Tag: pitching prospects

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Eduardo Rivera to Triple-A Worcester

UPDATE: The Red Sox will call up Rivera ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Yankees, according to multiple reports. He will be added to the 40-man roster and make his major league debut once he takes the mound without ever having pitched above Double-A.

—

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Eduardo Rivera from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Rivera is moving up to the minors’ highest level after making two starts for Portland to open his 2026 season. In those two outings, the 22-year-old left-hander posted a 0.90 ERA with 16 strikeouts to three walks over 10 innings in which opponents batted .167 against him.

Although the sample size is relatively small, it nonetheless illustrates how effective Rivera has been in the early going. Among 42 pitchers who have thrown at least 10 innings in the Eastern League this year, Rivera ranks first in FIP (1.67), second in ERA, strikeout rate (41%), and xFIP (2.35), third in strikeouts per nine innings (14.40) and swinging-strike rate (16.7%), eighth in WHIP (0.90), ninth in batting average against and groundball rate (52.6%), 12th in walks per nine innings (2.70), and 13th in walk rate (7.7%), per FanGraphs.

A former 2021 11th-round draft selection of the Athletics out of high school in Puerto Rico, Rivera joined the Red Sox organization as a minor league free agent shortly after being released by the A’s in May 2024. The San Juan native spent the remainder of that season in the lower levels (Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem) before splitting the 2025 campaign between High-A Greenville and Portland.

Rivera was slated to reach minor league free agency at season’s end but instead re-signed with the Red Sox in October. He then pitched for the Cangrejeros de Santurce in the Puerto Rican Winter League, helping them win their 17th title. That success allowed him to represent the island in the Caribbean Series for a second straight year, as well as in the World Baseball Classic.

Listed at an intimidating 6-foot-7 and 237 pounds, Rivera is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as Boston’s No. 26 prospect. The hard-throwing southpaw throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a five-pitch mix that consists of a 93-96 mph fastball that tops out at 98 mph, an 87-89 mph cutter, an 83-86 mph slider, an 85-89 mph changeup, and a 78-80 mph curveball.

Rivera, who turns 23 in June, is now just one call away from the big leagues. Though he is viewed as more of a reliever in the long run, he should provide some much-needed depth to a depleted starting rotation in Worcester. To that end, it appears as though he is tentatively scheduled to make his Triple-A debut for the WooSox by following fellow lefty Alec Gamboa out of the bullpen on Thursday afternoon against the Syracuse Mets at Polar Park.

Looking even further ahead, Rivera will be eligible for both minor league free agency and the Rule 5 Draft this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline. That is something to keep in mind as he navigates Triple-A for the first time.

(Picture of Eduardo Rivera: Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ John Holobetz named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox pitching prospect John Holobetz has been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of April 13-19, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Holobetz was excellent in his last start for Double-A Portland this past Saturday. Going up against Altoona on the road at PNG Field, the 23-year-old right-hander allowed just one earned run on one hit and one walk to go along with a career-high 11 strikeouts over seven strong innings of work.

After retiring the first 13 batters he faced, Holobetz gave up a home run to Titus Dumitru with one out in the fifth to break a scoreless tie. He issued a two-out walk in the same frame, but escaped without allowing any further damage and put up two more zeroes in the sixth and seventh. Because of that solo shot, however, he was ultimately charged with the loss as the Sea Dogs fell to the Curve by a final score of 2-0.

Nonetheless, it was an impressive outing for Holobetz, who threw 74 pitches (54 strikes) and generated 14 whiffs, tied for the third-most at the Double-A level on Saturday. He is now 1-1 with a 1.13 ERA and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 23-to-5 through his first three starts (16 innings) of the 2026 season for Portland. Opponents are batting just .113 against him thus far.

Among 31 qualified Eastern League pitchers in the early going this year, Holobetz ranks second in ERA and strikeout rate (39.7%), third in batting average against, FIP (2.85), line-drive rate (10.3%), and WHIP, fourth in xFIP (3.20), fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (12.94), seventh in groundball rate (51.7%), 10th in swinging-strike rate (14.2%), 12th in walks per nine innings (2.81), and 15th in walk rate (8.6%), per FanGraphs.

