Tag: pitching prospects

How Red Sox pitching prospect Devin Futrell fared across three levels in 2026

Only Gage Ziehl and John Holobetz threw more innings than Devin Futrell among Red Sox minor leaguers in 2026. This article will examine how the 24-year-old left-hander fared in his second full professional season.

In part because of the influx of pitching prospects (Kyson Witherspoon, Marcus Phillips, and Anthony Eyanson) selected by Boston in the 2025 draft, Futrell returned to Low-A Salem out of camp this spring despite reaching High-A Greenville last summer. He quickly showed that he had little left to prove at that level, tossing nine scoreless, one-hit innings over two appearances (one start) for the RidgeYaks before rejoining the Drive in mid-April.

“I mostly contribute being locked in so early in the season to my competitiveness,” Futrell told SoxProspects.com’s Andrew Parker in May. “I don’t want to go out there and get shelled. I just want to go out there and make the hitters look bad. Making yourself look better is what’s going to get you to the next level. I just go day in and day out and just try to show the hitters that I am better than them.”

Futrell’s return to Greenville lasted nearly four months. The lefty posted a 4.22 ERA with 85 strikeouts to 14 walks across 15 outings (12 starts) and 74 2/3 innings for the Drive before being promoted to Double-A Portland in early August. In his first taste of the upper minors, he pitched to a 4.55 ERA with 35 strikeouts to just three walks in six starts (31 2/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs down the stretch.

Overall, Futrell forged a 3.98 ERA with 130 strikeouts to 19 walks over 23 outings (19 starts) and 115 1/3 innings between Salem, Greenville, and Portland this season, nearly doubling his inning total from the year prior. Opponents batted .251/.284/.434 against him across 470 plate appearances. That includes a .259/.289/.492 line from right-handed hitters and a .232/.272/.310 line from left-handed hitters.

Among the 50 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 50 innings in 2026, Futrell ranked second in walks per nine innings (1.48) and walk rate (4%), fifth in WHIP (1.14), ninth in xFIP (3.92), 11th in FIP (3.94), 13th in ERA, and 19th in strikeout rate (27.7%), according to FanGraphs.

Futrell was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 10th round (297th overall) of the 2024 draft out of Vanderbilt. The Florida native received an above-slot $250,000 signing bonus but did not make his professional debut last April. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 44 prospect, ranking 18th among pitchers in the organization.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 218 pounds, Futrell is not known as a flamethrower. This season, the southpaw’s fastball topped out at 91.6 mph and typically sat in the high 80s. He also implemented new secondary offerings into his arsenal, including a cutter, splitter, and sweeper, to keep hitters off balance.

“My lowest-hanging fruit is my velocity,” Futrell noted to Parker. “I know it is a big part of today’s game. But there are still guys out there who get outs, and I am one of those guys. As long as I am working on that and keep pushing up the floor throughout all my pitches, I will get to where I need to be.

“Just recently I decided to switch up my sweeper a little bit,” he continued. “I was chasing the horizontal before, and now I am trying to actually get lift to my sweeper. It is something you don’t usually see with that pitch. Most of them hang around the zero line. I am trying to get mine to like five or ten vert. I want it to ride a bit to hitters. It looks like a slow cutter out of my hand.”

Barring a trade or other move this winter, SoxProspects.com projects that Futrell — who turned 24 in September — will return to Portland’s starting rotation to begin the 2027 season. He will continue to be tested without premium velocity, but his exceptional control gives him intriguing upside.

(Picture of Devin Futrell: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How Red Sox pitching prospect John Holobetz fared in first full season with organization

Behind only Gage Ziehl, John Holobetz threw more innings than any other Red Sox minor leaguer in 2026. This article will take a look at how the 24-year-old right-hander fared in his first full season with the organization.

After first reaching the level last August, Holobetz returned to Double-A Portland out of camp this spring. The righty got off to an encouraging start, posting a 2.45 ERA with 26 strikeouts to six walks in his first four starts (22 innings) for the Sea Dogs through the end of April. He then struggled to a 7.99 ERA over his next six outings (five starts) and 23 2/3 innings before righting the ship in mid-June.

