlantic League Player of the Week

Former Red Sox prospect Braden Montgomery has been named the South Atlantic League Player of the Week for the week of May 5-11, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

One of four prospects traded to the White Sox for ace left-hander Garrett Crochet in December, Montgomery was a man on a mission in High-A Winston-Salem’s series against Bowling Green this past week. Appearing in all six games, the switch-hitting outfielder went 10-for-21 (.476) with two doubles, three home runs, 10 RBIs, five runs scored, two walks, and one strikeout.

Montgomery went deep twice on Tuesday, crushed a walk-off three-run homer on Wednesday, stroked two hits on Thursday, drove in a pair of runs on Friday, drew a walk on Saturday, and doubled as part of another two-hit effort on Sunday. The 22-year-old is now batting a stout .405/.480/.762 with six doubles, three home runs, 12 RBIs, eight runs scored, one stolen base, six walks, and eight strikeouts in 12 games (50 plate appearances) for Winston-Salem since being promoted from Low-A Kannapolis in late April. He received that promotion after slashing .304/.393/.493 with four doubles, three homers, 19 RBIs, 14 runs scored, six stolen bases, 10 walks, and 19 strikeouts over 18 games (84 plate appearances) to open his first full professional season.

Altogether, Montgomery has batted .342/.425/.595 with 10 doubles, six home runs, 31 RBIs, 22 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 16 walks, and 27 strikeouts in 30 games (134 plate appearances) thus far in 2025. That includes a .318/.423/.506 line in 104 plate appearances swinging from the left side of the plate and a .423/.433/.885 line in 30 plate appearances swinging from the right side.

Among 33 qualified White Sox minor-leaguers to this point in the year, Montgomery most notably ranks third in batting average, wOBA (.465), and wRC+ (178), fourth in slugging percentage and OPS (1.020), fifth in isolated power (.252), seventh in on-base percentage, 11th in strikeout rate (20.1 percent), and 13th in walk rate (11.9 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Montgomery has seen playing time at all three outfield spots this season. Between his stops at Kannapolis and Winston-Salem, the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder has logged 135 innings in center, 58 innings in right, and 27 innings in left without committing an error or recording an assist. He has also made five starts at DH.

Montgomery was selected by the Red Sox with the 12th overall pick in last year’s draft out of Texas A&M by way of Stanford (where he played two seasons before transferring as a junior). The 2021 Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year signed for an under-slot $5 million in July but was still recovering from a fractured right ankle he suffered during the NCAA Super Regionals a month prior. As such, he did not appear in a game for one of Boston’s minor-league affiliates and make his professional debut before being dealt to Chicago alongside catcher Kyle Teel, infielder Chase Meidroth, and right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez in the blockbuster trade for Crochet at December’s Winter Meetings.

Montgomery, who just turned 22 last month, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 5 prospect in Chicago’s farm system and the No. 60 prospect in the sport. With plus power and arm strength, he profiles “as a three true outcomes corner outfielder” who could break in at the big league level for the White Sox as soon as next year, according to his Baseball America scouting report.

In the more immediate future, one would think Montgomery has a strong chance to earn another promotion from Winston-Salem to Double-A Birmingham for his first test in the upper minors at some point this summer.

(Picture of Braden Montgomery: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Jeremy Wu-Yelland to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Jeremy Wu-Yelland from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster.

After pitching for China in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers in March, Wu-Yelland opened the 2025 season in Greenville’s bullpen. The 25-year-old left-hander posted a 3.09 ERA (1.96 FIP) with 20 strikeouts to five walks over seven relief appearances (11 2/3 innings) for the Drive. He went 2-for-2 in save opportunities and held opposing hitters to a .222 batting average.

Among 133 South Atlantic League pitchers who came into play Thursday having thrown at least 11 innings, Wu-Yelland ranked fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (15.43), sixth in swinging-strike rate (18.3 percent), seventh in FIP, 10th in strikeout rate (39.2 percent), 13th in xFIP (2.60), 50th in ERA, 64th in groundball rate (43.5 percent), 65th in walk rate (9.8 percent) and batting average against, and 66th in walks per nine innings (3.86), per FanGraphs.

