Tag: futures game

How top Red Sox prospects Franklin Arias, Anthony Eyanson fared in All-Star Futures Game

Top Red Sox prospects Franklin Arias and Anthony Eyanson played supporting roles in the American League’s 6-1 win over the National League in Sunday’s All-Star Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park.

Arias started at second base and served as the American League’s two-hole hitter to begin the seven-inning showcase in Philadelphia. The right-handed hitting 20-year-old went 0-for-2 with an RBI and a strikeout. He drove in the game’s first run on an RBI groundout that scored Leo De Vries in the top of the first.

After cleanly fielding the only ball hit his way and recording a putout in the bottom of the third, Arias struck out to lead off the fourth inning in his second and final plate appearance of the afternoon. He was then replaced at second base by Max Anderson in the middle of the fifth.

Arias is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 3 prospect in baseball. The Venezuelan-born infielder has enjoyed a breakout season at Double-A Portland, slashing .325/.411/.596 with 16 doubles, one triple, an organizational-leading 18 home runs, 48 RBIs, 47 runs scored, five stolen bases, 34 walks, and 41 strikeouts through 70 games (309 plate appearances). He has also provided the Sea Dogs with strong defense at shortstop, committing just three errors in 195 chances across 50 starts.

Eyanson, meanwhile, was one of 10 pitchers used by the American League on Sunday. The 21-year-old right-hander worked a scoreless third of an inning after relieving Kendry Chourio in the bottom of the fourth. With one runner on and two outs, he issued a six-pitch walk to the first batter he faced before getting Luis Pena to fly out and retire the side. In all, he threw 12 pitches (five strikes). His fastball sat at 92-94 mph, and he mixed in four sliders and a curveball.

Though he was not on the mound long, Eyanson was ultimately credited with the winning decision. He was the pitcher of record when the American League took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth. Five relievers then combined to toss three scoreless innings the rest of the way.

Eyanson is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 2 prospect and the No. 33 prospect in the sport. At this time last year, the California-born righty had not yet even signed his first professional contract after being selected in the third round of the 2025 draft out of Louisiana State. He has since added power to his arsenal and owns a 1.29 ERA with 71 strikeouts to 21 walks through 13 outings (12 starts) spanning 55 2/3 innings between High-A Greenville and Portland to begin his first full pro season.

Both Arias and Eyanson are expected to return to Portland from Philadelphia when the Sea Dogs’ season resumes on Friday. However, it may not be long before either of the top prospects receives a promotion to Triple-A Worcester as the next step in their development.

(Picture of Franklin Arias: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Top prospects Franklin Arias, Anthony Eyanson to represent Red Sox at All-Star Futures Game

Top Red Sox prospects Franklin Arias and Anthony Eyanson have been selected to represent the organization at the 2026 All-Star Futures Game in Philadelphia later this month, Major League Baseball announced on Wednesday.

As part of All-Star Week festivities, Arias and Eyanson will suit up for the American League in the annual prospect showcase at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12. The seven-inning exhibition, which will air exclusively on NBC, is scheduled to begin at noon ET.

Arias, a 20-year-old infielder, and Eyanson, a 21-year-old right-hander, are currently ranked by Baseball America as the top two prospects in Boston’s farm system and the Nos. 3 and 33 prospects in baseball, respectively. Both have had exceptional seasons to this point and are being rewarded with Futures Game nods.

Arias clubbed his organizational-leading 17th home run of the season for Double-A Portland on Wednesday. In 65 games for the Sea Dogs this year, the right-handed hitter is batting a robust .329/.414/.606 with 15 doubles, one triple, a career-high 17 homers, 44 RBIs, 43 runs scored, five stolen bases, 31 walks, and 36 strikeouts over 285 plate appearances. He is slashing .299/.405/.567 against lefties and .341/.417/.620 against righties.

Defensively, Arias has seen most of his playing time with Portland this season come at shortstop, where he has committed just three errors in 182 chances across 48 starts. The sure-handed 5-foot-11, 180-pounder has also made two error-free starts at second base and 10 starts at DH.

A native of Venezuela, Arias originally signed with the Red Sox for $525,000 as an international free agent in January 2023. Known more for his glove at the time of his signing, he quickly turned heads with his bat in the rookie-level Dominican Summer and Florida Complex Leagues, earning MVP honors in the latter as part of an electric 2024 stateside debut. He followed that up by climbing from Low-A to High-A, and then from High-A to Double-A as a 19-year-old in 2025.