From June 14 through July 23, Holobetz posted a 2.97 ERA with 44 strikeouts to seven walks across seven appearances (six starts) and 33 1/3 innings for Portland. Five days after recording his second double-digit strikeout performance of the season, he was officially promoted to Triple-A Worcester on July 28, reaching the minors’ top level for the first time.

To close out the 2026 campaign, Holobetz made nine appearances (eight starts) for the WooSox, producing a 3.57 ERA with 39 strikeouts to 11 walks over 40 1/3 innings. He ended his season on a high note by striking out eight across 4 1/3 scoreless frames of relief against Durham on September 17.

Overall, then, Holobetz forged a 4.07 ERA with 132 strikeouts (the most among righties in the organization) to 36 walks over 26 outings (23 starts) and 119 1/3 innings between Portland and Worcester this season. Opponents slashed .245/.302/.390 in 502 plate appearances against him. That includes a .218/.256/.325 line from right-handed hitters and a .273/.346/.458 line from left-handed hitters.

Among the 50 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 50 innings this year, Holobetz ranked seventh in walks per nine (2.72) and walk rate (7.2%), eighth in xFIP (3.87), 12th in WHIP (1.25), 16th in ERA and FIP (4.05), 21st in groundball rate (44.6%), 23rd in swinging-strike rate (13%), 24th in batting average against, and 25th in strikeout rate (26.3%), according to FanGraphs.

Holobetz, a former fifth-round draft pick (156th overall) of the Brewers out of Old Dominion in 2024, was acquired by the Red Sox last May as the player to be named later in the Quinn Priester trade made a month earlier. The Pennsylvania native is currently regarded as Boston’s No. 9 prospect by Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and SoxProspects.com. All three outlets rank him third among pitchers in the organization behind young righties Juan Valera and Sadbiel Delzine.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Holobetz throws from a lower release point and features a five-pitch mix. This season, he got up to 98.2 mph with his fastball that typically sits in the mid-to-upper 90s. He also mixed in an upper-80s cutter and changeup, along with a lower-80s curveball and sweeper. While his heater grades well, his secondary offerings are still considered works in progress.

Barring a trade or other move this winter, SoxProspects.com projects that Holobetz — who will not turn 25 until next July — will return to Worcester’s rotation to start the 2027 season. Like Ziehl, though, his ability to fill the strike zone, miss bats, and limit walks could put him on track for his first major league call-up sooner rather than later.

(Picture of John Holobetz: Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

How Red Sox pitching prospect Gage Ziehl fared in 2026 after ‘crazy’ trade

After coming over from the White Sox in a February trade, Gage Ziehl made more starts and pitched more innings than any other Red Sox minor leaguer in 2026. This article will take a look at how the 23-year-old right-hander fared during his first season with the organization.

Acquired from Chicago for fellow righties Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin (as well as cash considerations), Ziehl opened the 2026 campaign at Double-A Portland but got off to a rocky start. He struggled to a 5.94 ERA through his first seven starts (33 1/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs before turning a corner as the calendar flipped from May to June.

From May 31 onward, Ziehl posted a 3.21 ERA with 61 strikeouts to 11 walks in his next 10 starts (47 2/3 innings) for Portland before being promoted to Triple-A Worcester on August 4. He then closed out an eventful season by pitching to a 4.17 ERA with 33 strikeouts to seven walks over eight starts (41 innings) for the WooSox in his first go-around at the minors’ highest level.

Altogether, then, Ziehl forged a 4.28 ERA with 129 strikeouts to just 25 walks in 25 starts (122 innings) between Portland and Worcester. Opponents batted .269/.314/.448 against him. That includes a .287/.342/.502 line from right-handed hitters and a .249/.283/.391 line from left-handed hitters.

