Tag: hunter dobbins

Red Sox add prospects Hunter Dobbins, Jhostynxon Garcia to 40-man roster ahead of Rule 5 deadline

The Red Sox added pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins and outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia to their 40-man roster on Tuesday to protect them from being available to other clubs in December’s Rule 5 Draft.

To accommodate the additions of Dobbins and Garcia, Boston designated right-handers Isaiah Campbell and Bryan Mata for assignment. As such, the Red Sox’ 40-man roster is back at full capacity.

Dobbins, 25, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 21 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks eighth among pitchers in the organization. The right-hander was originally selected by the Red Sox in the eighth round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Texas Tech but did not make his professional debut until the following June as he was still recovering from Tommy John surgery.

This past season, Dobbins was recognized as the Red Sox’ Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year after posting a 3.08 ERA (3.04 FIP) with 120 strikeouts to 48 walks in 25 starts (125 2/3 innings) between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. Opposing hitters batted .237 against him altogether.

Equipped with a diverse arsenal, Dobbins experienced an uptick in velocity this year. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound righty averaged 93-96 mph and topped out at 98 mph with his fastball while also mixing in a newly-implemented 89-92 mph splinker (a splitter-sinker hybrid), a 78-80 mph sweeper, an 81-83 mph slider, and a 76-78 mph curveball that features 12-to-6 break.

“Obviously a guy who had a really, really good season for us,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said of Dobbins when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) at the GM Meetings earlier this month. “Was exciting to follow the progress — both the uptick in raw stuff across the board and swing and miss and durability and the ability to post. He’s put himself on the radar and it will be an important offseason for him to continue to develop. It would be foolish not to be really excited about what he was able to accomplish.”

Dobbins, who does not turn 26 until next August, still has some room to grow as far as his command and control are concerned. With that being said, he should provide the Red Sox with starting rotation depth in Worcester to open the 2025 campaign and could be in line to make his major-league debut before the season is over.

Garcia, on the other hand, is a little farther away. The 21-year-old originally signed with the Red Sox for $350,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in July 2019. He is currently ranked by Baseball America as the No. 18 prospect in Boston’s farm system after putting together a breakout 2024 season that saw him rise across three levels.

In 107 games between Low-A Salem, High-A Greenville, and Portland, Garcia batted .286/.356/.536 with 24 doubles, five triples, an organizational-leading 23 home runs, 66 RBIs, 78 runs scored, 17 stolen bases, 33 walks, and 99 strikeouts over 459 total plate appearances. For his efforts, the free-swinging right-handed hitter was named to Baseball America’s Second Team Minor League All-Star Team and the All-MiLB Prospect First Team.

Defensively, Garcia saw playing time at all three outfield spots between his stops in Salem, Greenville, and Portland this year. With the Sea Dogs in particular, the 6-foot, 215-pounder made 27 of his 30 starts in center field, where he recorded one outfield assist and committed two errors in 61 chances. His other three starts there came at DH.

Garcia, who turns 22 next month, is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland for the start of the 2025 season. Unlike Dobbins, Garcia likely won’t figure into Boston’s big-league plans until 2026 at the earliest. He could, of course, be moved in a trade well before then.

(Picture of Hunter Dobbins: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Hunter Dobbins named Red Sox’ Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year

Hunter Dobbins has been named the Red Sox’ Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year, the club announced on Thursday. He will be honored alongside the organization’s seven other minor-league award winners before Friday night’s series opener against the Rays at Fenway Park.

Dobbins is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 21 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks eighth among pitchers in the organization. The 25-year-old right-hander spent much of the season with Double-A Portland, posting a 3.17 ERA (2.92 FIP) with 98 strikeouts to 39 walks in 21 starts (105 innings) for the Sea Dogs.

Shortly before celebrating his 25th birthday on August 30, Dobbins received a promotion to Triple-A Worcester. He then closed out the 2024 campaign by pitching to a 2.61 ERA (3.67 FIP) with 22 strikeouts to nine walks in four more starts (20 2/3 innings) for the WooSox. That includes striking out six over five scoreless frames in his final outing of the year against Lehigh Valley on September 18.

All told, Dobbins forged a 3.08 ERA and 3.04 FIP with 120 strikeouts to 48 walks across 25 total starts (125 2/3 innings) between Portland and Worcester this season. That translates to a 22.9 percent strikeout rate and 9.2 percent walk rate while opposing hitters batted .237 against him.

Among the 84 minor-leaguers who threw at least 125 innings in 2024, Dobbins ranked fifth in FIP, 19th in ERA, 29th in groundball rate (43.2 percent), 30th in batting average against and swinging-strike rate (12.6 percent), 32nd in xFIP (3.93), 35th in strikeout rate, 38th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.59), 40th in WHIP (1.26), per FanGraphs.