Eyanson, meanwhile, is in his first full professional season after being selected by the Red Sox with the 87th overall pick in last summer’s draft out of Louisiana State. The California native received an above-slot $1.75 million signing bonus but did not pitch for an affiliate immediately after putting pen to paper. He instead debuted at High-A Greenville this April following a standout spring training in Fort Myers.

In five starts for Greenville out of the gate, Eyanson pitched to a 0.44 ERA with 34 strikeouts to three walks over 20 1/3 innings in which opponents batted just .104 against him. The righty was recognized as the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the month for April and received a promotion to Portland in early May. He has since forged a 1.48 ERA with 30 strikeouts to 16 walks across seven starts (30 1/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs.

Overall, Eyanson is 2-0 with a 1.07 ERA and a 64:19 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 12 starts (50 2/3 innings) between Greenville and Portland this season. Opposing hitters are batting .149 against the 6-foot-2, 208-pound hurler, who features an upper-90s fastball that has touched triple digits as well as a slider, curveball, and changeup.

 (Picture of Franklin Arias: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Power-hitting OF prospect Jhostynxon Garcia to represent Red Sox in 2025 All-Star Futures Game

Power-hitting outfield prospect Jhostynxon “The Password” Garcia has been selected to represent the Red Sox at the 2025 All-Star Futures Game in Atlanta on July 12, Major League Baseball announced earlier Monday.

Garcia, the Red Sox’ lone selection at this point in time, was one of five outfielders named to the American League’s initial Futures Game roster. The 22-year-old is slated to join the Orioles’ Enrique Bradfield Jr., the Tigers’ Max Clark, the Mariners’ Lazaro Montes, and the White Sox’ Braden Montgomery (who was part of last December’s Garrett Crochet trade) in representing their respective organizations in the seven-inning exhibition at Truist Park.

Originally signed for $350,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in July 2019, Garcia is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 6 prospect and the No. 91 prospect in the sport. Following a standout 2024 season, the San Fernando de Apure native was added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster for Rule 5 protection purposes last November and returned to Double-A Portland out of his first big league camp this spring.

In 33 games for the Sea Dogs out of the gate, Garcia batted .256/.355/.393 with five doubles, one triple, three home runs, 17 RBIs, 19 runs scored, four stolen bases, 18 walks, and 29 strikeouts over 138 plate appearances. The right-handed hitter received a promotion to Triple-A Worcester in late May and has since slashed .292/.363/.569 with five doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 23 RBIs, 23 runs scored, 15 walks, and 38 strikeouts through 33 games (146 plate appearances) for the WooSox.

Among 197 hitters who have made at least 140 trips to the plate in the International League this season, Garcia ranks sixth in isolated power (.281), eighth in slugging percentage, 10th in OPS (.932), 16th in wRC+ (141), 17th in wOBA (.404), 36th in batting average, and 56th in on-base percentage, per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Garcia has seen playing time at all three outfield positions between his stops in Portland and Worcester this year. With the WooSox in particular, the 6-foot, 215-pounder has logged 177 1/3 innings in center field, 80 innings in right field, and five innings in left field, committing three errors and recording two outfield assists in 77 total chances. He has also made two starts at DH.

“Garcia is a complete player,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier) on Monday. “We’re very proud of him.”

(Picture of Jhostynxon Garcia: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Kyle Teel rips two doubles at All-Star Futures Game

Red Sox catching prospect Kyle Teel delivered a standout performance in the 2024 All-Star Futures Game at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas on Saturday afternoon.

Teel went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles in the American League’s 6-1 loss to the National League, making him the only player on either side to record multiple hits in the seven-inning exhibition.

Representing the Red Sox alongside fellow top prospect Marcelo Mayer — who went 0-for-2 with two groundouts — in the 25th annual Futures Game, Teel entered the contest as a defensive replacement for starting catcher Samuel Basallo in the fifth inning. The 22-year-old backstop was unable to throw out Dylan Crews stealing second base in the top half of the frame but made up for it with his first plate appearance in the latter half.

With one out and the bases empty, Teel found himself matched up against Reds pitching prospect Rhett Lowder. The left-handed hitter worked a 2-2 count before barreling an 86.3 mph slider from the right-hander to deep left-center for an opposite-field double. The ball left his bat at 98.8 mph and traveled 379 feet over the outstretched glove of National League center fielder Druw Jones.