In addition to leading Red Sox minor leaguers in starts and innings pitched, Ziehl stood out in several other categories as well. Among the 50 pitchers in the organization who threw at least 50 innings this season, the righty ranked third in walks per nine (1.84) and walk rate (4.8%), fifth in groundball rate (52.1%) and xFIP (3.71), 15th in WHIP (1.27), 17th in ERA, and 21st in FIP (4.28), according to FanGraphs.

A University of Miami product, Ziehl was originally selected by the Yankees in the fourth round (119th overall) of the 2024 draft. He received a $637,000 signing bonus and made his professional debut last April before being traded to the White Sox for Austin Slater less than four months later. In February, as he was preparing for the start of spring training, he was on the move yet again.

“The whole trade experience here was a bit crazy,” Ziehl recalled to SoxProspects.com’s Andrew Parker in August. “I trained in Florida over the offseason and had already shipped my car to Arizona for White Sox camp. I was about to board my connecting flight to Arizona when I got a call asking if I had already booked a flight out. I had already boarded and [was] on the runway when I got a call from the assistant general manager from Chicago saying I had been traded. I couldn’t get off the plane by this point. So, I made my flight, shipped my car to Fort Myers, and was there the next day.”

Since joining the Red Sox organization, Ziehl has worked to lower his arm slot and revamp his diverse arsenal. This season, the 6-foot, 223-pound hurler featured a six-pitch mix consisting of a newly implemented 85-88 mph changeup and 90-94 mph sinker, as well as a 91-93 mph fastball that topped out at 95 mph, an 88-91 mph cutter, an 82-84 mph sweeper, and a 79-80 mph curveball.

On the heels of his second full professional season, Ziehl is currently ranked as Boston’s No. 17 prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 21 by SoxProspects.com. Baseball America, meanwhile, does not include him among the organization’s top 30 prospects.

Barring a trade or other move this winter, SoxProspects.com projects that Ziehl — who will not turn 24 until next May — will return to Worcester to begin the 2027 season. Given his ability to fill the strike zone, limit walks, and get outs, however, there is reason to believe he could earn a big league opportunity with the Red Sox at some point.

(Picture of Gage Ziehl: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How Red Sox prospect Dylan Brown earned organization’s 2026 Minor League Pitcher of the Year award

After a successful first full professional season, Dylan Brown was recognized as the Red Sox’ 2026 Minor League Pitcher of the Year during pre-game festivities at Fenway Park last Friday night.

Brown earned the honor roughly 14 months after being selected by the Red Sox in the eighth round of the 2025 draft out of Old Dominion. As the 238th overall pick, the Pennsylvania native received an at-slot $229,000 signing bonus, though he did not make his pro debut until this season.

In early April, Brown broke camp with Low-A Salem and served as the RidgeYaks’ Opening Day starter. The 22-year-old left-hander made five starts there, posting a 2.31 ERA with 32 strikeouts to 13 walks over 23 1/3 innings in which opponents batted just .185 against him. He was promptly rewarded with a promotion to High-A Greenville shortly after the calendar flipped to May.

Brown had some growing pains at the new level, but still produced encouraging results. He made 17 appearances (16 starts) for the Drive over the season’s final four months, pitching to a 3.78 ERA with 111 strikeouts to 24 walks across 83 1/3 innings in which opponents batted .250 against him. That includes a 3.38 ERA in eight starts (40 innings) following the All-Star break in July.

Altogether, Brown forged a 3.46 ERA with an organizational-high 143 strikeouts to 37 walks in 22 outings (21 starts) spanning 106 2/3 innings between Salem and Greenville this season. He limited the opposition to a .236/.307/.328 line in 444 plate appearances, proving particularly difficult against right-handed hitters (.215/.284/.309) in a case of reverse splits.

One of seven Red Sox minor leaguers to surpass the century mark in innings pitched this year, Brown led that group in ERA, FIP (2.62), groundball rate (55.1%), opponents’ batting average, strikeouts per nine (12.07), strikeout rate (32.2%), swinging-strike rate (16.3%), and xFIP (3.20). He also ranked second in WHIP (1.23) and third in walks per nine (2.72), according to FanGraphs.