Wu-Yelland was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round (118th overall) of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft out of Hawaii. The Spokane, Wash. native signed for $200,000 and made his professional debut in May 2021 before undergoing Tommy John surgery the following April. He then missed the entirety of the 2022 campaign and was limited to just three outings in the Florida Complex League as a result of being shut down in 2023. He returned to the mound in May 2024 and finished with a 5.67 ERA (3.77 FIP) in 23 appearances (33 1/3 innings) for Greenville last year.

With 54 career innings at the High-A level to his name, the Red Sox likely figured it was time to present Wu-Yelland with a new challenge in the form of a promotion to Portland. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound southpaw has been up to 98 mph with his upper-90s fastball this season and has also featured a cutter and slider. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 57 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 31st among pitchers in the organization.

Wu-Yelland, who turns 26 next month, will join a right-handed heavy bullpen mix in Portland that includes the likes of Jack Anderson, Jonathan Brand, Zach Bryant, Yovanny Cruz, Alex Hoppe, Gabriel Jackson, Reidis Sena, and Christopher Troye. It should be interesting to see if he makes his Double-A debut at Hadlock Field before the end of the weekend.

(Picture of Jeremy Wu-Yelland: Patrick Mulligan/Getty Images)

Red Sox promote IF prospect Antonio Anderson to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted infield prospect Antonio Anderson from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster.

Anderson, 19, is enjoying a bounce-back season after struggling mightily in his first full season of pro ball last year. To kick off the 2025 campaign, the switch-hitter batted a stout .345/.436/.488 with six doubles, two home runs, 17 RBIs, 18 runs scored, one stolen base, 15 walks, and 22 strikeouts in 22 games (101 plate appearances) for Salem. That includes a .276/.382/.397 slash line from the left side of the plate and a .500/.546/.692 slash line from the right side.

Among qualified Carolina League hitters coming into play on Tuesday, Anderson ranked fourth in batting average, sixth in on-base percentage, OPS (.924), wOBA (.443), and line-drive rate (30.2 percent), seventh in wRC+ (154), 12th in slugging percentage, 28th in walk rate (14.9 percent), 30th in isolated power (.143) and swinging-strike rate (10.1 percent), and 31st in strikeout rate (21.8 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Anderson saw the majority of his playing time to begin the season come at third base. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder logged 145 1/3 innings at the hot corner for Salem, committing two errors in 42 chances. He also made one start at first base (a career first) and four starts at DH after splitting time between third base and shortstop last year.

A Georgia native, Anderson was originally selected by the Red Sox in the third round (83rd overall) of the 2023 draft out of North Atlanta High School. He forwent his commitment to Georgia Tech by signing with Boston for an over-slot $1.5 million and made his professional debut in the Florida Complex League shortly thereafter.

Anderson, who turns 20 next month, is not currently regarded by Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, or SoxProspects.com as one of the top prospects in Boston’s farm system. Still, as recently highlighted by Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes, he has improved in several areas across the board this season and appears to have turned a corner developmentally.

With that being said, it should be interesting to see how Anderson handles the jump from Low-A to High-A and the adjustment period that comes with it. In Greenville, he figures to join a corner infield mix that — at present — includes the likes of Albert Feliz, Andy Lugo, Brooks Brannon, Juan Montero, and Marvin Alcantara, among others.

(Picture of Antonio Anderson: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox acquire pitching prospect John Holobetz from Brewers to complete Quinn Priester trade

Exactly four weeks after dealing right-hander Quinn Priester to the Brewers, the Red Sox completed their April 7 trade with Milwaukee by adding some minor-league pitching depth on Monday.

Having already obtained outfielder Yophery Rodriguez and a competitive balance draft pick (33rd overall in this year’s draft) last month, Boston acquired minor-league righty John Holobetz from Milwaukee as the player to be named later (as opposed to cash considerations) in the deal to officially complete the swap.

Holobetz, 22, was selected by the Brewers in the fifth round (156th overall) of last summer’s draft out of Old Dominion (where he primarily pitched out of the bullpen) by way of Radford. The Pennsylvania native signed with Milwaukee for an under-slot $322,500 but did not make his professional debut until this April. He posted a 3.00 ERA (2.48 FIP) with 31 strikeouts to five walks in five outings (three starts) spanning 24 innings for Low-A Carolina to begin the 2025 season. Opposing hitters batted just .180 against him.