A former fifth-round draft pick of the Brewers out of Old Dominion in 2024, Holobetz was acquired by the Red Sox last May as the player to be named later from the Quinn Priester trade a month prior. The Pennsylvania native spent three months at High-A Greenville before rounding out his first full professional season with Portland. He opened the 2026 campaign ranked as Boston’s No. 14 prospect by all three of Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and SoxProspects.com.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Holobetz features a four-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 96-97 mph, an 83-87 mph slider, a 79-82 mph curveball, and an 84-87 mph changeup. As noted in his MLB Pipeline scouting report, Holobetz “uses his athleticism to get down the mound very well, creating extension and a lower release height in addition to significant carry and armside run, making his heater difficult to barrel.”

Given his stellar start to the season, it would not be surprising if Holobetz — who turns 24 in July — emerges as a candidate for a promotion to Triple-A Worcester in the near future. He is not alone in that regard, as left-handers Hayden Mullins and Eduardo Rivera have also opened eyes in Portland this month by piling up strikeouts at an exceptional rate.

(Picture of John Holobetz: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox pitching prospect Juan Valera cracks Baseball America’s top 100 rankings

Coming off a dominant outing for High-A Greenville last week, Red Sox pitching prospect Juan Valera has entered Baseball America’s top 100 list for the very first time.

Valera was one of three new additions to Baseball America’s top 100 rankings on Monday, coming in at No. 100. The 19-year-old right-hander now joins fellow Red Sox prospects Payton Tolle (No. 11), Connelly Early (No. 33), Franklin Arias (No. 46), and Kyson Witherspoon (No. 66) on the esteemed list.

Valera’s inclusion in the top 100 should come as little surprise given his strong start to the season. As part of Greenville’s 2-0 shutout victory on the road against Hub City last Thursday, the hard-throwing righty scattered just two hits (both singles) and one walk while striking out a career-high of nine over five scoreless innings. He featured a fastball that topped out at 101.7 mph and threw 56 pitches (39 strikes) in total, generating 15 whiffs.

Through his first two starts of the year for Greenville, Valera has allowed two earned runs on four hits (one home run), three walks, and 16 strikeouts over 8 1/3 innings. That is a 2.16 ERA. Among 28 qualified pitchers in the South Atlantic League entering play Tuesday, Valera ranked first in strikeouts per nine innings (17.28), second in strikeout rate (52%), third in swinging-strike rate (21.2%), fourth in xFIP (1.57), and seventh in batting average against (.143) and FIP (0.32), per FanGraphs.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Valera originally signed with the Red Sox for $45,000 as an international free agent in January 2023. Following a so-so professional debut in the 2023 Dominican Summer League, he burst onto the scene in 2024 by earning All-Star honors in the Florida Complex League and reaching Low-A Salem. He was rewarded with an aggressive season-opening assignment to Greenville last spring but was limited to just 10 starts (38 innings) due to elbow soreness in 2025.

Now healthy, Valera is evidently getting back on track in 2026. In addition to an upper-90s fastball that regularly reaches triple digits, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound hurler mixes in an 88-92 mph slider, an 86-88 mph sweeper, and a 91-94 mph changeup.

“He’s a monster physically,” Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero said of Valera when speaking with MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith. “He’s done a lot of work on his secondary pitches, but when you’re sitting 96 in your sides, that’s encouraging. And he can run it up.”

If Valera, who turns 20 next month, continues to build on this encouraging start to his season, it would not be surprising to see him climb Baseball America’s top 100 list and receive a promotion to Double-A Portland before long.

(Picture of Juan Valera: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox’ Devin Futrell named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox pitching prospect Devin Futrell has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week of April 6-12, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Futrell was nearly perfect in his first start (second appearance) of the young season in Low-A Salem’s series finale against Wilson on Sunday. The 23-year-old left-hander allowed just one walk and struck out four over five scoreless, no-hit innings.