A native of Bryan, Texas, Dobbins was originally selected by the Red Sox in the eighth round (226th overall) of the 2021 draft out of Texas Tech. Because he was still working his way back from the Tommy John surgery that cost him his entire junior season with the Red Raiders, Dobbins — after signing for $197,500 — did not make his professional debut until June 2022.

Since then, Dobbins has undoubtedly emerged as one of the more intriguing pitching prospects within the Red Sox organization. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound hurler throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. As recently highlighted SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall, Dobbins can show seven different pitches. Those offerings include a 93-96 mph fastball that reaches 98-99 mph, an 89-92 mph splinker (a splitter-sinker hybrid), an 87-90 mph cutter, an 81-83 mph slider, a 78-80 mph sweeper, a 76-78 mph curveball, and an 84-87 mph splitter.

While his command and control of the strike zone are still considered works in progress, Dobbins is in line to be added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster next month in order to receive protection from this winter’s Rule 5 Draft. Stranger things have happened over the course of an offseason, but Dobbins will presumably be taking part in his first big-league spring training once pitchers and catchers start reporting to Fort Myers in February.

(Picture of Hunter Dobbins: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox are promoting pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by SoxProspects.com’s Ed Hand.

This promotion comes after Dobbins put together another strong start for Portland in Tuesday night’s series opener against the Somerset Patriots at Hadlock Field. The 24-year-old right-hander struck out seven and walked only one while scattering three hits over six scoreless innings. He threw 86 pitches (56 strikes) and induced 17 swings-and-misses.

In 21 starts for the Sea Dogs this season, Dobbins posted a 3.17 ERA and 2.98 FIP with 98 strikeouts to 39 walks over 105 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .232 batting average. That includes a 1.79 ERA (2.68 FIP) in his last nine outings (45 1/3 innings) dating back to June 30.

Among 23 qualified Eastern League pitchers coming into play on Wednesday, Dobbins ranks first in FIP, third in ERA, sixth in batting average against, seventh in WHIP (1.23), ninth in groundball rate (40.9 percent) and swinging-strike rate (12.3 percent), and 11th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.4), strikeout rate (22.5 percent), and xFIP (4.02), per FanGraphs.

Dobbins, who turns 25 next week, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 21 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks eighth among pitchers in the organization. The Texas Tech product was originally selected by the Red Sox in the eighth round of the 2021 draft but did not make his professional debut until the following June, as he was still recovering from the Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for all of his junior season.

Since making his pro debut at Low-A Salem a little more than two years ago, Dobbins has emerged as an intriguing arm while working his way up the minor-league ladder. As recently highlighted by MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound hurler has sat in the mid-to-upper 90s and topped out at 99 mph with his fastball this year. He has also mixed in a splinker (a splitter-sinker hybrid), a sweeper, a slider, and a curveball for his secondaries.

With this promotion, Dobbins figures to join a WooSox starting rotation that — at the moment — includes Richard Fitts, Quinn Priester, Brad Keller, Jason Alexander, and Shane Drohan. Like Fitts, Dobbins will need to be added to the 40-man roster this winter if the Red Sox intend to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. How he fares at the minors’ top level could play a role in that decision.

“The front office knows what they’re doing,” Dobbins told Smith. “We’ve got some really good people in charge of us. So whenever they see me ready, I’ll be there.”

(Picture of Hunter Dobbins: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins knows how to control the zone

Which pitching prospect within the Red Sox organization possesses the best control? According to one prominent publication, it’s Hunter Dobbins.

The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, who compiles the Red Sox’ organizational rankings for Baseball America, recently identified Dobbins as having the best control of any Boston pitching prospect heading into 2024.

Dobbins ended the 2023 season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 30 prospect (ninth among pitchers) in Boston’s farm system after going 9-6 with a 3.67 ERA and 122 strikeouts to 31 walks in 20 appearances (19 starts) spanning 112 2/3 innings between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland.

Though his season debut was delayed until early May, Dobbins fared quite well with Greenville. The 24-year-old right-hander forged a respectable 2.63 ERA (2.49 FIP) with 44 strikeouts to just five walks in seven starts (41 innings) for the Drive. He held opposing hitters to a .222 batting average against during that stretch and was then rewarded with a promotion to Portland in late June.