Teel advanced to third base on a fielding error but was left stranded there. He got his next opportunity with one out in the bottom of the seventh, this time pitted against another righty in the Pirates’ Bubba Chandler. Though he fell behind in the count at 1-2, Teel kept things rolling by lacing an 86.3 mph fastball down the left-field line for his second double of the day.

Teel was, yet again, left in scoring position as Chandler recorded the game’s final two outs to seal the 6-1 victory for the National League. Reds prospect Cam Collier was named Futures Game MVP after going 1-for-2 with a 409-foot solo home run.

Selected by the Red Sox with the 14th overall pick in last year’s draft out of Virginia, Teel is currently ranked by Baseball America as the No. 3 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 27 prospect in the sport. He has batted .298/.384/.455 with 16 doubles, eight home runs, 49 RBIs, 53 runs scored, six stolen bases, 33 walks, and 70 strikeouts in 65 games (294 plate appearances) for Double-A Portland to begin his first full professional season.

Defensively, Teel has unsurprisingly seen all of his playing time on the field this season come at catcher. The 6-foot, 190-pounder has logged 380 innings behind the plate for the Sea Dogs, allowing three passed balls and throwing out 11 of 64 possible base stealers in that time.

Along with Mayer and outfielder Roman Anthony, who won the inaugural Future Skills Showcase on Saturday, Teel is the third member of the Red Sox’ Big Three. The top three prospects in the organization are knocking on the door for a promotion to Triple-A Worcester but are all planning on returning to Portland after the All-Star break, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

“We still have half a season left,” Teel told Speier. “This is a really cool journey. [The Futures Game] is a little sidequest we get to do midway through our season, but we’ve still got to compete for the playoffs with the Sea Dogs. The only thing that we can really control is playing for the Sea Dogs right now. That’s it. So we want to do that the best that we can and develop the most that we can.”

(Picture of Kyle Teel: Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Top prospects Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Kyle Teel to represent Red Sox in Futures Game festivities

The Big Three of outfielder Roman Anthony, shortstop Marcelo Mayer, and catcher Kyle Teel have been invited to represent the Red Sox at the All-Star Futures Game in Arlinton, Texas on July 13.

Mayer and Teel will play for the American League in the Futures Game itself while Anthony (an inactive selection) is slated to take part in the first-ever MLB Futures Skills Showcase — a three-round competition of hitting challenges — that follows the seven-inning exhibition at Globe Life Field.

Anthony, Mayer, and Teel have spent the entirety of the 2024 season together at Double-A Portland and are currently regarded by Baseball America as The Nos. 1, 2, and 3 prospects in Boston’s farm system, respectively. All three are represented in Baseball America’s top 100 prospects rankings as well.

Anthony has overtaken Mayer for the top spot in the organization. The left-handed hitting 20-year-old is batting .246/.358/.441 with 15 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 24 RBIs, 35 runs scored, six stolen bases, 36 walks, and 66 strikeouts in 60 games (260 plate appearances) for Portland this season. He has made 46 starts in center field and one in right field.

Mayer, who suited up for the American League in Seattle last year, joins Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts as the only Red Sox position prospects to be named to multiple Futures Games. The left-handed hitting 21-year-old is slashing .307/.371/.479 with 25 doubles, seven home runs, 36 RBIs, 54 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 27 walks, and 57 strikeouts in 68 games (299 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs this season. He has made 56 starts at shortstop and one at third base.

As noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, Mayer was scratched from Portland’s lineup on Monday after experiencing back stiffness during batting practice. He may sit again on Tuesday, but the issue is still considered minor and one that is not expected to keep the former fourth-overall pick out for long.

Teel, meanwhile, is enjoying a strong first full season in pro ball after being selected by the Red Sox with the 14th overall pick in last year’s draft out of Virginia. The left-handed hitting 22-year-old is batting .302/.390/.464 with 14 doubles, eight home runs, 48 RBIs, 51 runs scored, five stolen bases, 31 walks, and 67 strikeouts in 60 games (272 plate appearances) for Portland. He has thrown out 10 of 60 possible base stealers in his 40 starts behind the plate.

All three of Anthony, Mayer, and Teel remain in Portland for the time being but are undoubtedly nearing a promotion to Triple-A Worcester. It remains to be seen if they will move up as a group or individually, though Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham acknowledged in a recent conversation with Speier that “the conversations are happening constantly.”

