Tag: greenville drive

Red Sox lose former top international signing to Phillies in minor-league phase of Rule 5 Draft

The Red Sox lost four players to other clubs in the minor-league phase of Wednesday’s Rule 5 Draft, including their top international signing six years ago.

Eduardo Lopez, a first baseman/outfielder from the Dominican Republic, was selected by the Phillies in the first round (27th overall) of the Triple-A phase on Wednesday. The 22-year-old has been assigned to Philadelphia’s Triple-A affiliate but will more than likely open the 2025 season at the High-A or Double-A level.

Lopez received the largest bonus ($1.15 million) of any international free agent the Red Sox brought in during the 2018-2019 international signing period. At that time, Dave Dombrowski — who now serves as the Phillies’ president of baseball operations — held that same title with Boston.

After officially putting pen to paper in July 2018, Lopez did not make his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League until the following June. The Tamboril native’s 2020 season was wiped out because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He was limited to just 11 games between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem in 2021 due to an unspecified injury. Injuries were again an issue in 2022 and 2023 to a certain extent.

Lopez returned to and spent the entirety of the 2024 season at High-A Greenville. Serving as bench depth, the switch-hitter batted .232/.343/.425 with 11 doubles, three triples, a career-high six home runs, 23 RBIs, 29 runs scored, four stolen bases, 30 walks, and 49 strikeouts in 56 games (213 plate appearances) for the Drive. That includes a .188/.325/.406 slash line from the right side of the plate and a .242/.347/.430 slash line from the left side.

Among the 131 hitters who made at least 210 trips to the plate in the South Atlantic League this year, Lopez ranked 21st in line-drive rate (25.6 percent), 22nd in walk rate (14.1 percent), 23rd in isolated power (.193), 34th in slugging percentage, 36th in wOBA (.355) and wRC+ (120), 38th in OPS (.768), 39th in speed score (6.9), 47th in on-base percentage, 52nd in strikeout rate (23 percent), and 59th in swinging-strike rate (12.3 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Lopez saw the majority of his playing time with Greenville come at first base after only making one career start there prior to this past season. The 5-foot-11, 187-pounder logged 332 1/3 innings at first, committing two errors in 279 chances. He also started three games in left field (where he recorded three assists), five starts in right field (where he recorded one assist), and seven games at DH.

Despite the large signing bonus and flashes of potential he showed, Lopez never emerged as a premier prospect in his six-plus years with the Red Sox organization. He was left off the club’s 38-player Triple-A reserve list for the second straight year last month, which allowed the Phillies to purchase his contract and add him to their system on Wednesday.

Lopez, who turns 23 in May, is on track to become eligible for minor-league free agency for the first time at the end of the 2025 season.

(Picture of Eduardo Lopez: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

After missing all of 2023, how did versatile Red Sox prospect Andy Lugo fare this past season?

Alongside top prospects Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell, Andy Lugo was the only other Red Sox minor-leaguer to hit 30 or more doubles this past season.

Lugo split the 2024 campaign between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville. In 108 games, the right-handed hitting 21-year-old batted .263/.337/.371 with 30 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 45 RBIs, 47 runs scored, 28 stolen bases (in 32 attempts), 31 walks, and 88 strikeouts over 420 plate appearances.

After missing the entire 2023 season with a quad strain, Lugo broke camp with Salem in April to mark his first competitive action in nearly two years. He slashed .271/.337/.388 with 24 doubles, one triple, two home runs, 32 RBIs, 37 runs scored, 23 stolen bases, 20 walks, and 64 strikeouts in his first 77 games (300 plate appearances) for the Red Sox before being promoted to Greenville in early August.

Lugo spent nearly four weeks with the Drive, hitting .225/.295/.282 with four doubles, six RBIs, four runs scored, three stolen bases, five walks, and 20 strikeouts in 21 games (79 plate appearances). He was sent back down to Salem on August 27 and closed out his season by going 9-for-33 (.273) with two doubles, one home run, seven RBIs, six runs scored, two stolen bases, six walks, and four strikeouts in his final 10 games.