Facing more advanced competition in the Eastern League, Dobbins initially got off a to a rough start, struggling to a 5.70 ERA in his first seven outings (36 1/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs before settling in some as the calendar flipped from August to September. Altogether, the righty produced a 4.27 ERA (3.76 FIP) with 78 strikeouts to 26 walks in 13 appearances (12 starts, 71 2/3 innings) for Portland to close out the 2023 campaign.

One of eight Red Sox minor-leaguers to eclipse the century mark in total innings pitched this year, Dobbins led that group in walks per nine innings (2.48), walk rate (6.6 percent), and FIP (3.30). He also ranked second in xFIP (3.69) and WHIP (1.19), third in ERA, ground-ball rate (44.1 percent) and swinging-strike rate (14.9 percent), fourth in line-drive rate (19.1 percent), and fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.75), strikeout rate (26.1 percent), and batting average against (.240), per FanGraphs.

Dobbins was originally selected by Boston in the eighth round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Texas Tech. At the time he signed with the club for $197,500, though, the former Red Raider was recovering from Tommy John surgery that came as a result of a UCL injury suffered during a preseason scrimmage earlier that spring. As such, he did not make his professional debut until last June with Low-A Salem, where he pitched to a 5.22 ERA over 17 starts and 69 innings of work.

Now standing at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Dobbins throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot and — according to his SoxProspects.com scouting report — operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 92-95 mph fastball that tops out at 97 mph, an 84-90 mph slider that “improved considerably” in 2023, an 81-85 mph splitter that evolved from a previously-used changeup, and a 76-82 mph curveball that features long, 12-to-6 break.

Dobbins, who does not turn 24 until next August, is projected to return to Portland’s rotation for the start of the 2024 season. Assuming he remains in the organization through the winter, the Lone Star State native could be a beneficiary of the Red Sox implementing new strategies when it comes to developing pitching under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.

(Picture of Hunter Dobbins: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote pitching prospects Isaac Coffey, Hunter Dobbins to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox are promoting pitching prospects Isaac Coffey and Hunter Dobbins from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, according to MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith.

Coffey, who turns 23 on Wednesday, has posted a 2.83 ERA and 3.92 FIP with a South Atlantic League-leading 83 strikeouts to just 10 walks in 11 starts (60 1/3 innings) for the Drive this season. The right-hander fanned eight over 5 2/3 frames in his last time out against the Greensboro Grasshoppers at Fluor Field this past Thursday.

Among qualified pitchers in the South Atlantic League, Coffey ranks third in strikeouts per nine innings (12.38), second in strikeout rate (34.4 percent), second in walks per nine innings (1.49), second in walk rate (4.1 percent), 10th in batting average against (.222), third in WHIP (1.01), seventh in swinging-strike rate (14.8 percent), 10th in ERA, 13th in FIP, and first in xFIP (2.78), per FanGraphs.

Coffey was selected by the Red Sox in the 10th round of last year’s draft out of Oral Roberts. The California native signed with the club for a mere $7,500 yet is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 51 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 22nd among pitchers in the organization.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Coffey throws from a sidearm slot and operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of an 88-90 mph fastball that tops out at 91 mph, a 77-79 mph slider that features 10-to-4 break, and an 83-84 mph changeup that is considered to be a work in progress. He becomes the second member of the Sox’ 2022 draft class to make the jump from Greenville to Portland this season, joining fourth-rounder Chase Meidroth.

Dobbins, meanwhile, has forged a 2.63 ERA and 2.52 FIP with 44 strikeouts to just five walks in seven starts (41 innings) for the Drive this season. The 23-year-old righty also struck out eight across six two-run frames in his last time out against Greensboro this past Friday.

Among the 57 South Atlantic League pitchers who have accrued at least 40 innings to this point in the 2023 campaign, Dobbins ranks first in walks per nine innings (1.10) and walk rate (3.1 percent). He also ranks 20th in strikeout rate (27.3 percent), fourth in WHIP (0.95), and sixth in swinging-strike rate (16.8 percent) after not making his first start of the year until May 7.

Dobbins was selected by the Red Sox in the eighth round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Texas Teach. After undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier that spring, the Lone Star State native signed with Boston for $197,500 and did not make his professional debut until last July. He currently is not rated by SoxProspects.com as one of the top pitching prospects in the system.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Dobbins — who turns 24 in August — throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot and works with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 91-94 mph fastball that tops out at 96 mph, a 74-78 mph curveball, an 83-85 mph circle changeup, and a high-80s slider that is rarely used.

Both Coffey and Dobbins figure to join a starting rotation mix in Portland that includes C.J. Liu, Brian Van Belle, Sterling Sharp (who is currently on the injured list), Grant Gambrell, and Wyatt Olds. The Sea Dogs open a six-game series against the Reading Fightin Phils at Hadlock Field on Tuesday night.

