Tag: bryan mata

Longtime Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata taking talents to Japan, signing with NPB’s Yomiuri Giants

Earlier this week, it was revealed that longtime Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata was taking his talents to Japan. Though terms have not yet been disclosed, it appears as though the 26-year-old right-hander is signing with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Originally signed by the Red Sox for $25,000 as an international free agent in January 2016, Mata spent 10 years in the organization without ever reaching the majors. Upon entering the professional ranks, the native Venezuelan quickly emerged as one of Boston’s premier pitching talents and represented the club in the 2018 All-Star Futures Game at just 19. He was ranked by Baseball America as a top-10 prospect in the team’s farm system each year from 2018 to 2023, peaking at No. 4 on three occasions.

Despite showing intriguing flashes at times, Mata’s tenure with the Red Sox was ultimately marred by injuries. After being added to the club’s 40-man roster for Rule 5 Draft protection purposes in November 2020, for instance, the right-hander suffered a slight UCL tear that resulted in him undergoing Tommy John surgery and missing the entire 2021 season. He returned to action in June 2022 and ended the year on a high note, only to suffer additional setbacks in 2023 and 2024.

In 2024 alone, Mata was limited to just 22 2/3 innings across four minor league levels due to a plethora of injuries. After being pulled from multiple rehab assignments and landing on the 60-day injured list, Mata — who was out of options — was designated for assignment and subsequently non-tendered last November. The Red Sox then brought him back on a minor league contract for 2025 that included an invitation to major league spring training.

As part of an impressive camp in Fort Myers, Mata appeared in four Grapefruit League games this past spring and was one of manager Alex Cora’s final roster cuts before Opening Day. The hard-throwing righty ended up spending all of 2025 at Triple-A Worcester, posting a 5.08 ERA with 93 strikeouts to 39 walks over 42 relief appearances (67 1/3 innings) in which opponents batted .268 against him. Though Mata displayed significant velocity on his fastball and the ability to induce whiffs with his secondaries, he never really factored into Boston’s big league bullpen mix.

A minor league free agent at season’s end, Mata drew widespread interest from MLB teams looking to bring him in on a non-roster deal for 2026. The Red Sox were not among them, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, who noted that Mata also had offers from other overseas clubs.

Mata, who turns 27 in May, will now look to turn a new leaf in Japan and perhaps re-establish his value there if he plans on returning to the United States in the future. In the meantime, Mata is freshly removed from a strong stint in the Venezuelan Winter League, as he forged a 1.57 ERA with 34 strikeouts to seven walks over nine outings (seven starts) spanning 34 1/3 innings for the Navegantes del Magallanes.

(Picture of Bryan Mata: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox bring Isaiah Campbell, Bryan Mata back on minor-league deals after non-tendering them

The Red Sox have re-signed pitchers Isaiah Campbell and Bryan Mata to minor-league contracts, as was first reported by MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. The pair of right-handers will remain with the organization for the time being after being designated for assignment and subsequently non-tendered by Boston on Friday.

Campbell and Mata were designated for assignment on Tuesday after the Red Sox added prospects Hunter Dobbins and Jhostynxon Garcia to their 40-man roster. Though neither was tendered a contract and was granted free agency on Friday, Cotillo notes that Boston remained interested in keeping both Campbell and Mata in the organization. The club was able to secure new deals that include non-roster invites to major-league spring training with each pitcher, though they could both generate interest in next month’s Rule 5 Draft.

If they remain with the Red Sox through the winter, however, both Campbell and Mata should have a chance at competing for a spot on Boston’s Opening Day roster this coming spring. They can otherwise serve as depth pieces at Triple-A Worcester if they do not break camp with the big-league club in March.

Campbell, 27, was acquired from the Mariners for infielder Luis Urias last November. On the heels of a successful rookie campaign with Seattle, the Arkansas product got his 2024 off to an encouraging start by compiling a 2.08 ERA through five relief appearances (4 1/3 innings) on Boston’s season-opening west coast road trip. He then surrendered nine total runs (eight earned) in back-to-back blowups against the Orioles at Fenway Park before being placed on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement on April 12.

Following a lengthy stint on the injured list, Campbell returned to the majors on June 24. He yielded three earned runs in one-third of an inning against the Blue Jays. That proved to be his final big-league outing of the season, as he was optioned to Worcester shortly thereafter and was then shut down with right elbow inflammation in late July. Altogether, he posted a 6.20 ERA in eight appearances (6 2/3 innings) for the Red Sox and a 2.20 ERA in 14 appearances (16 1/3 innings) for the WooSox this year.

