Tag: fall stars

Red Sox prospects Luis Perales, Stanley Tucker named 2025 Fall Stars

Red Sox prospects Luis Perales and Stanley Tucker have been selected to the 2025 Fall Stars Game, the Arizona Fall League announced on Thursday.

Perales, a 22-year-old right-hander, and Tucker, a 23-year-old infielder/outfielder, will represent the Salt River Rafters by suiting up for the American League in the 19th annual Fall Stars Game at Mesa’s Sloan Park on Sunday night. The game, which is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET, will be broadcast live on MLB Network and MLB.com.

Perales, one of Boston’s top pitching prospects and a member of the club’s 40-man roster, is still in the process of working his way back from June 2024 Tommy John surgery. After a lengthy rehab, the Venezuelan-born righty returned to the mound in September, appearing in two games (one start) for Double-A Portland and one game for Triple-A Worcester before the minor-league season concluded.

So far this fall, Perales has mostly struggled in the hitter-friendly AFL. Through five starts for Salt River, the 6-foot-1 hurler has posted a 9.58 ERA with 16 strikeouts to 10 walks over 10 1/3 innings in which opponents have batted .326 against him. Stuff-wise, he has reached triple digits with his fastball while also mixing in a cutter, slider, and changeup.

As he is slated to make his sixth start for Salt River on Friday, Perales will not pitch in Sunday’s Fall Stars Game. With that being said, he will nonetheless be an intriguing name to watch from within the Red Sox organization for various reasons heading into 2026.

Tucker, meanwhile, is not ranked among Boston’s top prospects but is also working his way back from injury following a lost 2025. After suffering a torn labrum from dislocating his shoulder last August that required surgery, the former 2023 19th-round draft selection out of Texas A&M crashed into the outfield wall in his first spring training game in March, dislocating a bone in his right wrist. He then spent all season on Low-A Salem’s 60-day injured list.

Now healthy, Tucker has had a solid fall thus far. Coming into play on Thursday, the right-handed hitter has batted .288/.397/.333 with three doubles, 14 RBIs, 10 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 12 walks, and 19 strikeouts through 20 games (78 plate appearances) for Salt River. His 12 base thefts are good for the fourth-most in the AFL.

Defensively, Tucker has seen all of his playing time this fall come at second base. The 5-foot-9, 165-pounder has logged a team-leading 162 1/3 innings at the keystone for Salt River, committing seven errors in 94 chances. He also has prior professional experience at third base and all three outfield positions.

Beyond Perales and Tucker, former Red Sox farmhand Miguel Ugueto (taken by the Cardinals in the minor league phase of the 2024 Rule 5 Draft) was named a National League Fall Star on Thursday. Additionally, Braden Montgomery, one of four prospects traded to the White Sox for ace Garrett Crochet last December, is a finalist via the ‘Final 2’ fan vote for the last spot on the American League’s Fall Stars roster. Whether he makes it or not will be determined on Friday.

 (Picture of Luis Perales: Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Trio of Red Sox minor-leaguers named 2024 Arizona Fall League All-Stars

Three Red Sox minor-leaguers were named 2024 Arizona Fall League All-Stars on Friday.

The trio of catcher Brooks Brannon, infielder/outfielder Max Ferguson, and right-hander Danny Kiriwn will represent the Mesa Solar Sox by suiting up for the American League in Saturday night’s Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. eastern time. The game will be broadcast on MLB Network and streamed on MLB.com and the MLB app.

Brannon is the most notable of the Red Sox’ three Fall Stars given his standing as the No. 27 prospect in Boston’s farm system, per MLB Pipeline. The right-handed hitting 20-year-old has not played since last Saturday, but he is batting .333/.375/.500 with four doubles, two home runs, five RBIs, eight runs scored, four walks, and 18 strikeouts in 14 games (64 plate appearances) for Mesa this fall.

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Defensively, Brannon has started eight of Mesa’s 26 games at catcher while splitting time at the position with teammates Moises Ballesteros (Cubs), David Avitia (Cubs), and Daniel Susac (Athletics). In the process of logging 68 innings behind the plate, the 5-foot-11, 210-pound backstop has thrown out five of 20 possible base stealers without committing an error.

Unlike Brannon, who was selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round of the 2022 draft out of Randleman High School (N.C.), Ferguson was acquired from the Padres as part of the August 2022 trade that sent veteran first baseman Eric Hosmer and minor-league outfielder Corey Rosier to Boston and pitching prospect Jay Groome back to San Diego.

Ferguson, 25, missed much of this past season after injuring his ankle in mid-April. So far this fall, the left-handed hitting Tennessee product has slashed .246/.368/.361 with four doubles, one home run, 10 RBIs, 11 runs scored, two stolen bases, 13 walks, and 20 strikeouts in 17 games (76 plate appearances) for Mesa. In that time, he has logged 62 innings at second base, 60 innings at shortstop, and 21 2/3 innings in right field.

