Tag: caleb bolden

Red Sox promote relief prospect Caleb Bolden to Double-A Portland

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

Bolden has enjoyed a strong start to the 2024 season with Greenville. The 25-year-old right-hander has allowed just two unearned runs on six hits and six walks to go along with 20 strikeouts over eight appearances (13 innings) for the Drive in which he has held opposing hitters to a .136 batting average against. He has also gone 3-for-3 in save opportunities.

Bolden was originally selected by the Red Sox in the seventh round of the 2022 amateur draft out of TCU. As a graduate transfer who previously spent four years at Arkansas, the Texas native received a modest $7,500 signing bonus from Boston and made his professional debut in the Florida Complex League.

Since then, Bolden has compiled a 3.84 ERA and 3.23 FIP with 104 strikeouts to 37 walks over 42 relief outings (72 2/3 innings) at three different minor-league levels. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound hurler throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. He operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 95 mph, an 80-82 mph sweeping slider, and an 83-85 mph changeup, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Bolden, who does not turn 26 until December, is the second reliever from the Red Sox’ 2022 draft class to make the jump from Greenville to Portland in as many weeks. Fellow righty Jonathan Brand was promoted last Wednesday. Those two now help make up a Sea Dogs bullpen that already includes the likes of Alex Hoppe, Ryan Zeferjahn, Christopher Troye, and Felix Cepeda.

(Picture of Caleb Bolden: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox select TCU right-hander Caleb Bolden with seventh-round pick in 2022 MLB Draft

With the 219th overall pick in the 2022 MLB first-year player draft, the Red Sox selected Texas Christian University right-hander Caleb Bolden.

Bolden, 23, is a fifth-year senior who spent the first four years of his collegiate career at the University of Arkansas before transferring to TCU for the 2022 season. In 23 appearances (one start) with the Horned Frogs, the Texarkana native posted a 6.23 ERA and 1.44 WHIP with 46 strikeouts to 19 walks over 39 innings of work.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Bolden underwent Tommy John surgery three years ago, which resulted in him missing the entirety of the 2019 season at Arkansas.

Per his Baseball America scouting report, Bolden “is a low slot sinker/slider pitcher with a low effort delivery and solid arm talent. His stuff has never played as good as the pitch-mix that he has.”

This is the second time Bolden has been drafted, as the righty was previously taken by the Rays in the 16th round of the 2017 amateur draft out of high school. Rather than sign with Tampa Bay, though, Bolden elected to go to college.

The Red Sox last drafted a TCU pitcher in 2018, when they took fellow reliever Durbin Feltman in the third round. Bolden, on the other hand, becomes the fourth college hurler Boston has selected in this year’s draft, joining the likes of Dalton Rogers, Noah Dean, and Alex Hoppe.

The expectation seems to be that Bolden, who turns 24 in December, will sign for less than the $208,600 that is allotted to the 219th overall selection in the 2022 draft. The Red Sox have until August 1 to sign Bolden, as well as the rest of their draft picks.

(Picture of Caleb Bolden: Texas Christian University Athletics)