Among the 21 Red Sox minor-leaguers who made at least 400 trips to the plate in 2024, Lugo ranked first in wSB (2.3), third in line-drive rate (27.9 percent), sixth in strikeout rate (21 percent), seventh in swinging-strike rate (10.8 percent), eighth in batting average, and 10th in speed score (6.2) and wRC+ (111), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Lugo saw playing time at five different positions this year. Between his stops in Salem and Greenville, the versatile six-footer logged 261 innings in left field, 194 innings at third base, 174 innings in right field, 153 innings at first base, and 116 innings at second base. He recorded six outfield assists and committed 12 errors in 316 total defensive chances. He also struck out the lone batter he faced in the first relief appearance of his career on September 6.

Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Lugo originally signed with the Red Sox for just $10,000 as an international free agent in July 2021. The San Cristobal native made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League the following June and was later recognized as the organization’s 2022 Latin Program Position Player of the Year.

Lugo — who turns 21 in March — is not currently ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com, which projects that he will return to Greenville for the start of the 2025 season if he remains with the organization through the winter and into the spring.

(Picture of Andy Lugo: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

After one season in Red Sox organization, hard-throwing pitching prospect Bryce Bonnin signs minor-league deal with Rangers

After spending the 2024 season in the Red Sox organization, free agent right-hander Bryce Bonnin signed a minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers last week, according to the MiLB.com transactions log.

Bonnin, 26, joined the Red Sox on a minors pact just days after being released by the Reds in early March. A former third-round draft selection of Cincinnati in 2020, the Texas Tech product opened the season on High-A Greenville’s 7-day injured list with a rotator cuff issue that cost him the entirety of the 2023 campaign.

Upon being activated in late April, Bonnin proceeded to pitch to a 4.04 ERA (3.92 FIP) with 40 strikeouts to 16 walks over 19 relief appearances (35 2/3 innings) for the Drive in which he held opposing hitters to a .164 batting average against. He spent nearly two weeks on the injured list in May but bounced back after that and was later promoted to Double-A Portland on August 20.

In three outings (one start) with the Sea Dogs, Bonnin allowed four earned runs on seven hits, four walks, and eight strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Altogether the righty forged a 4.29 ERA (4.36 FIP) with 48 strikeouts to 20 walks in 22 appearances (42 innings) between Greenville and Portland this season. Opponents batted just .181 against him.

Among the 60 Red Sox minor-leaguers who threw at least 40 innings in 2024, Bonnin ranked fourth in batting average against, sixth in swinging-strike rate (18.4 percent), eighth in line-drive rate (18.4 percent), 11th in WHIP (1.12), and 19th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.29) and strikeout rate (27.6 percent). On the flip side, however, he ranked 35th in ERA, 40th in FIP, xFIP (4.32), and walks per nine innings (4.29), and 41st in walk rate (11.5 percent), per FanGraphs.

In the process of putting up those numbers, Bonnin peaked as the No. 48 prospect in Boston’s farm system, per SoxProspects.com’s rankings. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound hurler sat in the mid-90s and reached 98-99 mph with his fastball while also mixing in a slider and changeup. He elected minor-league free agency earlier this month and was once again not on the open market for very long.

Bonnin becomes the latest Red Sox minor-league free agent to switch organizations this winter, joining the likes of fellow righties Jason Alexander (who signed a minors pact with the Athletics) and Justin Hagenman (who signed a one-year major-league deal with the Mets). It seems likely that Bonnin will start the 2025 season with the Rangers’ Double-A affiliate in Frisco, Texas.

(Picture of Bryce Bonnin: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How did Red Sox prospect Justin Riemer fare in long-awaited pro debut this season?

After losing qualified free agent Nathan Eovaldi to the Rangers in December 2022, the Red Sox received a compensatory pick that fell between the fourth and fifth rounds of the 2023 amateur draft.