After issuing a leadoff walk to begin his afternoon, Futrell retired the final 15 batters he faced and needed all of 52 pitches (33 strikes) to get through five efficient frames. He generated eight whiffs and improved to 2-0 as the RidgeYaks routed the Warbirds, 16-3, at Salem’s Carilion Clinic Field.

Through his first two outings of the season for Salem, Futrell has yielded just one hit and two walks while striking out 10 of the 30 batters he has faced over nine innings of work. Among 31 qualified pitchers in the Carolina League, Futrell leads in both batting average against (.036) and WHIP (0.33). He also ranks ninth in swinging-strike rate (16.5%) and 10th in FIP (2.30), per FanGraphs.

A former 10th-round draft pick (297th overall) out of Vanderbilt who signed for an over-slot $250,000 in 2024, Futrell is not currently ranked among Boston’s top pitching prospects. The Florida native spent most of his first full professional season with Salem before receiving a promotion last August to High-A Greenville, where he posted a 1.09 ERA over five starts spanning 24 2/3 innings.

Despite the strong results there, Futrell did not break camp with Greenville this spring after being knocked down the pitching depth chart by 2025 draftees Kyson Witherspoon, Marcus Phillips, and Anthony Eyanson. Instead, he has returned to Salem and has evidently not skipped a beat. In fact, it is fair to wonder if he is even being challenged at the level he is at right now.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 218 pounds, Futrell operates with a four-pitch mix that includes an upper-80s fastball that has reached the lower-90s, a 76-78 mph changeup, a 74-77 mph curveball, and a 79-83 mph changeup. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the lefty lacks velocity but makes up for it with pitchability.

Futrell, who turns 24 in September, is undoubtedly gunning for a tougher assignment in the form of a return to Greenville. If one of Witherspoon, Phillips, or Eyanson — or perhaps even hard-throwing righty Juan Valera — were to move up to Double-A Portland in the coming weeks, Futrell would be an obvious candidate to take their place in the Drive’s starting rotation.

UPDATE: Futrell has indeed been promoted to Greenville, as was first reported by SoxProspects.com’s Andrew Parker.

(Picture of Devin Futrell courtesy of the Salem RidgeYaks)

Red Sox get Rule 5 pick Jedixson Paez back from White Sox

Three days after getting 2024 Rule 5 Draft pick Angel Bastardo back from the Blue Jays, the Red Sox got 2025 Rule 5 Draft pick Jedixson Paez back from the White Sox on Saturday.

Unlike Bastardo with the Blue Jays, Paez made the White Sox’ Opening Day roster out of spring training last month despite allowing eight earned runs in 11 1/3 Cactus League innings. As a member of Chicago’s bullpen to open the 2026 season, however, the 22-year-old right-hander surrendered six earned runs on four hits (two of which were homers), three walks, and no strikeouts in his first three big league outings (three innings) before being designated for assignment on Wednesday.

Upon clearing waivers, Paez was offered back to the Red Sox for $50,000 and was officially returned by the White Sox on Saturday. He does not need to be added to Boston’s 40-man roster and is expected to join Double-A Portland, likely as a member of the Sea Dogs’ starting rotation, in the coming days.

That Paez struggled in his first taste of big league action is not necessarily surprising considering his lack of upper-minors experience. Before being selected with the second overall pick in December’s Rule 5 Draft and making his major league debut in Milwaukee on March 26, the young righty had never pitched above the High-A level. That presumably played a role in the Red Sox’ decision to leave him off the 40-man roster after last season ended.

Even with that in mind, the White Sox took a chance on a high-upside arm by paying the Red Sox $100,000 for Paez’s services. It evidently did not work out, as Chicago was unable to keep Paez on its active roster for at least 90 days. As such, Paez is back with the organization he originally signed with for $450,000 as an international free agent in July 2021.

A native of Venezuela, Paez was Boston’s 2021 Latin Program Pitcher of the Year following a strong professional debut in the Dominican Summer League. He spent all of 2022 in the Florida Complex League and parts of the next two seasons with Low-A Salem before first reaching High-A Greenville in May 2024.