Among 15 qualified Carolina League pitchers, Holobetz currently leads the pack in strikeout rate (31.3 percent), batting average against, WHIP (0.88), FIP, and xFIP (2.71). He also ranks second in strikeouts per nine innings (11.63), walks per nine innings (1.88), and walk rate (5.1 percent), and seventh in ERA, per FanGraphs.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Holobetz throws from a three-quarters arm slot and puts a lot of effort into his delivery. At present, he features a 92-94 mph fastball that has reached 96 mph this season, an 83-86 mph slider, and a high-80s changeup. According to Holobetz’s Baseball America pre-draft scouting report, “scouts believe the changeup is his best pitch, a potential weapon, but his breaking ball is more of a work in progress. Despite his reliever history, he throws enough strikes to potentially start in pro ball.”

Holobetz, who turns 23 in late July, was initially assigned to Low-A Salem but will instead report to High-A Greenville to begin his career as a member of the Red Sox organization.

(Picture of John Holobetz: Old Dominion University Athletics)

Red Sox’ Blake Aita named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for second time this season

Red Sox pitching prospect Blake Aita has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week of April 28-May 4, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

This marks the second time this season that Aita has earned Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honors. The 21-year-old first took home the award last month after striking out four and walking only one over five scoreless, no-hit innings in his professional debut for Low-A Salem on April 4.

Aita was arguably even more impressive in his most recent outing for Salem at home last Thursday. Going up against the Fredericksburg Nationals at Carilion Clinic Field, the young right-hander gave up just one hit and no walks while fanning seven across six shutout frames. He took a perfect game into the top of the sixth before giving up a leadoff single, which was nullified two batters later when he induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to end his night.

Finishing with 67 pitches (45 strikes), Aita induced a game-high 14 swings and misses as the Red Sox ultimately held on to defeat the Nationals by a final score of 5-4.

Through five starts for Salem to begin his first full professional season, Aita has posted a 3.28 ERA (3.24 FIP) with 22 strikeouts to six walks over a staff-leading 24 2/3 innings in which opposing hitters have batted .220 against him. Among 15 qualified Caroline League pitchers, he ranks third in WHIP (1.05) and xFIP (3.47), fourth in walks per nine innings (2.19), walk rate (6.1 percent), and FIP, and seventh in groundball rate (45.6 percent), per FanGraphs.

Aita is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 40 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 20th among pitchers in the organization. The Tennessee native was selected by the Red Sox in the sixth round (177th overall) of last year’s draft out of Kennesaw State, where he was named 2024 First Team All-Atlantic Sun. As a draft-eligible sophomore, he signed for $300,000 but waited until this spring to make his pro debut.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Aita throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the intriguing righty operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 92-95 mph fastball (velocity increased in spring training), an 80-82 mph sweeper, an 86-89 mph cutter, and an 85-89 mph changeup.

“He’s been great so far,” Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham said of Aita. “Has worked hard all offseason and spring training to set him up for success throughout the year. He added velo to his fastball along with his secondaries and continues to pound the zone. His sweeper has been a big weapon, used for strikes and chase against both sides.”

Aita, who turns 22 next month, is seemingly a prime candidate to receive a promotion to High-A Greenville in the not-so-distant future. He can continue to strengthen his case for that move by stringing together more dominant outings for Salem in the meantime.

“Very pleased with the consistency and constant improvement daily,” said Abraham.

(Picture of Blake Aita: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox sign former Seton Hall righty Jay Allmer to minor-league deal

The Red Sox purchased the contract of right-hander Jay Allmer from the Lake Country DockHounds of the independent American Association on Wednesday, per the league’s transactions log.

Allmer signed with Lake Country back in November but did not appear in a game for the club, as the 2025 American Association season does not get underway until next week. The 22-year-old went undrafted out of Seton Hall last summer after posting a 2.73 ERA with 35 strikeouts to 19 walks over 25 relief appearances (29 1/3 innings) for the Pirates as a senior.

Though he did not get picked in the draft, Allmer spent the remainder of his summer pitching for the Morehead City Marlins of the Coastal Plain League and the Frederick Keys of the MLB Draft League. In 37 outings between the two summer ball teams, the 6-foot-6, 215-pound righty posted a 3.05 ERA with 48 strikeouts to 11 walks across 44 1/3 total innings of relief.

A native of North Carolina, Allmer originally committed to UNC Asheville out of high school. He spent the first two seasons (2021-2022) of his collegiate career with the Bulldogs, compiling a 14.95 ERA in 19 appearances (18 2/3 innings) before transferring to Seton Hall ahead of his junior season in 2023.