Mata, meanwhile, was once regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in the organization after originally signing with the Red Sox as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in January 2016. Equipped with an electric pitch mix, the 25-year-old righty spent four seasons on Boston’s 40-man roster without making his major-league debut due to various injuries and instead exhausted all of his minor-league options in that time.

After opening the 2024 season on the injured list with a right hamstring strain, a rehabbing Mata proceeded to forge a 4.37 ERA over 22 2/3 innings across four minor-league levels. He re-joined Worcester in late June as part of his comeback attempt but was unable to take the next step to the majors due to a bout with right elbow soreness that landed him on the 60-day injured list in July.

This offseason, Mata has been pitching for the Navegantes del Magallanes of the Venezuelan Winter League. Coming into play on Saturday, the Maracay native owns a 2.70 ERA with one strikeout to one walk in four relief appearances (3 1/3 innings) for the Valencia-based club.

(Picture of  Isaiah Campbell: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox add prospects Hunter Dobbins, Jhostynxon Garcia to 40-man roster ahead of Rule 5 deadline

The Red Sox added pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins and outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia to their 40-man roster on Tuesday to protect them from being available to other clubs in December’s Rule 5 Draft.

To accommodate the additions of Dobbins and Garcia, Boston designated right-handers Isaiah Campbell and Bryan Mata for assignment. As such, the Red Sox’ 40-man roster is back at full capacity.

Dobbins, 25, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 21 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks eighth among pitchers in the organization. The right-hander was originally selected by the Red Sox in the eighth round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Texas Tech but did not make his professional debut until the following June as he was still recovering from Tommy John surgery.

This past season, Dobbins was recognized as the Red Sox’ Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year after posting a 3.08 ERA (3.04 FIP) with 120 strikeouts to 48 walks in 25 starts (125 2/3 innings) between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. Opposing hitters batted .237 against him altogether.

Equipped with a diverse arsenal, Dobbins experienced an uptick in velocity this year. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound righty averaged 93-96 mph and topped out at 98 mph with his fastball while also mixing in a newly-implemented 89-92 mph splinker (a splitter-sinker hybrid), a 78-80 mph sweeper, an 81-83 mph slider, and a 76-78 mph curveball that features 12-to-6 break.

“Obviously a guy who had a really, really good season for us,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said of Dobbins when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) at the GM Meetings earlier this month. “Was exciting to follow the progress — both the uptick in raw stuff across the board and swing and miss and durability and the ability to post. He’s put himself on the radar and it will be an important offseason for him to continue to develop. It would be foolish not to be really excited about what he was able to accomplish.”

Dobbins, who does not turn 26 until next August, still has some room to grow as far as his command and control are concerned. With that being said, he should provide the Red Sox with starting rotation depth in Worcester to open the 2025 campaign and could be in line to make his major-league debut before the season is over.

Garcia, on the other hand, is a little farther away. The 21-year-old originally signed with the Red Sox for $350,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in July 2019. He is currently ranked by Baseball America as the No. 18 prospect in Boston’s farm system after putting together a breakout 2024 season that saw him rise across three levels.

In 107 games between Low-A Salem, High-A Greenville, and Portland, Garcia batted .286/.356/.536 with 24 doubles, five triples, an organizational-leading 23 home runs, 66 RBIs, 78 runs scored, 17 stolen bases, 33 walks, and 99 strikeouts over 459 total plate appearances. For his efforts, the free-swinging right-handed hitter was named to Baseball America’s Second Team Minor League All-Star Team and the All-MiLB Prospect First Team.

Defensively, Garcia saw playing time at all three outfield spots between his stops in Salem, Greenville, and Portland this year. With the Sea Dogs in particular, the 6-foot, 215-pounder made 27 of his 30 starts in center field, where he recorded one outfield assist and committed two errors in 61 chances. His other three starts there came at DH.

Garcia, who turns 22 next month, is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland for the start of the 2025 season. Unlike Dobbins, Garcia likely won’t figure into Boston’s big-league plans until 2026 at the earliest. He could, of course, be moved in a trade well before then.

(Picture of Hunter Dobbins: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Top Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata heads to Triple-A Worcester’s injured list with shoulder inflammation

Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata has been placed on Triple-A Worcester’s 7-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.

Mata exited his start against the Rochester Red Wings early on Tuesday. The right-hander appeared to be in visible discomfort after delivering a 1-0, 86.2 mph fastball to Franklin Barreto with one out and one runner on in the bottom of the third inning at Innovative Field.