Paez returned to Greenville for the start of the 2025 campaign but was sidelined for more than three months (late April until mid-August) due to a severe right calf strain. When on the mound for the Drive, the 6-foot-1 hurler posted a 2.79 ERA with 23 strikeouts to just three walks over seven starts (19 1/3 innings) in which opponents batted .228 against him. He was ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 21 prospect before briefly taking his talents to Chicago.

Lauded for his advanced feel of command and control, as evidenced by a career 3.9 walk rate in 307 2/3 minor league innings, Paez featured a five-pitch mix in his first big league stint. He averaged 91.9 mph and reached 93.4 mph with his four-seam fastball while also mixing in a changeup, cutter, sinker, and curveball, per Baseball Savant.

Like Bastardo, Paez — who does not turn 23 until next January — figures to strengthen Boston’s upper-minors pitching depth moving forward.

(Picture of Jedixson Paez: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

Red Sox get Rule 5 pick Angel Bastardo back from Blue Jays

The Red Sox got former Rule 5 Draft pick Angel Bastardo back from the Blue Jays on Wednesday, per announcements from both clubs. The 23-year-old right-hander was designated for assignment last week after failing to make Toronto’s Opening Day roster and was offered back to Boston for $50,000 upon clearing waivers.

Bastardo was left off the Red Sox’ 40-man roster at the conclusion of the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery that June. That decision made him available to other clubs in that winter’s Rule 5 Draft, and the Blue Jays plucked him with the sixth overall pick (and paid Boston $100,000), knowing full well that he would be sidelined for the foreseeable future while rehabbing.

Upon switching organizations for the first time in his professional career, Bastardo spent all of 2025 on Toronto’s 60-day injured list as he continued to rehab. While he accrued a year’s worth of big league pay and service time, he was still bound by Rule 5 restrictions and therefore needed to spend at least 90 days on the Blue Jays’ active roster heading into 2026.

In his return to the mound this spring, Bastardo showed some signs of rust after a long layoff, allowing four earned runs on five hits, seven walks, and five strikeouts over 7 2/3 Grapefruit League innings (all out of the bullpen). Stuff-wise, the 6-foot-1 righty featured a mid-90s fastball that topped out at 97-98 mph and complemented it with a changeup, slider, and curveball.

Despite the intriguing arsenal, the Blue Jays determined they would be unable to carry Bastardo on their roster to open the season and elected to designate him for assignment when finalizing things last Wednesday. Another team could have claimed him off waivers or traded for him, but they would have been subject to the same Rule 5 stipulations and likely decided against it because of that.

With that being said, the Red Sox do not need to commit a 40-man roster spot to Bastardo, who returns to the organization he originally signed with for $35,000 as an international free agent in July 2018. The native Venezuelan reached the upper-minors for the first time in 2023 and returned to Double-A Portland out of camp in 2024. He posted a 5.36 ERA with 53 strikeouts to 21 walks in 10 starts (45 1/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs before blowing out his elbow and going under the knife that June. At that time, he was ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 27 prospect.

Bastardo, who turns 24 in June, will now report to Fort Myers for extended spring training before any next steps are determined, according to a team source. From there, he will presumably join one of Boston’s upper-level affiliates (like Portland or perhaps even Triple-A Worcester) in the weeks ahead.

In related news, fellow Venezuelan right-hander Jedixson Paez, who was selected by the White Sox in last December’s Rule 5 Draft, was designated for assignment on Wednesday. Paez made Chicago’s Opening Day roster out of spring training but — having never pitched above the High-A level — surrendered six earned runs in three relief outings spanning three innings for the South Siders.

Paez could be claimed off waivers or acquired via trade by another team within the next week. If not, like Bastardo, the 22-year-old might soon find himself back within the Red Sox organization.

(Picture of Angel Bastardo: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Anthony Eyanson named to All-Spring Breakout Second Team after dazzling performance

It may have just been one inning of relief. Still, Red Sox pitching prospect Anthony Eyanson was unquestionably one of the standout performers in Friday night’s Spring Breakout showcase against the Orioles.