According to Mason Feole of Connected Performance, Allmer initially received little to no interest as a free agent in 2024 but “embraced the adversity” that came with that and worked diligently “to ensure that he was ready for the opportunity and locked in on making the necessary changes in order to make it happen.”

Allmer, as Feole noted in an Instagram post on Wednesday, increased the peak velocity of his fastball from 91 to 97 mph. In addition to a mid-90s heater, Allmer also features a lower-90s sinker, a mid-80s sweeper, an upper-80s changeup, and a 78-80 mph slider.

“At the end of the day, Jay is a Red Sox because he is simply good enough to be,” Feole wrote. “He has changed who he is as a player to be good enough, and now he’s achieved it. Incredibly proud of his mindset and approach to this progression and change.”

Allmer, who turns 23 in June, has been assigned to Low-A Salem and is active for Wednesday’s contest against Fredericksburg. He will presumably provide Boston’s Carolina League affiliate with right-handed bullpen depth behind the likes of Austin Ehrlicher, Joe Vogatsky, Nicholas Judice, Eybersson Polanco, and Nicolas De La Cruz.

(Picture of Jay Allmer: Seton Hall University Athletics)

Red Sox promote relief prospect Matt McShane (acquired in offseason trade) to High-A Greenville

In addition to shortstop Franklin Arias and left-hander Brandon Clarke, the Red Sox promoted pitching prospect Matt McShane from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville on Tuesday.

McShane, 22, opened his first season as a member of the Red Sox organization in Salem’s bullpen. The right-hander posted a 0.63 ERA (1.89 FIP) with 20 strikeouts to four walks over seven relief appearances (14 1/3 innings) for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. Opposing hitters batted just .185 against him.

Among the 59 pitchers in the Carolina League who have thrown at least 14 innings to this point in the year, McShane ranks second in ERA and FIP, third in xFIP (2.24) and swinging-strike rate (19.6 percent), fifth in strikeout rate (34.5 percent), seventh in strikeouts per nine innings (12.56), 11th in WHIP (0.98), 13th in walk rate (6.9 percent), 14th in walks per nine innings (2.51), 16th in batting average against, and 22nd in groundball rate (48.4 percent), per FanGraphs.

McShane was acquired by the Red Sox from the Pirates for fellow righty Chase Shugart (who had been designated for assignment) in January. The Pennsylvania native was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the 13th round of last summer’s draft out of St. Joseph’s. He received a $150,000 signing bonus but did not make his professional debut until April 6 of this year.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, McShane operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 95 mph, an 82-86 mph slider, and a 79-81 mph changeup, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report. He is not currently ranked by the site as one of the organization’s top 60 prospects.

McShane, who does not turn 23 until November, figures to provide Greenville with additional right-handed bullpen depth behind the likes of Isaac Stebens, Cooper Adams, Adam Smith, and Darvin Garcia. He will likely make his High-A debut at some point during the Drive’s series against the Asheville Tourists at Fluor Field this week.

(Picture of Matt McShane: St. Joseph’s University Athletics)

Red Sox’ Marcelo Mayer named International League Player of the Week

Top Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer has been named the International League Player of the Week for the week of April 21-27, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Mayer put together an impressive week at the plate in Worcester’s series against the Syracuse Mets at Polar Park. Appearing in six games, the left-handed hitting 22-year-old went 9-for-20 (.450) with three doubles, three home runs, 12 RBIs, seven runs scored, three walks, and four strikeouts. He crushed a 401-foot homer on Tuesday, a 445-foot homer on Wednesday, and a 419-foot homer on Sunday.

After getting his first season at the Triple-A level off to a relatively slow start, Mayer has been on an offensive tear as of late and is now batting .280/.324/.548 with four doubles, seven home runs, an International League-leading 34 RBIs, 17 runs scored, one stolen base, seven walks, and 20 strikeouts through 23 games (102 plate appearances) for the WooSox thus far.