(Picture of Marcelo Mayer: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

How did Red Sox prospects Marcelo Mayer, Nick Yorke, and Luis Guerrero fare in All-Star Futures Game?

Though the American League fell to the National League by a final score of 5-0 at T-Mobile Park, the Red Sox were well represented at the 2023 All-Star Futures Game in Seattle on Saturday afternoon.

Top prospects Marcelo Mayer and Nick Yorke made up the American League’s starting middle infield while relief prospect Luis Guerrero made an appearance out of the bullpen in the seventh and final inning of the annual showcase.

Mayer, batting second and starting at shortstop for the AL, played only one inning but made the most of his opportunity. After throwing out the speedy Jackson Chourio to retire the side in the top of the first, the left-handed hitting 20-year-old ripped a one-out groundball single in the bottom half of the frame for the game’s first hit.

According to Baseball Savant, the ball left Mayer’s bat at 100.3 mph as it raced through the right side of the infield. Moments after reaching, Mayer took off and successfully stole second base with a feet-first slide. He was, however, stranded at second and was then replaced at shortstop by Orioles top prospect Jackson Holliday in the second inning.

Yorke, batting ninth and starting at second base, played all seven innings. At the plate, the right-handed hitting 21-year-old went 1-for-3 with a double and a strikeout. After grounding out to end the second inning, he led off the bottom of the fifth by by squaring up a 1-1, 89.6 mph cutter from Braves prospect Spencer Schwellenbach and ripping a 102.6 mph double off the base of the left-center field fence.

With a distance of 388 feet, Yorke’s double was the furthest-hit ball of the day for either side. Like Mayer, however, Yorke was stranded at second base in the fifth. He had a chance to come through with two outs and the bases loaded in the following inning, but instead struck out on a foul tip to extinguish the threat.

Defensively, Yorke had just one ball hit his way at second. With two outs in the top of the third, he made a nifty shovel pass with his glove to rob Nationals prospect James Wood of an inning-extending infield single. He also recorded a force out.

Guerrero, who replaced left-hander Shane Drohan (calf cramp) on the American League roster last week, faced one batter in the top of the seventh. The hard-throwing righty took over for Yankees prospect Clayton Beeter and was matched up against Rockies prospect Yanquiel Fernandez.

After falling behind in a 2-1 count, Guerrero got Fernandez to swing-and-miss at a 91.4 mph cutter on the outer half of the plate. The 22-year-old hurler then dialed it back and got Fernandez to whiff at a 99.7 mph four-seam fastball that was well outside.

In total, Guerrero needed just five pitches (three strikes) to retire the lone hitter he faced. He induced three swings-and-misses while mixing in two four-seamers, two cutters, and a changeup.

All three of Mayer, Yorke, and Guerrero are currently with Double-A Portland. Mayer is ranked by Baseball America as the top prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 5 prospect in the game. Yorke comes in at No. 3 organizationally and No. 83 on the publication’s top 100. Guerrero, on the other hand, is rated as Boston’s No. 30 prospect, which ranks 10th among pitchers in the organization.

(Picture of Marcelo Mayer: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Red Sox relief prospect Luis Guerrero selected to participate in All-Star Futures Game

Red Sox pitching prospect Luis Guerrero has been selected to participate in next weekend’s All-Star Futures Game in Seattle, Major League Baseball announced on Friday.

Guerrero, one of the top young relievers in Boston’s farm system, will replace fellow Red Sox pitching prospect Shane Drohan, who left his start for Triple-A Worcester this past Sunday with a calf cramp. Drohan was pushed back for precautionary reasons but is expected to pitch next week, according to SoxProspects.com’s Chris Hatfield.

Guerrero, 22, will join infielders Marcelo Mayer and Nick Yorke in representing the Red Sox and suiting up for the American League at T-Mobile Park on July 8. The hard-throwing right-hander is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 30 prospect, which ranks 10th among pitchers in the organization.

In 26 appearances for Double-A Portland this season, Guerrero has posted a 1.19 ERA and 3.82 FIP with 27 strikeouts to 18 walks over 30 1/3 innings of work. He has put up those numbers while recording 13 saves in 15 opportunities and holding opposing hitters to a miniscule .147 batting average against.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Guerrero underwent surgery on his right knee as an infant and now walks with a limp as a result. He told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier earlier this spring that he has limited mobility in his knee since the muscles in that area did not grow like the others.