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Kirwin, meanwhile, signed with the Red Sox in late April after garnering attention on social media and having his contract purchased from the Oakland Ballers of the independent Pioneer League without pitching in a game for the club. In four appearances (one start) for Mesa this fall, the hard-throwing righty out of Rider University has posted a 3.38 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 14 strikeouts to just one walk over 10 2/3 innings. Opposing hitters have batted .283 against him.

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Standing at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Kirwin — who turns 25 next week — throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 92-96 mph fastball that has reached 98 mph, a mid-80s slider, and a cutter.

(Picture of Brooks Brannon: Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox prospects at the Fall Stars Game: How did Zach Penrod, Corey Rosier fare in AFL showcase?

Red Sox prospects Zach Penrod and Corey Rosier represented the American League in Sunday evening’s 2023 Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz. How did the two Glendale Desert Dogs teammates fare in the Arizona Fall League’s 17th annual showcase?

Penrod received the first call out of the American League bullpen, relieving starter and Blue Jays pitching prospect C.J. Van Eyk in the top half of the second inning. The 26-year-old left-hander gave up a booming one-out double to Jakob Marsee that nearly left the yard, but the extra-base hit was immediately nullified when Marsee was thrown out at third base by left fielder Will Robertson. Penrod then fanned Marlins prospect Jacob Berry on three pitches and wound up facing the minimum in his lone frame of work.

Finishing with nine pitches (five strikes) Penrod induced a pair of whiffs and touched 96 mph with his fastball while also mixing in a changeup, per The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Rosier, meanwhile, served as the starting center fielder for the American League. Batting out of the nine-hole, the left-handed hitter went 1-for-2 with a single, a run scored, and a strikeout.

To lead off the bottom of the third inning, Rosier put his impressive speed on display by beating out a softly-hit grounder to third base for an infield single. He then went from first to third on another single before easily scoring on a wild pitch for the junior circuit’s first run of the contest.

That, at the time, knotted things up at one run apiece. Rosier struck out in his only other plate appearance before being replaced in center field by Dasan Brown. The American League then went on to defeat the National League by a final score of 6-3 in front of a crowd of 1,608 spectators. White Sox prospect Colson Montgomery — also a member of the Desert Dogs — earned MVP honors after going 2-for-2 with a 409-foot solo home run.

Two of eight Red Sox prospects playing in the AFL this fall, Penrod and Rosier were selected to the Fall Stars Game on Friday. Penrod has made four starts for Glendale thus far and is 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA (third-lowest among qualified pitchers in the league) and 14 strikeouts to eight walks over 14 innings in which he had held opposing hitters to a .184 batting average against.

Rosier, on the other hand, has slashed a respectable .300/.391/.400 with four doubles, two triples, eight RBIs, 14 runs scored, a team-leading eight stolen bases, 11 walks, and 15 strikeouts in 20 games (92 plate appearances) for the Desert Dogs. The 24-year-old speedster has put up those numbers while seeing his playing time come at all three outfield positions.

With Sunday’s Fall Stars Game in the books, the AFL regular season will pick back up on Tuesday and come to an end on Thursday. As such, Glendale has three games remaining against Surprise, Peoria, and then Surprise again. At 12-15, the Desert Dogs are already out of contention for the top seed in the league. They can, however, still catch up to second-seeded Scottsdale (14-13) and third-seeded Salt River (14-14) for a spot in the play-in semifinals this coming weekend.

(Picture of Corey Rosier: Chris Coduto/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox prospects Zach Penrod, Corey Rosier selected to 2023 Fall Stars Game

Red Sox prospects Zach Penrod and Corey Rosier have been selected to the 2023 Fall Stars Game, the Arizona Fall League announced earlier Friday evening.

Penrod, a left-hander, and Rosier, an outfielder, will represent the American League in the 17th annual Fall Stars Game at Mesa’s Sloan Park this coming Sunday. The game, which is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. eastern time, will be broadcasted on MLB Network and streamed on MLB.com.

Penrod owns the second-lowest ERA (1.29) among qualified pitchers in the AFL this fall. To go along with that sparkling ERA, the 26-year-old southpaw has struck out 14 and walked eight in four starts (14 innings) for the Glendale Desert Dogs. He has put up those numbers while holding opposing hitters to a .184 batting average against.

The Red Sox signed Penrod out of the independent Pioneer League in August and assigned him to High-A Greenville. Having last pitched in affiliated ball as a member of the Texas Rangers organization in 2018, Penrod impressed with the Drive down the stretch this season by posting a 2.18 ERA with 20 strikeouts to 11 walks in four starts spanning 20 2/3 innings of work.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Penrod throws from a high-three quarters arm slot and operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph that tops out at 96 mph, a 90-91 mph cutter, an 84-87 mph changeup, and an 85-87 mph slider, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Penrod, who does not turn 27 until next June, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 49 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 17th among pitchers in the organization. The Idaho native is signed through the end of the 2024 season, but he could be an intriguing target for pitcher-needy clubs in December’s Rule 5 Draft if he is not added to the Sox’ 40-man roster by the protection deadline later this month.