What makes Brown so effective is his delivery. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound lefty starts on the third-base side of the rubber, then steps towards first base before cutting across his body. He operates with a four-pitch mix consisting of a 91-94 mph fastball that can reach 95 mph, an 88-89 mph cutter, an 81-85 mph slider, and an 82-84 mph changeup.

Brown, who will not turn 23 until next June, is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 26 prospect, ranking 11th among pitchers in the organization. Barring a trade or other surprise move this winter, he is an early candidate to open the 2027 season in Double-A Portland’s starting rotation.

Such an assignment would put Brown up against more advanced competition in the upper minors. With that in mind, it could prove useful for the tall southpaw to continue working to add velocity while rounding out his repertoire as his development progresses.

(Picture of Dylan Brown: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How top Red Sox pitching prospect Sadbiel Delzine fared in 2026 stateside debut

If Franklin Primera had the best stateside debut of any Red Sox position-playing prospect this season, then Sadbiel Delzine had the best stateside debut of any of the organization’s pitching prospects.

Delzine originally signed with the Red Sox for $500,000 last January, receiving the largest signing bonus of any pitcher in the club’s 2025 international free agent class. Unlike his fellow countryman Primera, the Venezuelan native had plenty of eyes on him when he made his professional debut.

Due to a mild flexor strain, however, Delzine was limited to just 9 1/3 innings in the Dominican Summer League as a 17-year-old last season. The young right-hander showed flashes in that small sample, striking out nine and walking only one before being shut down, with the Red Sox wanting him to focus more on strengthening his shoulder and arm.

After using the offseason to add strength to his already sizable frame, Delzine — who turned 18 in January — arrived stateside in 2026 and came out of the gate firing in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. In 11 outings (seven starts) for the FCL Red Sox, he posted a 2.72 ERA with 43 strikeouts to 18 walks over 39 2/3 innings, limiting opponents to a .170 batting average.

That strong showing earned Delzine his first full-season assignment in a promotion to Low-A Salem in late July. From there, he closed out the year by posting a 2.52 ERA with 36 strikeouts to six walks in seven starts (25 innings) for the RidgeYaks. Opposing hitters in the Carolina League batted .219 against him.

Altogether, then, Delzine forged a 2.64 ERA with 79 strikeouts to 24 walks over 18 outings (14 starts) spanning 64 2/3 total innings between the FCL and Salem, with opponents slashing .190/.278/.249 in 267 plate appearances against him. He held right-handed hitters to a .221/.291/.311 line and left-handed hitters to a .158/.267/.184 line.

Among 36 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 60 innings this season, Delzine ranked second in ERA, third in batting average against, FIP (3.32), and WHIP (1.07), 10th in walks per nine (3.34), 11th in strikeout rate (29.6%) and xFIP (4.09), 12th in swinging-strike rate (13.5%), and 13th in strikeouts per nine (10.99) and walk rate (9%), according to FanGraphs.

Delzine, now standing at approximately 6-foot-5 and weighing between 235 and 255 pounds, is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 8 prospect, second among pitchers in the organization behind only Juan Valera. As noted in the publication’s scouting report, the burly hurler features a four-pitch mix. He has been up to 99.8 mph with his mid-to-upper-90s fastball while also mixing in a mid-80s changeup, a low-80s curveball, and a mid-80s slider.

“Outside of his raw stuff and command, Delzine has some deception in his operation,” Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes wrote last month. “He hides the ball well due to an accentuated pause in his layback. This motion tucks the ball behind his back hip, messing with batters’ timing.”

Like Primera, Delzine has the upside and ceiling to crack Baseball America’s top 100 list sooner rather than later. Barring a trade or other surprise move this winter, he is expected to return to Salem for the start of his age-19 campaign in 2027. That said, he should have the chance to work his way up to High-A Greenville before long.

(Picture of Sadbiel Delzine: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Former Red Sox prospect Anthony Eyanson named 2026 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year

Former Red Sox prospect Anthony Eyanson was named the 2026 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year by Minor League Baseball on Monday. Like his one-time teammates Franklin Arias and Brooks Brannon, he was also selected as an Eastern League All-Star.