After WooSox catcher Jorge Alfaro motioned to the visitor’s dugout, a conference on the mound ensued. Mata then left the field with a trainer and was replaced by Jake Faria, who allowed both runners he inherited to score in what would go down as a 7-3 loss to the Red Wings.

Up until that point in the contest, Mata had yielded six runs (four earned) on six hits and three walks to go along with five strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings of work. The 24-year-old finished with 49 pitches (29 strikes). He topped out at 99.1 mph with his slider, an offering that accounted for four of the five swings-and-misses he induced.

Following Tuesday’s injury-shortened outing, Mata now owns an 0-3 record and 5.61 FIP with 27 walks to 26 strikeouts in seven starts (25 2/3 innings) for the WooSox so far this season. Despite those unimpressive numbers, the native Venezuelan is still regarded by publications such as Baseball America as the top pitching prospect in Boston’s farm system.

Originally signed as an international free agent coming out of Maracay for just $25,000 in January 2016, Mata was added to the Sox’ 40-man roster in November 2020 to receive protection from Rule 5 Draft eligibility. He tore the UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) in his right elbow the following March and underwent Tommy John surgery shortly thereafter.

After missing all of the 2021 season, Mata returned to action last June as part of a rehab assignment with Low-A Salem. He made one start for Salem, three starts for High-A Greenville, and nine starts (10 total appearances) for Double-A Portland before earning a promotion to Worcester in late August.

Since then, Mata has forged a 4.59 ERA with 52 strikeouts to 46 walks in 12 starts (49 innings) with the WooSox. Alongside the likes of lefties Brandon Walter and Chris Murphy, who are also on the 40-man roster, Mata represents legitimate big-league pitching depth for the Red Sox at the club’s top affiliate.

With that being said, though, Mata has just one minor-league option remaining, meaning this is the final year the Red Sox can freely shuttle the righty between Boston and Worcester without having to first expose him to waivers.

Even before this latest setback, there were signs that Mata could transition to a bullpen role in the near future since he has power stuff but has had difficulty in harnessing it effectively. Depending on how long he is out for (the hope is the issue isn’t too serious), that scenario could become a reality if the Red Sox want to get a look at Mata at the major-league level before season’s end.

(Picture of Bryan Mata: Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox option top pitching prospect Bryan Mata to Triple-A Worcester in latest round of spring training roster cuts

Only two players were involved this time around, but the Red Sox still made their third round of spring training roster cuts following Sunday’s split-squad doubleheader against the Yankees and Orioles.

Boston optioned right-hander Bryan Mata to Triple-A Worcester and reassigned left-hander Ryan Sherriff to minor-league camp, the club announced.

Mata made his fourth appearance of the spring in Sunday’s 3-3 draw against the Yankees at JetBlue Park. The 23-year-old scattered three hits and two walks to go along with two strikeouts over three scoreless innings of work. He retired eight of the 13 batters he faced on 46 pitches and has yet to surrender a run in Grapefruit League play.

After returning from Tommy John surgery last season, Mata was promoted to Worcester in late August. The native Venezuelan made five starts for the WooSox and posted a 3.47 ERA (3.12 FIP) with 30 strikeouts to 15 walks over 23 1/3 innings pitched. He is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s top pitching prospect and could have a chance to make an impact at the major-league level later this year.

Sherriff, on the other hand, signed a minors pact with the Red Sox in January that came with an invite to big-league camp. In four relief appearances this spring, the 32-year-old southpaw has allowed one unearned run on three hits, one hit batsman, and four strikeouts. He has held opposing hitters to a .188 batting average against thus far.

With Sunday’s subtractions, the size of Boston’s spring training roster has shrunk from 56 to 54 players. Fifteen of the 54 players who remain are not on the 40-man roster and are therefore at camp as non-roster invitees.

BOSTON RED SOX NON-ROSTER INVITEES (15)

Pitchers (4): Matt Dermody, Oddanier Mosqueda, Chase Shugart

Catchers (4): Jorge Alfaro, Caleb Hamilton, Ronaldo Hernández, Stephen Scott

Infielders (1): Christian Koss

Outfielders (3): Greg Allen, Narciso Crook, Raimel Tapia

Infielder/Outfielders (4): Ryan Fitzgerald, Niko Goodrum, Daniel Palka, Nick Sogard

(Picture of Bryan Mata: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Ryan Fitzgerald caps off comeback with walk-off single as Red Sox top Rays, 7-6, for first Grapefruit League win

The Red Sox opened the home portion of their Grapefruit League schedule on Sunday afternoon by walking off the Rays in thrilling fashion at JetBlue Park. Boston defeated Tampa Bay by a final score of 7-6 to notch its first official win of the spring.