With that pick at No. 133 overall last July, the Red Sox selected Wright State infielder Justin Riemer, who was roughly four months removed from suffering a torn ACL in early March that cost him most of his redshirt sophomore season. As such, the Virginia native signed with Boston for $500,000 but did not make his professional debut until this summer.

Having expended much of last winter and this spring rehabbing in Fort Myers, Riemer opened the 2024 campaign on the 60-day injured list and later began a rehab assignment with the Florida Complex League Red Sox on July 11. The right-handed hitting 22-year-old spent two weeks with the rookie-level affiliate, batting .296/.462/.407 with one double, one triple, four RBIs, six runs scored, one stolen base, 10 walks, and five strikeouts in 10 games (39 plate appearances). He was then activated and assigned to High-A Greenville, meaning he would skip Low-A Salem, on July 27.

In his next 28 games for the Drive, Riemer slashed .240/.397/.280 with four doubles, three RBIs, 21 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 19 walks, and 24 strikeouts over 126 plate appearances. Among the 180 hitters who made at least 120 trips to the plate in the South Atlantic League this year, Riemer ranked second in swinging-strike rate (4.1 percent), 12th in on-base percentage, 21st in walk rate (15.1 percent), 29th in strikeout rate (19 percent), 64th in wOBA (.343) and wRC+ (113), and 76th in batting average, per FanGraphs.

Altogether, Riemer produced a .252/.412/.307 line with five doubles, one triple, seven RBIs, 27 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 29 walks, and 29 strikeouts in 38 total games (165 plate appearances) between the FCL and Greenville to cap off his first pro season. At those two stops, the 6-foot, 170-pounder split his playing time between both middle infield positions. He committed five errors in 65 chances across 20 starts (174 innings) at shortstop and two errors in 42 chances across 14 starts (109 innings) at second base.

Riemer, who turns 23 in February, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 36 prospect in Boston’s farm system. While power is not a major part of his game at the moment, he does possess intriguing bat-to-ball skills and solid instincts in the field. Barring a trade or other surprise move this winter, he is projected to return to Greenville for the start of the 2025 season.

(Picture of Justin Riemer: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox’ Cade Feeney likely to miss all of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, internal brace procedure

While making a recent appearance on Beyond the Monster’s ‘To the Show We Go’ podcast, Red Sox pitching prospect Cade Feeney revealed that he underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal brace last month.

“They reconstructed it and then put a brace over the top of it,” Feeney said of his right ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) when speaking with hosts Andrew Parker and Chris Henrique. “So it’s kind of like the new hybrid they’ve been doing for the last couple of years.”

Asked about the recovery time involved with the procedure, Feeney said he would be sidelined for the next 12-15 months. In other words, the right-hander will all but certainly miss the entire 2025 season before being cleared to return to action.

“It works out perfectly where I’ll get a full year and then get a month off before offseason workouts,” said Feeney. “It’ll help my arm kind of just catch up and rest when everything’s ready to go and then start fresh that next season.”

Feeney, 23, was selected by the Red Sox in the 13th round (388th overall) of the 2023 draft out of North Dakota State. A full-time starter with the Bisons, the Bismarck native signed with Boston for an at-slot $150,000 and marked his professional debut by making one scoreless relief appearance for the club’s rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate last August.

To open the 2024 campaign, Feeney broke camp with High-A Greenville this spring. In 20 appearances for the Drive, the righty posted a 3.66 ERA and 2.56 FIP with 32 strikeouts to just two walks over 32 innings of relief in which opposing hitters batted .220 against him. He notched his third save in what would prove to be his final outing of the season on June 22, as he did not pitch again after landing on the 7-day injured list with a right elbow strain on July 12 and being transferred to the 60-day injured list three days later.