(Picture of Isaac Coffey: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox drafted 8 pitchers in 2021; how did each of them fare during first full pro season?

The Red Sox selected and signed eight pitchers in the 2021 amateur draft. Of those eight, seven were taken out of college, one was taken out of high school, and one has yet to make his professional debut.

For the vast majority of these pitchers, the 2022 minor-league campaign represented their first full seasons in pro balls. Here is a rundown of how each of them fared this year, beginning with the highest draft pick and ending with the lowest one.

Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, RHP (4th round, 105th overall pick)

Taken out of Leadership Christian Academy in Puerto Rico, Rodriguez-Cruz forwent his commitment to the University of Oregon by signing with Boston for $497,500. The 19-year-old right-hander made his pro debut in the Florida Complex League this summer and posted a 1.95 ERA with 36 strikeouts to 12 walks over 11 appearances (8 starts, 32 1/3 innings) before earning a promotion to Low-A Salem in late August. He then allowed one run while striking out six and walking three in two starts (6 innings) with the Salem Sox.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 160 pounds with room to grow, Rodriguez-Cruz throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 90-93 mph fastball that tops out at 95 mph, a 75-78 mph curveball, an 80-83 mph changeup, and a slider that is considered to be a work in progress. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 19 prospect in Boston’s farm system.

Wyatt Olds, RHP (7th round, 196th overall pick)

Olds, 23, broke camp with High-A Greenville this spring after ending the 2021 season in Salem. The University of Oklahoma product forged a 6.01 ERA with 130 strikeouts to 50 walks over 26 outings (25 starts) and 106 1/3 innings for the Drive. He also made one start for Double-A Portland in September and allowed two earned runs across 4 2/3 innings of work.

At 6-foot and 183 pounds, Olds pitches exclusively from the stretch and possesses a 93-96 mph fastball that tops out at 98 mph, an 85-88 mph slider, and an 87-89 mph changeup, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report. He is currently regarded by the site as the No. 56 prospect in the organization.

Hunter Dobbins, RHP (8th round, 226th overall pick)

Sliding in right ahead of Olds in SoxProspects.com’s year-end rankings is Dobbins. The Texas Tech product missed the entirety of the 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last March and signed with Boston for $197,500 four months later. After making a full recovery from the procedure, Dobbins debuted with the Salem Red Sox back in June. He compiled a 5.22 ERA — but much more respectable 3.76 xFIP — with 68 strikeouts to 22 walks over 17 starts spanning 69 innings pitched.

Dobbins, also 23, is listed at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds. The former Red Raider works with a four-pitch arsenal that includes a 91-94 mph heater that tops out at 96 mph, a 74-78 mph curveball, an 83-85 mph changeup, and a high-80s slider that is used sparingly, according to SoxProspects.com. He is projected by the site to make the jump to Greenville next spring.

Matt Litwicki, RHP (10th round, 286th overall pick)

Litwicki is the one pitcher in this draft class who has yet to take the mound in an organized game. The 24-year-old righty was limited to just 31 1/3 innings at Indiana University (missed the entire 2018 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, missed time in 2021 because of back and shoulder injuries) and received a $47,500 signing bonus from the Sox.

Per SoxProspects.com, Litwicki suffered a setback while rehabbing earlier this year and wound up missing the entirety of the 2022 campaign as a result. When healthy, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound hurler has shown that he can reach 99 mph with his four-seamer while also mixing in a low-80s slider. As of now, it remains to be seen if Litwicki is on track to be ready for spring training.

Christopher Troye, RHP (12th round, 346th overall pick)

Troye, who turns 24 in February, received a $122,500 signing bonus from Boston after spending four years (and undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2020) at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The Brentwood native missed the first month or so of the 2022 season with an undisclosed injury, but he made his way to Salem by mid-May.

In 26 relief appearances for the Red Sox, Troye produced a 4.86 ERA (3.10 FIP) with 50 strikeouts to 24 walks over 33 1/3 innings of work. His 35 percent punchout rate ranked ninth among Carolina League pitchers who accrued at least 30 innings, though his 16.8 percent walk rate was the 16th-highest in the league using that same parameter.

Given that he has the ability to strike out hitters and miss bats at a high rate, it should come as no surprise that Troye possesses tantalizing stuff. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder sits in the mid-90s with his fastball and can reach 99 mph with the pitch, according to SoxProspects.com. He also flashes a 12-6 curveball, but has shown that he can struggle with his command at times. How he works to improve that will likely play a key role in his development moving forward.