Josh Winckowski got the start for the Sox. The right-hander allowed one hit and one walk to go along with three strikeouts over two scoreless innings of work. He retired the side in order in the first before running into some trouble in the second by issuing a one-out walk and giving up a two-out double to Tristan Gray.

With two runners in scoring position, Winckowski kept the Rays off the scoreboard by fanning Greg Jones for his third and final punchout of the day. Following a Tampa Bay pitching change that saw Braden Bristo take over for Taj Bradley, Boston was able to plate the game’s first run in the latter half of the second.

Masataka Yoshida led off the frame by lacing a double to deep right field for his first hit of the spring. He then promptly scored from second base on an RBI single off the bat of Alex Verdugo that deflected off the faux Green Monster in left field.

Taking a 1-0 lead into the top of the third, left-hander Chris Murphy faced the minimum in his lone inning of work by hitting a batter with one out and inducing an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. Bryan Mata took over for Murphy and maneuvered his way around a two-out walk in an otherwise clean fourth inning. Brandon Walter, too, had little trouble in the fifth, as the intriguing lefty struck a pair in a perfect frame.

In the sixth, Rio Gomez served up a game-tying solo shot to Luke Raley. But the Red Sox quickly responded in their half of the inning. Ryan Fitzgerald, Nick Sogard, and Narciso Crook all drew walks to fill the bases with two outs. The Rays then brought in right-hander Jaime Schultz to face Matthew Lugo, but that move did not pan out as Lugo blooped a bases-clearing double that evaded second baseman Osleivis Basabe and right fielder Ruben Cardenas in shallow right field.

As a result, all three of Fitzgerald, Sogard, and Crook scored, and the Red Sox suddenly found themselves up by three runs. That lead would not last long, however, as Skylar Arias was tagged for one run on two walks in the seventh. In the eighth, Jacob Webb issued three consecutive one-out walks before yielding a go-ahead grand slam to Basabe that gave the Rays a 6-4 advantage.

After Luis Guerrero put the flames out in the top of the eighth, the Red Sox again responded in the bottom half. With two outs and runners at the corners, Lugo came through once more by ripping a two-run triple off Hector Perez that nearly left the yard in the right field corner.

Lugo’s second run-producing hit of the day pulled the Red Sox even with the Rays at six runs a piece. Ryan Zeferjahn kept things that way by retiring the side in order in the top of the ninth. In the bottom half, Stephen Scott and Enmanuel Valdez each took ball four to lead off the inning. Fitzgerald then ended it by scoring Scott on a walk-off single through the left side of the infield.

Fitzgerald, who went 1-for-2 with a walk on Sunday, is now batting .290/.405/.774 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in 21 career Grapefruit League games dating back to the spring of 2019.

Other notable numbers:

Sunday’s contest took two hours and 39 minutes to complete. Justin Turner and Adam Duvall each went hitless and their respective Red Sox debuts while Verdugo went 2-for-2 with one run batted in.

Lugo, who is the youngest player on Boston’s current spring training roster, went 2-for-3 with a three-run double and two-run triple en route to recording a game-high five RBIs.

Next up: The race for the 2023 Chairman’s Cup begins

With their first Grapefruit League victory of the year in tow, the Red Sox will next host the Twins in the opening game of the 2023 Chairman’s Cup on Monday.

Kutter Crawford will get the start for Boston in the opener of this five-game series while fellow right-hander Pablo Lopez will do the same for Minnesota.

First pitch from JetBlue Park is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. eastern time on NESN.

(Picture of Ryan Fitzgerald: Elsa/Getty Images)

Red Sox invite 11 prospects to rookie development program; Ceddanne Rafaela, Bryan Mata among those scheduled to participate

After a three-year hiatus, the Red Sox will be bringing back their Rookie Development Program to Fenway Park later this week.

Boston announced on Wednesday that 11 players are scheduled to participate in the five-day program, which begins on Saturday, January 21, and concludes on Wednesday, Jan. 25. The prospects who were invited are infielders/outfielders Ceddanne Rafaela and Enmanuel Valdez, infielder David Hamilton, outfielder Wilyer Abreu, left-handers Chris Murphy and Brandon Walter, and right-handers Brayan Bello, Ryan Fernandez, Franklin German, Zack Kelly, and Bryan Mata.