Though it was a relatively small sample size, Feeney proved effective in his first full pro season given his solid command-and-control profile. Among the 179 pitchers who accrued at least 30 innings in the South Atlantic League this year, Feeney ranked first in walks per nine innings (0.56) and walk rate (1.6 percent), sixth in WHIP (0.91), ninth in xFIP (2.94), 10th in FIP, 22nd in swinging-strike rate (15.7 percent), and 67th in batting average against, per FanGraphs.

Standing at 6-feet and 195 pounds, Feeney throws from a low three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, Feeney’s arsenal is headlined by a lower-90s fastball that topped out at 95 mph this season. He also mixes in a changeup and a slider.

Feeney, who does not turn 24 until next July, is not currently regarded by publications such as SoxProspects.com as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. Since he likely won’t be back on the mound until early 2026, he was asked by Parker and Henrique about what he is looking forward to on the other side of the lengthy rehab process.

“I’m probably looking forward most to competing, getting back to that level of someone other than your teammates in the batter’s box,” Feeney responded. “That’s ultimately why I play baseball. I just love one-on-one competing. So that’s definitely what I’m going to miss most this next year but I’ll be looking forward to that.”

(Picture of Cade Feeney: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez added significant velocity to his repertoire this season

Behind only Jedixson Paez, Elmer Rodriguez was the second-youngest Red Sox minor-leaguer to reach the century mark in strikeouts this season.

Rodriguez, who turned 21 in August, struck out 102 of the 375 batters he faced in 21 outings (20 starts) between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville. The right-hander posted a 2.91 ERA and 3.56 FIP with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 102:43 over a career-high 89 2/3 innings in which opposing hitters batted just .198 against him.

A former 2021 fourth-round draft pick out of Leadership Christian Academy in Puerto Rico, Rodriguez returned to Salem (where he spent all of 2023) to open the 2024 campaign. In 14 appearances (13 starts) for the Red Sox, the young righty forged a 2.51 ERA (2.73 FIP) with 73 strikeouts to 25 walks across 61 innings. He was named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Month for June after allowing two unearned runs in 20 1/3 innings and was subsequently promoted to Greenville in late July.

https://twitter.com/RedSoxPlayerDev/status/1807906527921201618

From that point forward, Rodriguez pitched to a 3.77 ERA (5.34 FIP) with 29 strikeouts to 18 walks in seven starts (28 2/3 innings) for the Drive. Though he gave up hits less frequently, his strikeout rate fell (from 28.5 to 24.4 percent) and his walk rate rose (from 9.8 to 15.1 percent) after moving up a level for the first time in nearly two years. Perhaps that resulted from fatigue at the tail end of a long season, but it was nonetheless a productive year for Rodriguez.

Among the 486 minor-leaguers who pitched at least 85 innings in 2024, Rodriguez ranked 33rd in batting average against, 59th in groundball rate (50.2 percent), 60th in ERA, 76th in xFIP (3.47), 96th in strikeout rate (27.2 percent), 101st in strikeouts per nine innings (10.24), 120th in FIP, 135th in WHIP (1.20), and 156th in swinging-strike rate (12.9 percent), per FanGraphs.

In addition to earning Carolina League Player of the Month honors, Rodriguez was recognized as a Baseball America Low-A All-Star in September and a SoxProspects.com All-Star in October. The former rates the Trujillo Alto native as the No. 20 prospect in Boston’s farm system while the latter has him ranked 21st. MLB Pipeline regards him as the Red Sox’ No. 17 prospect, which ranks sixth among pitchers in the organization.

Though he is listed at 6-foot-3 and 160 pounds, Rodriguez is presumably heavier than that after adding strength this past offseason in an effort to gain more velocity. Those efforts seemingly paid off, as the projectable hurler sat between 94-97 mph and reached 99 mph with his fastball this season. He complements the heater with a bevy of secondaries, including an 85-88 mph slider, an 80-83 mph curveball, and an 88-91 mph changeup.

Assuming he remains with the Red Sox through the winter, Rodriguez is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Greenville for the start of the 2025 season. He is then in line to become Rule 5-eligible for the first time in his career if he is not added to the 40-man roster by the protection deadline next November.