“[But] for pitching, you just need to bend [the back knee] a little bit,” Guerrero explained. “My knee bends just as much as I need it to.”

Guerrero moved to the Boston-area as a child and then to Miami, Fla. for his senior year of high school. He was selected by the Red Sox in the 17th round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Chipola College and signed with the club for $122,500.

After not making his professional debut until last June, Guerrero made his way to High-A Greenville before the 2022 season came to a close. He was expected to return to Greenville for the start of the 2023 campaign, but he showed increased fastball velocity and wound up breaking camp with Portland as a result.

Prior to leaving Fort Myers, though, Guerrero appeared in five Grapefruit League spring training games as a minor-league call-up and left an impression on Red Sox manager Alex Cora.

“It’s impressive what he can do on a mound. Impressive,” Cora said of Guerrero when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Blue Jays in Toronto. “He has his limitations and for him to throw 100 (mph) with that split (is impressive). I saw him in spring training walking around one day after a workout. And I didn’t know the whole story. I saw him walking and I was like, ‘Are you OK?’ And then he told me what happened.

“I felt so bad because I didn’t know,” Cora added. “But then it’s like a lot of respect for him because he was the first one in the gym when we were there and he didn’t have to. He was always available when we brought him in as a backup pitcher.”

As Cora alluded to, Guerrero regularly throws in the upper-90s and can reach triple digits with his fastball. The 6-foot, 215-pound righty also features a mid-80s, whiff-inducing splitter as well as an 88-91 mph slider.

“I have a lot of respect for him,” said Cora. “For him to have the stuff that he has, you have to have not only the ability but you’ve got to have the heart and the courage to overcome what he has overcome and be a guy in that platform.”

Guerrero, who turns 23 in August, will presumably be a candidate to make the jump from Portland to Worcester on the other side of the All-Star break.

(Picture of Luis Guerrero: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Top prospects Marcelo Mayer, Nick Yorke, and Shane Drohan to represent Red Sox in All-Star Futures Game

Top prospects Marcelo Mayer, Nick Yorke, and Shane Drohan will represent the Red Sox in next month’s All-Star Futures Game in Seattle, Major League Baseball announced on Monday.

Mayer, Yorke, and Drohan will all suit up for the American League at T-Mobile Park on July 8. The Red Sox are the only team from the AL with three representatives lined up to play in the annual showcase that pits the top prospects from all 30 clubs against one another.

Mayer, 20, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the top prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 6 prospect in the sport. The left-handed hitting shortstop was recently promoted to Double-A Portland and has batted .177/.258/.418 with four doubles, five home runs, 13 RBIs, 11 runs scored, three stolen bases, 10 walks, and 19 strikeouts in his first 21 games (94 plate appearances) with the Sea Dogs.

Prior to making the jump to Portland, though, Mayer had gotten his 2023 season off to a strong start, slashing .290/.366/.524 with 11 doubles, one triple, seven homers, 34 RBIs, 23 runs scored, five stolen bases, 17 walks, and 37 strikeouts in 35 games (164 plate appearances) with High-A Greenville. All told, he has hit .250/.327/.487 between the two levels thus far.

Yorke, 21, is ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 3 prospect and the No. 86 prospect in the game. The right-handed hitting second baseman spent the entire first half of the 2023 campaign with Portland, hitting a stout .286/.377/.475 with 12 doubles, three triples, nine home runs, 33 RBIs, 47 runs scored, six stolen bases, 32 walks, and 64 strikeouts in 60 games spanning 276 trips to the plate.

Both Mayer and Yorke were selected by the Red Sox in the first rounds of the 2020 and 2021 amateur drafts, respectively. Drohan, on the other hand, was taken in the fifth and final round of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft out of Florida State.

Drohan began the season in Portland and dazzled to the tune of a 1.32 ERA with 36 strikeouts to nine walks in his first six starts (34 innings) with the Sea Dogs. That string of performances resulted in the 24-year-old left-hander earning a promotion to Triple-A Worcester last month, but he has since struggled to a 5.03 ERA with 33 strikeouts to 27 walks in eight starts (39 1/3 innings) for the WooSox.

Rated by Baseball America as the top pitching prospect (No. 7 overall) in Boston’s farm system, Drohan was forced to leave his start on Sunday with a calf cramp. After tossing four scoreless innings against Lehigh Valley out of the gate, the lefty experienced discomfort while warming up for the top of the fifth and ultimately left the field with a trainer.