On Monday, Eyanson was recognized for his efforts, as he was named to the 2026 All-Spring Breakout Second Team by Major League Baseball.

Eyanson was the last pitcher the Red Sox used in Friday’s 3-1 loss to Orioles minor leaguers under the lights at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, Fla. The 21-year-old right-hander was both efficient and effective, needing only 14 pitches (10 strikes) to punch out the only three batters he faced (Jose Pena, Cobb Hightower, and Ethan Anderson) in order as part of a scoreless eighth inning.

Of the 14 pitches Eyanson threw, four were whiff-inducing. He mixed in a fastball that averaged 99.1 mph and topped out at 100.2 mph, an 88-90 mph splitter, and an 82-83 mph curveball. All three of his strikeouts were recorded on his wipeout curveball, as he got two looking and one swinging.

“Obviously, I wanted to show off what I’ve been working on as far as the fastball and the splitter, and I feel like I did that tonight,” Eyanson told reporters (including The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier). “[I] really feel myself expanding as a pitcher, being able to use that splitter when I fall behind, getting that arm-side action, giving me a lot more options, especially with the fastball carrying and being a lot harder now. It’s just a lot different.”

For Eyanson, lighting up the radar gun to this extent has not always been the standard. The California native was selected by the Red Sox with the 87th overall pick in last summer’s draft out of Louisiana State, where he typically sat between 92-94 mph and topped out at 97 mph in his lone season with the Tigers. Since signing for an over-slot $1.75 million and subsequently immersing himself in Boston’s pitching development program, however, Eyanson has experienced a significant uptick in velocity.

“The velo jump is hard to ignore,” Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham said of Eyanson when speaking with MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo. “He was mostly 93-95 in college, I know he touched 97, but he’s been sitting 96-98 this spring with secondaries that are advanced for where he is. He just has a really good feel for the baseball, feel to spin the ball, and can challenge the strike zone.”

As a result of reaching triple digits for the first time in a game setting on Friday, Eyanson is now the proud owner of a “Fuego” t-shirt, which the Red Sox award to all pitchers who throw 100 mph. The 6-foot-2, 208-pound righty is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as the organization’s No. 10 prospect, while Baseball America has him slightly lower at No. 13.

Alongside fellow 2025 draftees (and SEC products) Kyson Witherspoon and Marcus Phillips, Eyanson has been the talk of minor league spring training for the Red Sox in Fort Myers. Even before officially making his professional debut (which he will likely do for High-A Greenville next month), Eyanson’s stock is already on the rise.

“It’s crazy to see the amount of progress that I’ve made,” Eyanson said. “I’m really excited. I feel almost like a brand new pitcher.”

(Picture of Anthony Eyanson: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox pitching prospect Isaac Stebens undergoes Tommy John surgery

Red Sox pitching prospect Isaac Stebens underwent Tommy John surgery last week, according to SoxProspects.com’s Andrew Parker. As a result, he will miss the entire 2026 season and possibly the start of 2027 as well.

Stebens is not ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com. The 24-year-old right-hander was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 16th round (478th overall) of the 2023 draft out of Oklahoma State. He received an at-slot $150,000 signing bonus and put up solid numbers in each of his first two professional seasons.

After first reaching High-A Greenville in late April 2024, Stebens spent all of 2025 with Boston’s South Atlantic League affiliate. In a team-high 38 relief appearances for the Drive, the righty posted a 2.15 ERA (4.03 FIP) with 59 strikeouts to 29 walks over 50 1/3 innings. Opponents batted just .198 against him as he converted nine of his 10 save opportunities.

Among 85 pitchers who threw at least 50 innings in the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League last year, Stebens notably ranked eighth in ERA, 23rd in batting average against, 26th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.55) and strikeout rate (27.4%), and 37th in groundball rate (42.4%), per FanGraphs.

Following the conclusion of the minor league season, Stebens was one of eight Red Sox prospects who made the trek out west to play in the Arizona Fall League. The 6-foot, 194-pound hurler appeared in eight games out of the bullpen for the Salt River Rafters, allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits, six walks, and seven strikeouts over seven additional innings of work. Stuff-wise, he featured a sinker, a cutter, a curveball, and a 92-95 mph four-seam fastball.