(Picture of Elmer Rodriguez: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox pitching prospect Max Carlson has several ‘traits teams look for in a major-league reliever’

In the 12th round of last year’s draft, the Red Sox selected North Carolina right-hander Max Carlson.

Taken with the 358th overall pick, Carlson signed with Boston for $150,000 and marked his professional debut by making one scoreless relief appearance in the Florida Complex League shortly thereafter. He then broke camp with Low-A Salem for the start of his first full pro season earlier this spring.

Carlson appeared in three of Salem’s first 11 games, allowing seven runs (five earned) over 8 1/3 innings, before being elevated to High-A Greenville on April 20. However, that assignment would prove to be short-lived, as Carlson was sent back to Salem three days later after pitching in just one game for the Drive.

For the better part of the next four months, Carlson established himself as a key member of Salem’s bullpen. From April 25 through the MLB All-Star break in July, the righty posted a 1.34 ERA with 45 strikeouts to 11 walks over 17 appearances (33 2/3 innings). Opposing hitters batted just .198 against him in that stretch.

Though he struggled some upon returning from the break, most notably surrendering a season-worst six earned runs to Carolina on July 27, Carlson pitched well enough to earn another promotion to the High-A level on August 20. He then closed out the 2024 campaign by producing a 1.80 ERA in four appearances (10 innings) for Greenville. That includes tossing a season-high five frames of one-run ball in his final outing of the year against Winston-Salem on September 6.

Altogether, Carlson forged a 2.73 ERA and 2.41 FIP with 86 strikeouts to 23 walks in 33 total relief appearances (69 1/3 innings) between Salem and Greenville in 2024. Among the 39 Red Sox minor-leaguers who threw at least 65 innings this year, Carlson ranked first in FIP, second in ERA and swinging-strike rate (17.2 percent), third in xFIP (3.13), ninth in strikeouts per nine innings (11.16) and walks per nine innings (2.99), 10th in walk rate (7.7 percent), 11th in strikeout rate (28.9 percent), and 17th in WHIP (1.27), per FanGraphs.

Carlson, who turned 23 in September, was recognized as a 2024 SoxProspects.com All-Star last month. The Minnesota native is currently regarded by the outlet as the No. 42 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 23rd among pitchers in the organization.

Though he is not ranked among Boston’s top farmhands by publications such as Baseball America at the moment, Carlson was identified by BA’s Geoff Pontes as a pitching prospect with “elite” traits on his four-seam fastball earlier this summer.

“Carlson only sits 91-92 mph but has over seven feet of extension, above-average vertical break, and arm-side run, allowing his fastball to play above its below-average velocity,” Pontes wrote in August. “It’s a classic three-quarters arm slot, but the release and plane on the pitch play up due to his combination of extension and spin efficiency.”

In addition to throwing a fastball that can touch 95 mph, Carlson operates with a 79-81 mph changeup that has “late fade” and a 79-82 mph sweeping slider “that lacks depth at times,” per his SoxProspects.com scouting report, which notes that the 6-foot-1, 190-pound hurler has several traits “teams look for in a major-league reliever that could make him a more interesting bullpen prospect.”

To that end, Carlson — assuming he remains in the organization through the winter — is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Greenville as a member of the Drive’s bullpen to start the 2025 minor-league season.

(Picture of Max Carlson: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How did Red Sox OF prospect Allan Castro fare in 2024?

No Red Sox minor-leaguer played in more games this season than outfield prospect Allan Castro.

Castro appeared in 123 total games while splitting the season between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland. The switch-hitting 21-year-old batted .229/.343/.400 with 23 doubles, four triples, 15 home runs, 57 RBIs, 80 runs scored, 17 stolen bases, 74 walks, and 124 strikeouts over 530 plate appearances. That includes a .235/.311/.358 slash line against left-handed pitching and a .228/.350/.409 slash line against righties.