Eyanson, the top prospect the Red Sox sent to the Orioles as part of the Adley Rutschman trade on August 3, made quite an impression in his first full professional season.

Selected by the Red Sox with the 87th overall pick in the 2025 draft out of Louisiana State via UC San Diego, Eyanson signed for a well-over-slot $1.75 million last July. Fresh off playing a key role in LSU’s national championship run, the California native did not immediately debut for an affiliate after signing.

Instead, as noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, Eyanson embraced “the team’s strength and conditioning program as well as velocity training,” while also raising his arm slot “to create an average release height of about 6 1/2 feet.” Those adjustments paid dividends when Eyanson arrived in Fort Myers for his first spring training.

After earning All-Spring Breakout Second Team honors, Eyanson broke camp with High-A Greenville. The 21-year-old right-hander allowed just one earned run in five starts (20 1/3 innings) for the Drive, netting April’s South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month award before being promoted to Double-A Portland in early May.

Though he was not as dominant, Eyanson still managed a 1.69 ERA with 60 strikeouts to 23 walks in 11 outings (10 starts) spanning 48 innings for the Sea Dogs. He was selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game on July 12, where he earned the win. Nineteen days later, he recorded the first 10-strikeout game of his professional career. Three days after that, he was one of five players dealt to the Orioles in the Rutschman blockbuster.

Eyanson remained in the Eastern League with Double-A Chesapeake after joining the Orioles organization. The young righty then closed out his 2026 campaign by posting a 2.03 ERA with 47 strikeouts to nine walks in six starts (31 innings) for the Baysox.

Between Portland and Bowie, then, Eyanson forged a sparkling 1.82 ERA with 107 strikeouts to 32 walks in 17 outings (16 starts) spanning 79 innings in which opponents batted .192 against him. Among 46 Eastern League pitchers who threw at least 75 innings this year, he led in ERA, strikeout rate (34.6%), swinging-strike rate (17.9%), and xFIP (3.26). He also ranked second in opponents’ batting average, third in FIP (3.30) and WHIP (1.08), fourth in strikeouts per nine (12.19), and seventh in groundball rate (51.5%), according to FanGraphs.

Overall, Eyanson posted a 1.54 ERA (2.93 FIP) with 141 strikeouts to 35 walks in 22 total outings (21 starts) and 99 1/3 innings between High-A and Double-A this season. Opposing hitters slashed .175/.255/.277 in 380 plate appearances against him altogether.

Eyanson, who turns 22 next month, is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as Baltimore’s No. 2 prospect and the No. 46 prospect in baseball. The 6-foot-2, 208-pound hurler was up to 92-95 mph with his fastball this season after reaching triple digits with it in spring training. He also features a tight mid-80s slider, an upper-70s curveball, an upper-80s cutter, and a mid-80s splitter.

In addition to winning Eastern League Pitcher of the Year, Eyanson is also up for Minor League Baseball’s 2026 Pitching Prospect of the Year and Minor League Debut of the Year. The winners will be determined as part of next Monday’s fourth annual MiLB Awards show.

(Picture of Anthony Eyanson: Al Bello/Getty Images)

How former Red Sox pitching prospect Ben Hansen is faring since trade to A’s

With the Red Sox designating Brett Harris for assignment as part of a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday, it feels like an appropriate time to check in on the prospect Boston traded to the Athletics for the infielder two months ago.

On July 1, the Red Sox acquired Harris from the A’s for minor league right-hander Ben Hansen, whom Boston originally selected in the 20th and final round of the 2024 draft out of Brigham Young. At the time of the trade, he was not ranked among the organization’s top pitching prospects.

Hansen, who had spent all of 2026 to that point with High-A Greenville, reported to the Athletics’ High-A affiliate in Lansing and made his organizational debut on July 3. The 24-year-old made five appearances (one start) for the Lugnuts, allowing two earned runs on six hits, two walks, and nine strikeouts over 8 1/3 innings before being promoted to Double-A Midland on July 22.