Rafaela, Valdez, Hamilton, Abreu, Murphy, and Walter were all added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster in order to receive protection from the Rule 5 Draft. Mata was added in 2020 for the very same reason. Bello, German, and Kelly, meanwhile, all made their major-league debuts for Boston last season.

Interestingly enough, Fernandez is the lone player here who is not currently a member of the Sox’ 40-man roster. The 24-year-old righty flashed some electric stuff (including a high-90s fastball) between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland last year before suffering a season-ending elbow injury in July. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 38 prospect in the organization.

Fernandez and these 10 other players will take part in this development program, which was first introduced in 2004 in an effort to ease the transition from the minor- to the major-leagues. Past participants include Bobby Dalbec, Jarren Duran, Tanner Houck, Rafael Devers, Mookie Betts, Matt Barnes, Christian Vazquez, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Xander Bogaerts.

The Red Sox last held their rookie development program in Jan. 2020. It was cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and did not take place in 2022 due to the MLB lockout. In lieu of it being axed last year, Boston held a “Winter Warmup” minicamp in Fort Myers for select prospects who were not yet on the 40-man roster, such as Rafaela, German, Kelly, Murphy, Walter, and Triston Casas.

According to the Red Sox, this year’s version of the rookie development program includes “two workouts daily that emphasize conditioning and strength training as well as a concentration on baseball fundamentals. In addition, the players are attending a number of seminars that will focus on the assimilation into major-league life on and off the field. They will attend the Boston Bruins game on Sunday, Jan. 22, host an RBI clinic alongside the Red Sox Foundation on Monday, Jan. 23, and visit Boston Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, Jan. 24.”

Team president and CEO Sam Kennedy, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, general manager Brian O’Halloran, and manager Alex Cora are among those who are scheduled to speak with this year’s participants. They will also hear from other members of the club’s baseball operations, baseball communications and media relations, and community relations departments.

(Picture of Ceddanne Rafaela: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Could Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata make his MLB debut next season?

The Red Sox saw their top pitching prospect in Brayan Bello make his major-league debut this season. Could fellow right-hander Bryan Mata be next in line next year?

Bello, who appeared in 13 games and pitched 57 1/3 innings for the Red Sox in 2022, has graduated from his prospect status. Barring a major surprise, Mata will likely enter the 2023 season ranked by most publications as the top pitching prospect in Boston’s farm system.

Although he has yet to debut for the Sox, Mata has gotten a taste of the big-league lifestyle. The 23-year-old hurler travelled with the club to Toronto as a member of the taxi squad for their final road trip of the season. He threw a bullpen session at Rogers Centre prior to Friday’s game against the Blue Jays.

“His first big-league bullpen,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters, including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith, last week.

As The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier previously reported, Mata was unlikely to be added to the 28-man roster since the Red Sox just wanted to familiarize him “with the big-league environment, including pregame pitchers’ meetings that take place in advance of series and games.”

Still, that the Red Sox elected to include Mata in such meetings shows that they think highly of him. Boston originally signed the native Venezuelan for just $25,000 in January 2016. He had already emerged as one of the more intriguing pitching prospects in the system before undergoing Tommy John surgery last April.

Upon returning from the procedure earlier this spring, Mata made one start for Low-A Salem and three starts for High-A Greenville before making the jump to Double-A Portland — the level he last pitched at in 2019 — in late June. With the Sea Dogs, he posted a 1.85 ERA in 10 appearances (nine starts) and strung together 18 consecutive scoreless frames before earning a promotion to Triple-A Worcester in late August.

In five starts with the WooSox, Mata pitched to 3.47 ERA and 3.12 FIP with 30 strikeouts to 15 walks over 23 1/3 innings of work. According to Speier, the 6-foot-3, 238-pound righty was operating with a high-90s sinker, a four-seam fastball that reached triple digits, an improving slider, and a whiff-inducing changeup.

While his arsenal is tantalizing, Mata does need to work on throwing more strikes and giving up fewer walks. Though his 29.4 percent strikeout rate remained constant between Portland and Worcester this year, he saw his walk rate rise from 11.7 percent to 14.7 percent after going from Double-A to Triple-A.

“I think the strike-throwing thing is the next step,” Cora said. “He had some good games and some OK games. The stuff will always play. And he’s come a long way since his injury. And we really like his season. He was able to get his innings. We’re really excited. It’s just a matter of we need to be patient. But as far as stuff, he’s really good.”