Among 134 qualified hitters in the International League, Mayer ranks 10th in slugging percentage, 12th in isolated power (.269), 23rd in OPS (.872), 35th in wOBA (.376), 37th in wRC+ (125), 41st in strikeout rate (19.6 percent), 43rd in swinging-strike rate (9.9 percent), 46th in batting average, and 58th in line-drive rate (25.3 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Mayer has added to his defensive profile by seeing playing time at three different positions to this point in the season. In addition to logging 135 innings at shortstop, the 6-foot-3, 188-pound infielder has made three starts at second base (a first for him professionally) and three starts at third base. Between those three spots, he has committed two errors in 75 total chances. He has also made one start at DH.

Mayer, the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft coming out of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, Calif., is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 3 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 12 prospect in the sport. Shortly after making his second straight trip to the All-Star Futures Game last summer, he was promoted from Double-A Portland to Worcester for the first time in mid-August. Due to a lumbar strain in his lower back, however, he did not appear in a game for the WooSox and instead spent the remainder of the 2024 campaign on the injured list.

After standing out at his first big league camp in Fort Myers this spring, Mayer has seemingly carried over that momentum into the early stages of the season with Worcester and is showing how impactful he can be when healthy. As MassLive.com’s Katie Morrison-O’Day recently highlighted, the Red Sox are prioritizing durability when it comes to Mayer’s remaining development.

“Number one with Marcelo is his health. We want to see him withstand the ups and downs of the season from a health standpoint,” WooSox hitting coach Doug Clark told Morrison-O’Day. “And that’s not only physically, but mentally. These kids are not 30 years old. They’re very young, and they’re very susceptible to ups and downs and how they deal with them. And that’s where we come into play as coaches…but that’s something that he does well already.”

Mayer, who does not turn 23 until December, is undoubtedly on the cusp of being called up for his major league debut. Though he is currently blocked at shortstop by Trevor Story, at second base by Kristian Campbell, and at third base by Alex Bregman, Mayer — much like top outfield prospect Roman Anthony — could force the issue for the Red Sox if he continues to produce the way he has in recent weeks.

“He’s a tremendous talent,” Clark said of Mayer. “We can’t wait for him to get what he deserves, and that’s to be a champion up there with Boston.”

(Picture of Marcelo Mayer: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox prospect Trennor O’Donnell named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox pitching prospect Trennor O’Donnell has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week of April 21-27, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

O’Donnell shined for Low-A Salem in Sunday’s series finale on the road against Hickory. The 23-year-old right-hander scattered three hits over five scoreless innings, striking out seven and walking none en route to notching his first win of the season. He retired the final eight batters he faced and finished with 56 pitches (40 strikes), generating four swings and misses on the afternoon.

The Red Sox ultimately defeated the Crawdads by a final score of 19-1 at L.P. Frans Stadium to salvage a series split and improve to 8-13 on the young season.

O’Donnell, Boston’s eighth-round selection in the 2023 draft, has appeared in four games (made two starts) for Salem so far this year. The Ball State product has posted a 4.20 ERA (3.96 FIP) with 19 strikeouts to nine walks over 15 innings in which opposing hitters have batted .271 against him.

Among the 33 pitchers in the Carolina League who have thrown at least 15 innings to this point in 2025, O’Donnell most notably ranks seventh in strikeouts per nine innings (11.40), ninth in strikeout rate (27.5 percent), and 11th in xFIP (3.83), per FanGraphs. He also ranks 25th in BABIP (.385), which suggests that he may be the victim of some poor luck.

O’Donnell, who turns 24 in June, is not currently ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com. The imposing 6-foot-7, 240-pound hurler throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, he features an 89-91 mph fastball, a 79-81 mph sweeper, an 85-86 mph slider, and an 86-87 mph changeup. He has also begun throwing a splinker (splitter-sinker hybrid), according to Beyond the Monster’s Andrew Parker.

Since making his professional debut last April, O’Donnell has pitched exclusively at the Low-A level, compiling a career 4.04 ERA (3.33 FIP) with 90 strikeouts to 30 walks over 78 total innings for Salem. Taking that into consideration, it would not be too surprising if the native Texan received a promotion to High-A Greenville in the not-so-distant future.

Regardless of his outlook, though, O’Donnell becomes the second member of the 2025 Salem Red Sox to earn Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honors. He joins fellow righty Blake Aita (March 31-April 6) in accomplishing that feat.

Looking outside of the organization, former Red Sox prospects Brandon Walter (signed a minor-league contract with the Astros after being released last August) and Elmer Rodriguez (traded to the Yankees for Carlos Narvaez in December) were named the Pacific Coast and South Atlantic League Pitchers of the Week for the week of April 21-27, respectively.