To open the 2024 campaign, Castro broke camp with Greenville this spring. He overcame a slow start at the dish by slashing .243/.363/.449 with 21 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, 48 RBIs, 65 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 61 walks, and 94 strikeouts in 95 games (413 plate appearances) for the Drive before being promoted to Portland in mid-August.

Though he was riding a relatively hot bat at the time of his promotion, Castro struggled to get things going offensively upon making the jump from the South Atlantic League to the Eastern League. He produced a .180/.274/.230 line with two doubles, one home run, nine RBIs, 15 runs scored, six stolen bases, 13 walks, and 30 strikeouts in 28 games (117 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

Among the 185 minor-leaguers who made at least 500 trips to the plate this season, Castro ranked 24th in walk rate (14 percent), 58th in speed score (6.6), 70th in isolated power (.171), 75th in wRC+ (114), and 84th in swinging-strike rate (11.1 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Castro saw playing time at all three outfield positions between his stops in Greenville and Portland this year. The 6-foot-2, 206-pounder logged 256 innings in left field, 413 2/3 innings in center field, and 251 innings in right field, committing just one error and recording seven assists in 202 total chances. Interestingly enough, 27 of his 28 starts for the Sea Dogs came in left field.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Castro originally signed with the Red Sox for $100,000 as an international free agent coming out of Santo Domingo in July 2019. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he did not make his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League until 2021 but was later recognized as the organization’s Latin Program Position Player of the Year.

While he may not get as much shine as some of the other position-playing prospects in Boston’s farm system, Castro is still accounted for on several publications’ Red Sox Top 30 lists. At present, Baseball America has him ranked 23rd, MLB Pipeline has him ranked 19th, and SoxProspects.com has him ranked 16th.

Castro, who does not turn 22 until May, is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland for the start of the 2025 season. He can, however, become eligible for this winter’s Rule 5 Draft if he is not added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster before next month’s protection deadline.

(Picture of Allan Castro: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

How did Red Sox pitching prospect Connelly Early fare in first full pro season?

Connelly Early was the lone member of the Red Sox’ 2023 draft class to pitch more than 100 innings this season.

Early, Boston’s fifth-round pick in last year’s draft out of the University of Virginia, made 23 starts between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland in 2024. The 22-year-old left-hander posted a 3.99 ERA and 3.24 FIP with 138 strikeouts to 39 walks over 103 2/3 innings. Opponents batted just .214 against him as he held right-handed hitters to a .221 average and left-handed hitters to a .195 average.

Selected 151st overall, Early signed with the Red Sox for $408,500 last July and marked his professional debut by making one start for Low-A Salem before the 2023 campaign ended. The Virginia native then broke camp with Greenville this spring and pitched to 3.72 ERA (3.56 FIP) with 90 strikeouts to 24 walks in 15 starts (67 2/3 innings) for the Drive.

Following the MLB All-Star break, Early received a promotion to Portland in late July. To close out his first full professional season, the lefty produced a 4.50 ERA (but a much more encouraging 2.66 FIP) with 48 strikeouts to 14 walks in eight starts (36 innings) for the Sea Dogs. It is worth noting that he yielded six unearned runs in his final outing of the year on September 12.

Among the 163 pitchers who threw at least 35 innings in the Eastern League this season, Early ranked second in groundball rate (58.9 percent), sixth in FIP, seventh in swinging-strike rate (16.4 percent), eighth in xFIP (2.95), 13th in strikeouts per nine innings (12.0), 16th in strikeout rate (30.6 percent), 71st in batting average against (.225), and 81st in walk rate (9.6 percent), per FanGraphs.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Early throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. The athletic southpaw operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 91-93 mph fastball that tops out at 95-96 mph, an 80-82 mph whiff-inducing changeup, a 79-81 mph curveball, and a cutter-slider hybrid that sits between 87-88 mph.

