Tag: pitching prospects

Who is Dalvinson Reyes? Get to know the Red Sox’ top pitching prospect in the Dominican Summer League this season

While Yermain Ruiz was recognized as the organization’s 2024 Latin Program Pitcher of the Year last week, he was not the top Red Sox prospect to pitch in the Dominican Summer League this season.

That distinction would belong to fellow right-hander Dalvinson Reyes.

Reyes, 17, signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic back in January. The Santa Cruz de Mao received a lucrative $450,000 bonus, making him the highest-paid pitcher from Boston’s 2024 international signing class thus far.

Prior to making his professional debut in June, Reyes was tabbed by Baseball America’s Ben Badler as a name to know since he has “the traits scouts typically gravitate to when looking for a young, projectable starting pitcher” and “the look of a pitcher who should throw significantly harder.”

In his first four starts of the season for DSL Red Sox Blue, Reyes allowed eight hits and two walks with 17 strikeouts over 16 scoreless innings in which opposing hitters batted .148 against him. The righty was then shut down for seven weeks as a result of experiencing midseason fatigue. He used that time to focus on strength training, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Upon returning to the mound on August 13, Reyes tossed a scoreless first inning in his lone start for DSL Red Sox Red. He then made two additional starts in the playoffs, allowing three runs (two earned) over 5 2/3 innings as the red team went on to claim the organization’s first DSL title since 2016.

All told, Reyes posted a 0.00 ERA (2.27 FIP) with 19 strikeouts to just two walks in five regular season starts (17 innings) between DSL Red Sox Blue and DSL Red Sox Red. That translates to a 31.7 percent strikeout rate and a 3.3 percent walk rate as he held opposing hitters to a .140 batting average.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Reyes operates with a smooth and repeatable delivery that features adept arm action. The projectable hurler “already sits comfortably in the low 90s while topping out at 94 with a four-seamer and two-seamer,” per Speier. He also mixes in a mid-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup that shows some late fade.

Reyes, who turns 18 next month, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 25 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 10th among pitchers in the organization. MLB Pipeline has him ranked 30th on its Red Sox Top 30 prospects list while SoxProspects.com lists him at No. 31 on its Top 60.

Like the aforementioned Ruiz, Reyes is projected by SoxProspects.com to make his stateside debut in the Florida Complex League at some point in 2025. As noted in his MLB Pipeline scouting report, Reyes already “has one of the highest ceilings among Boston’s pitching prospects.”

(Picture of Dalvinson Reyes via his Instagram)

Red Sox pitching prospect David Sandlin reached triple-digits with his fastball this season

In his first year with the Red Sox, pitching prospect David Sandlin emerged as one of the hardest throwers in the organization.

Sandlin was one of 90 prospect-eligible pitchers to reach triple-digits in the minor leagues this season, according to Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes. The 23-year-old right-hander accomplished that feat by maxing out at 100.4 mph with his four-seam fastball.

Acquired from the Royals for reliever John Schreiber in February, Sandlin broke camp with High-A Greenville this spring. The former 11th-round draft selection out of Oklahoma posted a 5.17 ERA (5.73 FIP) with 21 strikeouts to eight walks in his first four starts (15 2/3 innings) for the Drive before being placed on the 7-day injured list on May 14.

Due to right forearm tightness, Sandlin was sidelined for over a month and did not return to the mound until June 15. He then pitched to a 5.06 ERA (2.93 FIP) with 29 strikeouts to just three walks in his next six starts (16 innings) for Greenville before receiving a promotion to Double-A Portland on July 23. With the Sea Dogs, he produced a 5.61 ERA (5.36 FIP) with 32 strikeouts to seven walks in eight starts (25 2/3 innings) to close out the 2024 campaign.