(Picture of Trennor O’Donnell: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote prospects Franklin Arias, Brandon Clarke to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox are promoting infield prospect Franklin Arias and pitching prospect Brandon Clarke from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster.

Arias, 19, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 4 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 72 prospect in the sport. The right-handed hitter batted a stout .346/.407/.397 with four doubles, nine RBIs, 15 runs scored, four stolen bases, six walks, and 12 strikeouts in 19 games (86 plate appearances) for Salem to open the season. He did not play in Sunday’s series finale against Hickory.

Among 93 qualified hitters in the Carolina League coming into play on Sunday, Arias ranked third in swinging-strike rate (6.1 percent), sixth in batting average, 11th in strikeout rate (14 percent), 13th in line-drive rate (29.2 percent), 21st in on-base percentage, 29th in wOBA (.401), 30th in OPS (.804), 34th in slugging percentage and wRC+ (128), and 46th in speed score, per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Arias has seen the vast majority of his playing time to this point in the season come at shortstop. With Salem, the 5-foot-11, 170-pounder logged 135 1/3 innings at short, where he committed just one error in 70 defensive chances. He also made one start at second base and two 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. He put forth a strong professional debut in the Dominican Summer League that season, then caught fire in the Florida Complex League last year. To go along with being named the FCL’s 2024 MVP and top prospect, he was rewarded with a promotion to Salem in late July and was later recognized as Boston’s Minor League Baserunner of the Year.

“I definitely want to be the best player I can be. [But] I try to take it day to day and try not to look too far in the future,” Arias told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier (through a translator) earlier this month. “I feel that’s what helped me get that MVP last year, and I think if I can take that day-to-day approach this year, I can have some similar results.”

Arias, who does not turn 20 until November, also told Speier that he is aiming to make it to Double-A Portland or even Triple-A Worcester before his age-19 season draws to a close. If he were to receive a promotion to Portland at some point this winter or fall, he would join Roman Anthony (2023) and Xander Bogaerts (2012) as the two most recent Red Sox prospects to reach the Double-A level as teenagers.

In Greenville, Arias is slated to join a middle infield mix that already includes the likes of Marvin Alcantara, Nazzan Zanetello, Fraymi De Leon, and Justin Riemer (on the injured list). It would not be terribly surprising if he emerged as the Drive’s primary shortstop moving forward, though he could spend additional time at second base to get others reps at short.

Clarke, meanwhile, is not yet ranked by Baseball America as one of Boston’s top pitching prospects, though that will likely be changing soon. The 22-year-old left-hander was selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round (148th overall) of last summer’s draft out of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. He forewent his commitment to transfer to South Carolina by signing for $400,000, but did not pitch for an affiliate after putting pen to paper.

Clarke, instead, waited until April 10 of this year (his 22nd birthday) to make his professional debut. The Virginia native then posted a 0.93 ERA (1.20 FIP) with 17 strikeouts to just two walks in his first three starts (9 2/3 innings) for Salem. He only gave up two hits in that stretch as two of his three outings to kick off the 2025 campaign were both scoreless and hitless.

Among the 118 Caroline League pitchers who entered Sunday with at least nine innings under their belts early on, Clark ranked first in FIP and xFIP (1.55), second in strikeout rate (47.2 percent) and groundball rate (68.8 percent), batting average against (.061), and WHIP (0.41), third in line-drive rate (6.3 percent) and swinging-strike rate (21.3 percent), 13th in ERA, and 17th in walk rate (5.6 percent), per FanGraphs.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Clarke stood out in spring training not just because of his large stature, but because of his arsenal as well. As highlighted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the athletic lefty throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. He operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 96-99 mph fastball that tops out at 100 mph, an 87-90 mph slider, an 81-85 mph sweeper, and an 87-89 mph changeup that is still considered a work in progress.

Much like Arias, Clarke is in line to face more advanced competition at the High-A level with this promotion. Presumably taking the place of fellow southpaw Hayden Mullins (promoted to Portland) in Greenville’s starting rotation, Clarke will join a talented pitching staff headed by 2024 second-round draft pick Payton Tolle, Juan Valera, and Jedixson Paez. He will likely make his Drive debut in the team’s upcoming series against the Asheville Tourists at Fluor Field.

(Picture of Franklin Arias: Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)