Lauded for his pitchability, Early is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 28 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 13th among pitchers in the organization. As far as other publications are concerned, MLB Pipeline has him ranked 24th on its Top 30 Red Sox prospects list while SoxProspects.com has him at No. 25.

“It’s been really cool to watch his continued development this year,” Red Sox director of pitching Justin Willard told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier (via text) last month. “He has been the epitome of what we have been pushing as a player development group and has succeeded on reaching every goal we have put in front of him.”

Assuming he remains in the organization through the winter, Early — who turns 23 in April — is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland for the start of the 2025 minor-league season. He explained some of the challenges of going up against hitters at the Double-A level when speaking with MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith earlier this summer.

“They’re kind of like sitting on one of your pitches,” Early said. “Obviously they do a very good job of just going in-depth on scouting reports on the pitchers they are going to face. So it’s still making your pitches, executing them as well as you can. Don’t give the hitter too much credit but they are up there trying to find a spot where you’re going to make a mistake and you’ve just gotta keep them off balance.”

(Picture of Connelly Early: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How did Red Sox pitching prospect Jedixson Paez fare in 2024?

Red Sox pitching prospect Jedixson Paez was the youngest in the organization to reach the century mark in strikeouts this season.

Paez, 20, struck out 113 of the 390 batters he faced in 2024. The young right-hander posted a 3.17 ERA (3.17 FIP) with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 113:12 in 22 appearances (12 starts) spanning a career-high 96 2/3 innings between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville. Opponents batted .258 against him.

In seven outings (five starts) to open the season, Paez pitched to a 2.53 ERA (2.17 FIP) with 35 strikeouts to four walks over 32 innings for Salem. He was promoted in late May and subsequently produced a 3.48 ERA (3.67 FIP) with 78 strikeouts to eight walks in 15 outings (seven starts) spanning 64 2/3 innings for Greenville.

Among the 70 pitchers who threw at least 60 innings in the South Atlantic League this year, Paez led in walks per nine innings (1.11), walk rate (3.1 percent), swinging-strike rate (17.8 percent), and xFIP (2.70). He also ranked ninth in WHIP (1.05), 17th in strikeout rate (30.2 percent), 23rd in groundball rate (45.2 percent) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.86), 26th in FIP, and 29th in ERA, per FanGraphs.

A native of Venezuela, Paez originally signed with the Red Sox for $450,000 as an international free agent coming out of Tinaquillo in January 2021. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League shortly after that and was later recognized as the organization’s Latin Program Pitcher of the Year.

Since then, there is no denying that Paez has emerged as one of the more intriguing pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system given his strong command-and-control profile. Red Sox assistant general manager acknowledged as much when speaking with MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith back in July.

“He’s always had this incredible poise and just an advanced feel,” Romero said of Paez. “It’s always been like that — strike-throwing ability over high velo or pure off-the-charts stuff. But his pitchability is incredible. We’ve seen the velo tick up now into the low 90s. Really good feel for a breaking ball. He has a four- or five-pitch mix that he really controls and commands really well. And that’s been kind of what has driven his success.”

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, Paez complements his lower-90s fastball that tops out at 94 mph with an 84-86 mph changeup, an 80-83 mph slider, a 78-80 mph curveball, and an 86-88 mph cutter. The athletic righty throws these offerings from a three-quarters arm slot and can manipulate them effectively while attacking the strike zone.

“Now that he’s physically getting stronger we are seeing that velo start to tick up a little bit,” said Romero. “So he’s really exciting. A true starter in every sense. … He does a lot of the little things like he fields the position really well and holds runners well. So he’s mature in a lot of ways.”

Paez, who turns 21 in January, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 29 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 15th among pitchers in the organization. While Baseball America does not have him ranked among the Red Sox’ top 30 prospects, FanGraphs has him at No. 8 and MLB Pipeline has him at No. 23 on their respective lists.

If he remains with the Red Sox through the offseason, Paez is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Greenville for the start of the 2025 minor-league campaign. He can then become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time next winter.

(Picture of Jedixson Paez: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)