In eight outings (three starts) for the RockHounds since then, Hansen has posted a 2.70 ERA with 31 strikeouts to 14 walks across 30 innings in which he has limited opponents to a .183 batting average. The righty was recognized as the Texas League Pitcher of the Week after striking out nine over 5 1/3 scoreless, no-hit frames of relief on August 23. He then followed that up by firing a career-high six innings of one-run ball on Sunday.

Among 149 pitchers who have thrown at least 30 innings in the Texas League this season, Hansen has the sixth-lowest FIP (3.20), the 10th-lowest ERA, the 12th-lowest opponents’ batting average, and the 15th-lowest WHIP (1.10). He also ranks 56th in xFIP (4.66), 62nd in groundball rate (44.6%), and 68th in both strikeout rate (25.6%) and walks per nine (4.20), according to FanGraphs.

Overall, Hansen has forged a 3.71 ERA (3.88 FIP) with 92 strikeouts to 30 walks over 26 outings (six starts) and 80 innings across two High-A stops (Greenville and Lansing) and Double-A this season. That represents an improvement from the 6.23 ERA (4.56 FIP) he logged in 60 2/3 innings with Low-A Salem during his professional debut last year.

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, Hansen gets good extension on his delivery. As Baseball America’s Ian Cundall noted in July, the California-born hurler operates with a 92-96 mph fastball that “plays above velocity” and “misses bats,” though it can be inconsistent. He also features a 76-78 mph curveball, a cutter, a sweeper, and a changeup.

As was the case during his time in the Red Sox system, Hansen — who does not turn 25 until next March — is not yet ranked among the Athletics’ premier pitching prospects. He is, however, expected to be part of the contingent the club send to the Arizona Fall League later this year, per Bill Moriarty of A’s Farm.

Coincidentally, prospects from both the Athletics and Red Sox organizations will be assigned to the same team this fall: the Mesa Solar Sox, potentially giving Hansen an opportunity to cross paths with some of his former teammates.

(Picture of Ben Hansen courtesy of the Midland RockHounds)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Barrett Morgan to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Barrett Morgan from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, per the MiLB.com transactions log.

Morgan is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 39 prospect, ranking 15th among pitchers in the organization. The 21-year-old right-hander is in his first full professional season after being selected in the 11th round (328th overall) of last summer’s draft out of Cowley College (KS). Instead of transferring to Texas A&M, he signed with the Red Sox for an above-slot $500,000 bonus.

Morgan did not pitch for an affiliate after signing, instead debuting with Salem in early April. In 13 outings (nine starts) for the RidgeYaks, he posted a 2.74 ERA with 46 strikeouts to 18 walks over 46 innings. Opposing Carolina League hitters slashed .176/.258/.242 in 187 plate appearances against him.

After leaving his June 23 start against Myrtle Beach early, Morgan was placed on Salem’s 7-day injured list. The righty rehabbed in Fort Myers before returning to the RidgeYaks earlier this month. He last pitched on August 15, allowing one unearned run on one hit, one walk, and two strikeouts over two innings of relief against Delmarva.

Entering play Wednesday, Morgan was one of 102 pitchers who have thrown at least 45 innings in the Carolina League this season. Among those 102, he ranked fourth in batting average against, sixth in WHIP (1.02), eighth in FIP (3.18), 12th in line-drive rate (19%), 13th in ERA, 32nd in walks per nine (3.52), 36th in walk rate (9.6%), 40th in swinging-strike rate (12.4%), 43rd in strikeout rate (24.6%), and 51st in xFIP (4.43), according to FanGraphs.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Morgan throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the Oklahoma-born hurler features a 92-95 mph fastball that has been up to 97 mph, an 87-89 mph cutter, a 79-83 mph curveball, and an 82-83 mph changeup.

Morgan, who does not turn 22 until next March, is the fourth pitcher from his draft class to make the jump from Salem to Greenville this season, joining eighth-rounder Dylan Brown, ninth-rounder Jacob Mayers, and 16th-rounder Jason Gilman. He should provide the playoff-hopeful Drive with additional pitching depth from the right side down the stretch.

