Tag: conrad cason

Red Sox two-way prospect Conrad Cason undergoes Tommy John surgery

Red Sox two-way prospect Conrad Cason underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on Thursday to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow, as he revealed on Instagram.

Cason, who turned 19 earlier this month, is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 28 prospect; MLB Pipeline has him at No. 26 and SoxProspects.com at No. 27. The Georgia native was selected by the Red Sox in the eighth round (237th overall) of the 2024 draft out of Greater Atlanta Christian School, where he both pitched and played shortstop. He forwent his commitment to Mississippi State by signing for an over-slot $1.25 million last July, but did not make his professional debut until this May.

Cason appeared in two games for the rookie-level Florida Complex League Red Sox (one as a pitcher, the other as a DH) on May 3 and May 5, respectively. On the mound, the right-hander struck out five and walked one over two scoreless innings in which he reached 97 mph with his fastball against the FCL Twins. Two days later, the right-handed hitter went 1-for-4 with an RBI single and two strikeouts out of the three-hole against the FCL Braves.

It was not long after that Cason began experiencing arm fatigue, which resulted in his being shut down from baseball activities for an extended period. The athletic 6-foot-1, 190-pounder resumed swinging and got into a hitting progression in June, but his arm fatigue evolved into an elbow soreness that ultimately required him to go under the knife.

With Thursday’s procedure now in the rearview mirror, Cason faces a unique recovery and rehabilitation timetable moving forward. As noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, Cason could return to action at least as a position player (or DH) as soon as next year. A potential timetable for his return to the mound, however, is less clear given the number of obstacles that are involved in that process.

Taking that into consideration, the Red Sox may decide that it would be in Cason’s best interest to choose one avenue and develop solely as just a pitcher or just a position player once he clears all of the hurdles that are coming his way.

(Picture of Conrad Cason: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox two-way prospect identified as potential 2025 breakout candidate

The Red Sox have several prospects who could break out in 2025, including those who have yet to make their professional debuts.

Conrad Cason, the club’s eighth-round selection in last summer’s draft, is one such name to watch. MLB.com’s Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo, and Sam Dykstra recently identified the two-way talent as a potential breakout candidate within Boston’s farm system this year.

Cason, 18, was taken with the 237th overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Greater Atlanta Christian School. The Georgia native forwent his commitment to Mississippi State by signing with the Red Sox for a well over-slot $1.25 million. However, he did not play for one of Boston’s minor-league affiliates after putting pen to paper at Fenway Park on July 29.

To cap off his high school career at Greater Atlanta Christian, Cason shined as both a pitcher and a shortstop en route to earning Gatorade Player of the Year honors in Georgia last spring. On the mound, the right-hander posted a 0.48 ERA with 99 strikeouts over 43 2/3 innings. At the plate, the right-handed hitter batted .364/.519/.545 with three home runs, 28 RBIs, 32 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases.

As a senior, Cason flashed a three-pitch mix that consisted of a 93-95 mph fastball that reached 97-98 mph, a low-80s split-grip changeup, and a tight slider with similar velocity, per his MLB.com scouting report. The athletic 6-foot-1, 190-pounder also possesses solid speed and power potential, which he put on display while showcasing his abilities as a shortstop at the MLB Draft Combine.

Though most teams preferred him as a pitcher during the pre-draft process, the Red Sox will provide Cason with an avenue to develop on both sides of the ball at the outset of his pro career. Devin Pearson, Boston’s director of amateur scouting, made that much clear when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo) shortly after Cason was drafted.

“Our group was actually a little bit split on it. We had some guys that liked him better as a pitcher and other guys that liked him better as a hitter,” Pearson said. “On both sides, you have an elite athlete who can throw 100 mph and hit balls very far. We will take that bet and see where he best fits but we’re going to develop him as a two-way player.”

Cason, who does not turn 19 until August, comes into the new year ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 15 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He is currently projected by SoxProspects.com (which has him ranked 16th) to open the 2025 minor-league season at Low-A Salem. How his workload is managed will presumably come into focus closer to Opening Day.

(Picture of Conrad Cason via his Instagram)