Jacob Webb, RHP (14th round, 406th overall pick)

Webb may be the furthest along of any pitcher listed here. The 23-year-old righty out of Miami University of Ohio pitched across three different levels this season and made it as far as Portland. He posted a 3.18 ERA with 88 strikeouts to 28 walks in 44 total appearances (56 2/3 innings) between Salem, Greenville, and Portland before heading out west to pitch in the Arizona Fall League. With the Scottsdale Scorpions, Webb yielded four earned runs over 10 innings of relief while fanning 12 of the 41 batters he faced.

Listed at a burly 6-foot-5 and 246 pounds, Webb is currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 60 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The Dayton native operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 94-96 mph heater that can reach 98 mph, an 82-84 mph slider, and an 88-90 mph changeup. He is projected to return to the Sea Dogs bullpen for the start of the 2023 season.

Luis Guerrero, RHP (17th round, 496th overall pick)

The lone junior college pitcher included here, Guerrero turned in a solid 2022 campaign after not pitching professionally in 2021. The 22-year-old right-hander out of Chipola College appeared in a total of 27 games between the FCL, Salem, and Greenville. He produced a 3.23 ERA with 59 punchouts to 17 walks over 39 combined innings of work. That includes a 2.08 ERA (1.66 FIP) in seven outings with the Drive.

Originally from the Dominican Republic, Guerrero is listed at 6-foot and 215 pounds. The Bani native can reach triple digits with his four-seam fastball and also possesses an 83-85 mph splitter, an 88-91 mph slider, and a 75-79 mph curveball, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report. He is currently regarded by the site as the 34th-ranked prospect in the system.

Tyler Uberstine, RHP (19th round, 556th overall pick)

A former member of the University of Southern California’s club baseball team, Uberstine transferred to Northwestern University in 2020 and has only seen his stock rise since then. This past season, the 23-year-old righty posted a 3.83 ERA with 101 strikeouts to 35 walks over 21 combined appearances (15 starts, 91 2/3 innings) between Salem and Greenville. He pitched well for the Drive (2.43 ERA) after being promoted in July, but was limited to just seven starts from that point forward due to a quad strain.

Uberstine, who turns 24 in June, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 32 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound hurler works with a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 95 mph, an 85-87 mph changeup, and an 83-85 mph slider, according to the site’s scouting report on him.

(Picture of Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz: Bryan Green/Flickr)

Red Sox pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins makes professional debut for Low-A Salem

Nearly 11 months after getting drafted, Red Sox pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins made his professional debut for Low-A Salem on Sunday night.

Pitching in front of 2,017 spectators at Carillion Clinic Field, the right-hander got the start and allowed two earned runs on four hits, one walk, and one strikeout over three innings of work in Salem’s 7-4 win over the Columbia Fireflies.

After retiring six of the first eight batters he faced, Dobbins gave up three straight hits — two of which produced runs — to begin things in the top half of the third. Following a brief mound visit from Salem pitching coach Nick Green, he bounced back by fanning Carter Jensen and getting Guillermo Quintana to hit into an inning-ending double play.

Of the 45 pitches Dobbins threw on Sunday, 30 went for strikes and five of those were whiff-inducing. The 22-year-old now owns an ERA of 6.00 and will likely start again for Salem in its next series against the Charleston RiverDogs later this week.

The Red Sox originally selected Dobbins in the eighth round of last year’s amateur draft out of Texas Tech University and signed the native Texan for $197,500.

One of the primary reasons Dobbins fell to the eighth round was because the righty had just undergone Tommy John surgery in March, which resulted in him missing the entirety of his junior season with the Red Raiders.

As a sophomore during the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, Dobbins posted a 1.35 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 25 strikeouts to just five walks over six appearances (three starts) spanning 20 innings pitched.

Per his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the 6-foot-2, 185 pounder throws from a three-quarters arm slot and — prior to going under the knife — operated with a four-pitch mix that consisted of a 91-94 mph fastball that reached 98 mph, a 77-79 mph curveball, a circle changeup that evolved from a split-fingered change, and a slider.

Dobbins, who turns 22 in August, is not yet regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. He was, however, identified by FanGraphs back in March as “enviable bullpen depth” given his ability to miss bats with both his curveball and changeup in college.

With that being said, SoxProspects.com notes that Dobbins still has a “wide range of outcomes” when it comes to his career outlook on account of the uncertainty surrounding what kind of pitcher he will be post-Tommy John.

If he can pitch similarly to the way he did in 2021, though, Dobbins represents another intriguing addition for the Red Sox’ minor-league pitching pipeline.

(Picture of Hunter Dobbins courtesy of the Salem Red Sox)