Mata, who turns 24 in May, is already a member of Boston’s 40-man roster. Because of that, he could be in a position to make his major-league debut at some point next season. There are still some things to iron out, though, and they could determine Mata’s role moving forward. Can he stick as a starter? Or is he better suited for the bullpen? The answer will be revealed soon enough.

(Picture of Bryan Mata: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote top pitching prospect Bryan Mata to Triple-A Worcester, per report

The Red Sox have promoted top pitching prospect Bryan Mata to Triple-A Worcester, according to MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith. The right-hander is expected to make his first start for the WooSox in Tuesday’s series opener against the Buffalo Bisons at Polar Park.

Mata, 23, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 7 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks second among pitchers in the organization behind only fellow righty Brayan Bello.

Originally signed out of Venezuela for just $25,000 as an international free-agent in January 2016, Mata was added to the Sox’ 40-man roster in November 2020. The Maracay native seemed destined to make his major-league debut at some point during the 2021 campaign, but he wound up undergoing Tommy John surgery last April after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Thirteen months after going under the knife, Mata returned to the mound with a bang. The hard-throwing righty topped out at 100 mph with his four-seam fastball during an extended spring training start in May and was sent out on a rehab assignment shortly thereafter.

By early summer, Mata had gotten his feet between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville, prompting a promotion to Double-A Portland on June 28. In 10 appearances (nine starts) for the Sea Dogs since then, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound hurler has posted a 1.85 ERA and 3.57 FIP with 58 strikeouts to 23 walks over 48 2/3 innings of work. That includes an ongoing stretch of 18 consecutive scoreless frames dating back to August 12.

Among Eastern League pitchers who — as of Sunday morning — have thrown at least 40 innings to this point in the year, Mata ranks 22nd in strikeout rate (29.4%), ninth in groundball rate (52.2%), 27th in batting average against (.202), second in ERA, 20th in FIP, and 13th in xFIP (3.57), per FanGraphs.

In addition to his high-octane four-seamer, Mata operates with a two-seam fastball, a slider, a curveball, and a changeup. The curveball and slider are considered to be his two best secondary pitches.

Mata, who does not turn 24 until next May, could soon join Bello in making his major-league debut for the Red Sox. In the meantime, he becomes just the latest Boston pitching prospect to make the jump from Portland to Worcester this season joining the likes of Bello, Chris Murphy, Brandon Walter, and Victor Santos, among others.

(Picture of Bryan Mata: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata extends scoreless innings streak to 18 in latest strong start for Double-A Portland

It appears as though Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata may be ready for a promotion to Triple-A Worcester.

In his latest start for Double-A Portland on Wednesday night, Mata scattered five hits and two walks to go along with a season-high nine strikeouts over six scoreless innings of work in an 8-0 win over the Hartford Yard Goats. The 23-year-old right-hander threw 94 pitches (61 strikes) and induced 11 swings-and-misses.

Since making the jump from High-A Greenville in late June, Mata has posted a 1.85 ERA and 3.58 FIP with 58 strikeouts to 23 walks over 10 appearances (9 starts) spanning 48 2/3 innings with the Sea Dogs this season. He has not allowed a run in his last 18 innings pitched.

Among Eastern League pitchers who have thrown at least 40 innings to this point in the year, Mata ranks 23rd in strikeout rate (29.4%), ninth in groundball rate (52.2%), 26th in batting average against (.202), second in ERA, 21st in FIP, and 14th in xFIP (3.57), per FanGraphs.

Mata, who missed the entirety of the 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last April, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 7 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks second among pitchers in the organization behind only fellow righty Brayan Bello.

The Red Sox originally signed Mata for just $25,000 as an international free-agent coming out of Venezuela in January 2016. The Maracay native was added to Boston’s 40-man roster in November 2020 and seemed destined to make his big-league debut in 2021. But he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow that spring, which ultimately required him to go under the knife.

Sixteen months later and Mata is once again putting himself on the map. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound was clocked at 100 mph with his four-seam fastball during an extended spring training start in May. His other offerings include a two-seam fastball, a slider, a curveball, and a changeup.

Mata, who does not turn 24 until next May, would become the latest in a long line of Red Sox pitching prospects to make the transition from Double-A to Triple-A this season. Bello, who has since made his major-league debut, and Brandon Walter were both promoted in May. Chris Murphy was promoted the following month while fellow southpaw Jay Groome — who has since been traded to the Padres– was promoted in July. Victor Santos was also promoted earlier this month.

(Picture of Bryan Mata: Brace Hemmelgarn/Getty Images)