According to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, the plan as of now is for Drohan to make his next scheduled start in Buffalo later this week. The Red Sox, of course, will be sure to exercise caution if any pain lingers.

As always, this year’s installment of the Futures Game will consist of seven innings. The contest will be broadcasted exclusively on Peacock beginning at 7 p.m. eastern time.

(Picture of Marcelo Mayer: Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

How did Red Sox prospect Ceddanne Rafaela fare in All-Star Futures Game?

Versatile Red Sox prospect Ceddanne Rafaela made his debut in the MLB All-Star Futures Game at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night.

Representing the Red Sox alongside top pitching prospect Brayan Bello (who was replaced on the American League roster earlier this week), Rafaela was used as a pinch-hitter in the AL’s 6-4 victory over the National League in the seven-inning showcase.

The right-handed hitter came on for Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez in the top of the fourth inning and wound up going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts. Defensively, Rafaela took over at shortstop for another Yankees prospect in Anthony Volpe. He had one ball hit to him — a 74 mph grounder off the bat of Logan O’Hoppe — and fielded it cleanly to record the first out of the seventh inning.

Athletics catching prospect Shea Langeliers was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after going 1-for-2 with a solo home run. Blue Jays pitching prospect Yosver Zulueta earned the winning decision.

Rafaela, meanwhile, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 5 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the 84th-ranked prospect in all of baseball.

After beginning the 2022 season at High-A Greenville, Rafaela earned a promotion to Double-A Portland on June 7. Since then, the 21-year-old has batted a stout .282/.331/.564 to go along with six doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 19 RBIs, 21 runs scored, five stolen bases, five walks, and 23 strikeouts in his first 29 games (128 plate appearances) with the Sea Dogs.

On the other side of the ball, Rafaela has experience at six different positions. So far with Portland, the 5-foot-8, 152-pounder has logged nine innings at second base, 36 innings at shortstop, and 202 innings in center field, which is his best position.

Originally signed by the Red Sox for just $10,000 as an international free-agent coming out of Curacao a little more than five years ago, Rafaela — who turns 22 in September — can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the second time in his career this winter.

The Red Sox would need to add Rafaela to their 40-man roster by late November in order to prevent that from happening, which now seems all but guaranteed to happen.

(Picture of Ceddanne Rafaela: Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Brayan Bello joins Ceddanne Rafaela in representing Red Sox at All-Star Futures Game

Fresh off making his major-league debut, Brayan Bello will represent the Red Sox in the All-Star Futures Game for the second consecutive year, Major League Baseball announced on Thursday.

Bello, 23, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the top pitching prospect in Boston’s farm system and the 44th-ranked prospect in all of baseball. The right-hander made his first career start against the Rays at Fenway Park on Wednesday night and allowed four runs on six hits, three walks, and two strikeouts over four innings in a 7-1 loss.

Of the 79 pitches Bello threw, 45 went for strikes. He averaged 97.1 mph and topped out at 97.7 mph with his four-seam fastball while also mixing in a high-80s changeup, a high-90s sinker, and a mid-80s slider, per Baseball Savant.

Prior to getting called up for the first time on Wednesday, Bello had posted a 2.81 ERA and 2.68 FIP to go along with 72 strikeouts to 21 walks over his last nine appearances (eight starts) and 51 1/3 innings pitched since earning a promotion from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester in May.

At last year’s Futures Game at Coors Field, Bello yielded one run on one hit in two-thirds of the inning. This time around at Dodger Stadium, the Dominican-born hurler will be joined by other top pitching prospects around the American League such as the Rays’ Taj Bradley, the Mariners’ Emerson Hancock, the Rangers’ Jack Leiter, and the Yankees’ Ken Waldichuk.

In the scenario that Bello remains with the Sox through the All-Star break, he would then be replaced on the American League’s roster by another player.

Along with Bello, versatile prospect Ceddanne Rafaela will also be representing the Red Sox in Los Angeles on July 16. This will be Rafaela’s first trip to the Futures Game. The 21-year-old has burst onto the scene this season and is currently ranked by Baseball America as the No. 22 prospect in Boston’s farm system.

Both Bello and Rafaela signed with the Red Sox as international free-agents coming out of the Dominican Republic and Curacao on July 2, 2017, respectively. They have never played for the same affiliate at the same time before.

(Picture of Brayan Bello: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)