Rosier, meanwhile, comes into play Friday slashing a solid .303/.391/.382 with four doubles, one triple, eight RBIs, 14 runs scored, a team-leading eight stolen bases, 10 walks, and 14 strikeouts in 19 games (87 plate appearances) for Glendale. Among qualified AFL hitters, the speedy 24-year-old ranks 12th in batting average, 20th in on-base percentage, 16th in runs scored, 12th in stolen bases, and eighth in strikeout rate (16.1 percent), according to MLB.com’s leaderboards.

Capable of playing all three outfield positions, Rosier was acquired from the Padres alongside veteran first baseman Eric Hosmer and fellow minor-leaguer Max Ferguson in the August 2022 trade that sent pitching prospect Jay Groome to San Diego.

After a rough go of things with Greenville last summer, Rosier bounced back nicely in his first full season as a member of the Red Sox organization. In 116 games between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester this year, the left-handed hitter batted .285/.351/.431 with 25 doubles, six triples, seven homers, 41 RBIs, 70 runs scored, 49 stolen bases, 37 walks, and 96 strikeouts over 444 trips to the plate. He also recorded seven outfield assists and was named Boston’s Minor League Base Runner of the Month on three separate occasions.

Rosier, who is currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 44 prospect in the system, is projected by the publication to return to Worcester for the start of the 2024 season next spring.

(Picture of Zach Penrod: Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Stephen Scott selected to participate in first-ever Arizona Fall League Home Run Derby

Red Sox prospect Stephen Scott was one of eight minor-leaguers selected to participate in the first-ever Arizona Fall League Home Run Derby on Saturday.

Scott will compete alongside the likes of the Diamondbacks’ Deyvison De Los Santos, the Twins’ Edouard Julien, the Orioles’ Heston Kjerstad, the Cubs’ Matt Mervis, the Dodgers’ Andy Pages, the Mariners’ Robert Perez Jr., and the Phillies’ Jhailyn Ortiz at Mesa’s Sloan Park.

Of the eight players who will put their power on display this weekend, Scott is the only one who is not regarded by MLB Pipeline as one of the top 30 prospects within his own organization.

In 13 games for the Scottsdale Scorpions this fall, Scott has batted .327/.386/.673 with one double, one triple, five home runs, 15 RBIs, 15 runs scored, one stolen base, five walks, and 10 strikeouts over 57 plate appearances. The left-handed hitter is currently in a four-way tie for the lead league in homers and a two-way tie for the lead league in slugging percentage.

Defensively, Scott has seen most of his playing time with the Scorpions come at catcher. The 5-foot-11, 207-pound backstop has logged 88 innings behind the plate thus far and has thrown out four of 20 base stealers.

Scott, 25, was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 10th round of the 2019 amateur draft out of Vanderbilt University. The North Carolina native began his professional career in the outfield but has since transition to become a full-time catcher. He split the 2022 minor-league season between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland is expected to return to the Sea Dogs next spring.

Other Arizona Fall League notes:

Nick Yorke returned to Scottsdale’s lineup on Tuesday for the first time since October 25. After missing more than a week with left wrist soreness, the 20-year-old second baseman batted leadoff for the Scorpions and went 1-for-5 with an RBI and two strikeouts in their 7-6 win over the Solar Sox.

Following Tuesday’s performance, Yorke is now slashing .318/.420/.470 with seven doubles, one home run, 16 RBIs, 15 runs scored, 12 walks, and 14 strikeouts in 17 AFL contests (81 plate appearances). The former first-round pick is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 4 prospect in Boston’s farm system.

Thad Ward, who has been sidelined with a left oblique strain since Oct. 10, is nearing a return to in-game action for the Scorpions. The 25-year-old right-hander is expected to pitch in a game by the end of the week or this weekend, according to SoxProspects.com’s Chris Hatfield.

The Red Sox sent Ward to Arizona after he was limited to just 51 1/3 minor-league innings this season on his road back from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent last June. The native Floridian had made two starts for Scottsdale prior to getting hurt last month and allowed four runs over 7 2/3 innings. He is currently regarded by MLB Pipeline as Boston’s fifth-ranked pitching prospect.

Finally, 2022 Fall Star rosters will be revealed in full on Friday. Of the eight eligible Red Sox prospects, Scott and Yorke would seem to have the best chance of being named to the American League squad. Maybe right-handed reliever Jacob Webb will garner some consideration as well.

The Fall Stars Game itself will take place on Sunday, November 6, at Sloan Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. eastern time. The showcase will be broadcasted on MLB Network.

(Picture of Stephen Scott: Barry Gossage/MLB Photos via Getty Images)