(Picture of Barrett Morgan: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Jedixson Paez to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Jedixson Paez from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as first reported by SoxProspects.com’s Andrew Parker. He is scheduled to start for the WooSox and make his Triple-A debut on Thursday, according to The Worcester Telegram & Gazette’s Tommy Cassell.

Paez began the 2026 season with the White Sox after being selected by them in December’s Rule 5 Draft. The 22-year-old right-hander made Chicago’s Opening Day roster but struggled in three relief appearances, allowing six earned runs on four hits (including two home runs), three walks, and no strikeouts over three innings. He was designated for assignment on April 1 and returned to the Red Sox for $50,000 three days later.

Having never pitched above the High-A level before this season, it is not surprising that Paez had a rough time in his brief major league debut with the White Sox. After returning to the Red Sox, he reported to Portland and put together a solid four-month stretch leading up to Wednesday’s promotion.

In 17 appearances (seven starts) for the Sea Dogs, Paez posted a 4.41 ERA and 3.78 FIP with 56 strikeouts to just five walks over 49 innings. Eastern League opponents slashed .241/.264/.417 in 193 plate appearances against him. He has proven particularly effective when facing right-handed hitters, limiting them to a .233/.255/.388 line across the majors and minors this year.

Among 92 pitchers who entered play Wednesday having thrown at least 45 innings in the Eastern League this season, Paez ranked first in swinging-strike rate (19.3%), walks per nine (0.92), and walk rate (2.6%), third in xFIP (3.25), fifth in WHIP (1.02), 15th in strikeout rate (29%), 18th in FIP, 29th in groundball rate (46.2%), 31st in strikeouts per nine (10.29), and 38th in batting average against and ERA, per FanGraphs.

Originally signed for $450,000 as an international free agent out of Venezuela in January 2021, Paez is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 22 prospect, which ranks eighth among the organization’s pitchers. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound righty has made a name for himself thanks to a strong command-and-control profile. Stuff-wise, he features a 91-92 mph fastball that reaches 94 mph, an upper-80s cutter, a mid-80s changeup, a lower-80s slider, and an upper-70s curveball.

Now in Triple-A for the first time, Paez — who does not turn 23 until next January — has put himself in a position to get back to the majors with the Red Sox for the stretch run. At the very least, he can build a case for a spot on Boston’s 40-man roster this winter, which would keep him from being Rule 5-eligible for the second straight offseason.

(Picture of Jedixson Paez: Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Jacob Mayers to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Jacob Mayers from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.

Mayers is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 44 prospect, ranking 19th among the organization’s pitching prospects. The 22-year-old right-hander is making his professional debut this season after being selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round (268th overall) of last summer’s draft out of Louisiana State. He received a below-slot $190,000 signing bonus.

In 15 appearances (eight starts) for Salem to begin the 2026 campaign, Mayers posted a 4.27 ERA with 64 strikeouts to 42 walks over 46 1/3 innings. Opposing Carolina League hitters slashed .175/.363/.299 in 204 plate appearances against him.

Among 75 Carolina League pitchers who entered play Friday having thrown at least 45 innings this season, Mayers ranks second in batting average against, fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (12.43), fifth in strikeout rate (31.4%) and swinging-strike rate (16.3%), 19th in groundball rate (48.9%), and 35th in ERA. On the flip side, he also ranks 70th in walks per nine (8.16) and 74th in walk rate (20.6%), according to FanGraphs.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, Mayers throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot and operates with a three-pitch mix. The Louisiana-born hurler has been up to 96-97 mph with his upper-90s fastball this season after topping out at 101.8 mph with it in college. He also features an 88-91 mph slider and an 84-86 mph changeup, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

While Mayers — who just turned 22 last month — can miss bats at an exceptional rate, there are questions surrounding his ability to consistently throw strikes. If he can refine his command and control, he could elevate his stock even further as he looks to put the finishing touches on his first full season in pro ball.

(Picture of Jacob Mayers: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)