Stebens, who does not turn 25 until December, was projected to open the 2026 campaign with Double-A Portland, where he would be tasked with facing upper-minors competition for the first time in his career. That challenge will have to wait, as he will now be sidelined and focused on rehab for the foreseeable future.

(Picture of Isaac Stebens: Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

After recent trades, Red Sox pitching prospect Tyler Uberstine stands alone

In late November, the Red Sox protected three pitching prospects from the 2025 Rule 5 Draft by adding left-hander Shane Drohan and right-handers David Sandlin and Tyler Uberstine to their 40-man roster.

Not even three months have passed since then, but Uberstine is now the only one of those three still with the organization. Sandlin was dealt to the White Sox along with Jordan Hicks as part of a salary dump on February 1, while Drohan was one of six players involved in Monday’s trade with the Brewers that sent Caleb Durbin to the Red Sox.

As a member of Boston’s 40-man roster, Uberstine is taking part in his first major league spring training in Fort Myers. The 26-year-old righty is currently ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 14 prospect and has overcome quite a lot of adversity to get to where he is today.

An undersized and overlooked recruit in high school, Uberstine did not receive any scholarship offers out of Chaminade Prep (West Hills, Calif.) in 2017. He enrolled at Southern California and played for the club baseball team as a freshman before trying out for the varsity team ahead of his sophomore season. Though he was ultimately cut, Uberstine had taken what he had learned while working with ex-big leaguer Joe Beimel on the side and transferred to Northwestern for the final two seasons of his collegiate career.

Uberstine leveraged his performance with the Wildcats, as well as the Williamsport Crosscutters of the MLB Draft League, into being selected by the Red Sox in the 19th round of the 2021 draft. As the 556th overall pick, Uberstine received a below-slot $97,500 signing bonus. He debuted professionally in the Florida Complex League and progressed from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville in his first full season before blowing out his elbow and undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2023.

Though he was sidelined for all of 2023 and most of the following campaign, Uberstine returned to the mound in August 2024. He made three starts for Greenville before the minor league season ended in early September, and then pitched well for the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League to end an arduous year on a positive note.

Following a healthy offseason and spring, Uberstine broke camp with and got the nod as Double-A Portland’s 2025 Opening Day starter. He posted a 3.64 ERA with 35 strikeouts to just four walks in his first six starts (29 2/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs and was rewarded with a promotion to Triple-A Worcester in mid-May. From there, he forged a 3.56 ERA with 102 strikeouts to 37 walks over 19 outings (15 starts) spanning 91 innings for the WooSox and was named the team’s Co-Most Valuable Pitcher alongside Cooper Criswell.

Among 75 pitchers who threw at least 90 innings at the Triple-A level last year, Uberstine ranked seventh in ERA, strikeouts per nine innings (10.09), and strikeout rate (26.2%), 16th in swinging-strike rate (12.3%), 17th in batting average against (.245), 18th in xFIP (4.54), 27th in WHIP (1.33), and 34th in FIP (4.92), per FanGraphs.

On the 2025 campaign as a whole, Uberstine pitched to a 3.58 ERA (4.33 FIP), recording an organizational-best 137 strikeouts while issuing 41 walks across 25 outings (21 starts) and 120 2/3 innings between Portland and Worcester. Opponents batted .244 against him overall, though he fared better against right-handed hitters (.231) than left-handed hitters (.256) on his way to earning SoxProspects.com’s Comeback Player of the Year honors.

Now standing at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Uberstine throws from a low three-quarters arm slot and operates with an arsenal that includes a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 96 mph, a mid-80s changeup, a low-80s slider, an upper-80s cutter, a low-90s sinker, and the occasional curveball. His heater, which generated a 37.6% whiff rate at Triple-A last season, was tabbed by Baseball America as one of the top 10 performing fastballs for 2025.

Uberstine, who turns 27 in June, is a long shot to make Boston’s Opening Day roster and is more likely to return to Worcester to begin the 2026 season. That said, now that he is on the Red Sox’ 40-man roster, it would not be at all surprising to see him make his major league debut at some point this year if the need arises.

(Picture of Tyler Uberstine: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Which prospect did Red Sox send to Brewers in six-player trade for Caleb Durbin?

The Red Sox continued to bolster their infield mix on Monday morning by swinging a six-player trade with the Brewers.

In exchange for left-handers Shane Drohan and Kyle Harrison and infielder David Hamilton, Boston acquired infielders Caleb Durbin and Andruw Monasterio and infielder/catcher Anthony Seigler from Milwaukee, the club announced.

Additionally, the Red Sox received a Competitive Balance Round B pick in the 2026 draft from the Brewers. That selection currently projects as the No. 67 overall pick in July’s draft. Boston had previously forfeited its second- and fifth-highest picks after signing Ranger Suarez, who declined a qualifying offer from the Phillies, last month. As a result, the club will now pick first at No. 20 overall, then again at No. 67 with the selection obtained from Milwaukee.

Of the six players — all of whom were on their previous clubs’ 40-man rosters — involved in this deal, Drohan is the only one without prior major league experience and is still considered a prospect. As such, this article will focus on him.

Drohan, who turned 27 last month, was ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 15 prospect before Monday’s trade. The Florida State product has yet to make his big league debut, but has nonetheless been on a unique path since being selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round (148th overall) of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft.

Signed for an above-slot $600,000, Drohan steadily climbed the organizational ladder upon entering the professional ranks. His stock rose significantly to start the 2023 season, as he received a promotion from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester in early May and was selected to the All-Star Futures Game in July. The lefty, however, struggled in his first stint with the WooSox and, as a first-time Rule 5-eligible prospect, was surprisingly left off the Red Sox’ 40-man roster that November.

That decision allowed the White Sox to pluck Drohan with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft. Drohan, unfortunately, required nerve decompression surgery to resolve a longstanding shoulder issue in February 2024. He began the year on the 60-day injured list as a result and was returned to the Red Sox after rehabbing and being designated for assignment that June. He spent the following two months working out in Fort Myers and made two August appearances for Worcester before a bout with left shoulder inflammation ended his season prematurely.

Drohan opened the 2025 campaign in Worcester and put himself back on the map by impressing out of the gate, but his progress stalled yet again when he landed on the injured list with left forearm inflammation in mid-May. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list and spent much of August rehabbing with High-A Greenville before returning to the WooSox in early September for four more starts.

Overall, Drohan forged a 3.00 ERA (3.11 FIP) with 77 strikeouts to 21 walks in 15 outings (14 starts) spanning 54 total innings between Greenville and Worcester last season. That includes a 2.27 ERA (2.85 FIP) with 67 strikeouts to 16 walks in 47 2/3 innings for the WooSox. Opposing hitters in the International League batted just .185 against the 6-foot-3, 195-pound southpaw, who flashed a 92-94 mph fastball that reached 96 mph as well as a cutter, slider, curveball, and changeup.

Alongside right-handers David Sandlin and Tyler Uberstine, Drohan was added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster for Rule 5 protection purposes in November. He was among those on hand in Fort Myers on the eve of the official start of spring training and was informed that he had been traded while taking his physical Monday morning.

As was the case with Sandlin, who was dealt to the White Sox with Jordan Hicks in a salary dump earlier this month, Drohan did not have a clear path to the majors and seemingly became expendable in the eyes of the Red Sox. Even with concerns surrounding his durability, the Brewers — on the other hand — appear ready to give Drohan a legitimate shot.

“He’s kind of flown under the radar, probably a little bit more than Harrison, but this guy dominated in Triple-A last year,” Brewers president of baseball operations and general manager Matt Arnold said of Drohan when speaking with reporters (including MLB.com’s David Adler). “He was very good. He strikes out a lot of guys and has really good stuff, and our scouts really, really like this guy. He was a very big part of this for us as well.”

(Picture of Shane Drohan: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)