Altogether, Sandlin forged a 5.34 ERA and 4.78 FIP with 82 strikeouts to 18 walks in 18 total starts (57 1/3 innings) between Greenville and Portland this season. Opposing hitters batted .269 against him, though his 33.2 percent strikeout rate, 15.9 percent swinging-strike rate, 7.3 percent walk rate, and 3.10 xFIP were among the top marks for those in the system who eclipsed the 50-inning plateau, per FanGraphs.

“David did join the Fuego club,” Red Sox director of pitching Justin Willard said of Sandlin reaching triple-digits when speaking with NESN’s Tom Caron and The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier on NESN’s ‘310 To Left’ Podcast last month. “He hit 100 and was sitting 96. It’s unreal stuff. Really excited about his development this year, again really raising the floor to give him a shot to be an elite starter.”

To complement his high-octane heater, Sandlin mixes in three other pitches: an 85-88 mph sweeping slider, an 86-90 mph splitter, and a 77-81 mph curveball. The athletic 6-foot-4, 215-pound righty throws those offerings from a three-quarters arm slot while incorporating a high leg kick into his delivery.

Sandlin, who turns 24 this coming February, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 11 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks third among pitchers in the organization. He is projected to return to Portland for the start of the 2025 season but will need to show that he can go deeper into his outings to fully tap into his starter potential.

(Picture of David Sandlin: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

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 pitching prospect Jojo Ingrassia named 2024 Carolina League All-Star

Red Sox pitching prospect Jojo Ingrassia has been named a 2024 Carolina League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Wednesday.

Ingrassia, Boston’s 14th-round selection in the 2023 draft out of Cal State Fullerton, enjoyed a productive first full season in pro ball. The 22-year-old left-hander posted a 1.85 ERA and 1.97 FIP with 93 strikeouts to 20 walks in 21 appearances (12 starts) spanning 58 1/3 innings for Low-A Salem. Opposing hitters batted just .179 against him.

After exiting his final start before the MLB All-Star break early, Ingrassia was placed on Salem’s 7-day injured list with left elbow inflammation on July 18. He returned to the mound for the Red Sox on August 25 and closed out the year with three scoreless outings in which he struck out seven and walked three over five innings.

Among the 96 Carolina League pitchers who threw at least 50 innings this season, Ingrassia led in strikeouts per nine innings (14.35), strikeout rate (39.6 percent), swinging-strike rate (20.9 percent), and xFIP (1.94). He also ranked second in FIP, third in ERA, sixth in batting average against, ninth in WHIP (0.99) and groundball rate (52.2 percent), 37th in walks per nine innings (3.09), and 41st in walk rate (8.5 percent), per FanGraphs.

Ingrassia, who turned 22 in July, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 44 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 24th among pitchers in the organization. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound southpaw throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his deceptive, cross-bodied delivery. He operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 90-92 mph fastball that has reached 93 mph, a 79-81 mph sweeping slider, and an 82-85 mph changeup.

As FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen noted earlier in the year, Ingrassia likely projects as a multi-inning reliever moving forward given his diminutive stature. If he were to remain with the Red Sox through the winter, Ingrassia would presumably make the jump to High-A Greenville to open the 2025 campaign.

(Picture of Jojo Ingrassia: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

Red Sox sidearm prospect Isaac Coffey named Double-A Portland’s Pitcher of the Year

Red Sox pitching prospect Isaac Coffey has been named Double-A Portland’s Pitcher of the Year, the Sea Dogs announced prior to their season finale against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Hadlock Field on Sunday.

Coffey, 24, appeared in 24 games (made 21 starts) for the Sea Dogs this season. The sidearming right-hander posted a 3.17 ERA and 3.81 FIP with 148 strikeouts to 51 walks over a team-leading 113 2/3 innings of work. That includes a 1.42 ERA (2.59 FIP) with 56 strikeouts to eight walks in six outings (31 2/3 innings) after the calendar flipped from July to August.

Among 35 qualified pitchers at the Double-A level in 2024, Coffey ranked second in strikeouts per nine innings (11.72) and strikeout rate (30 percent), fifth in batting average against (.215), seventh in ERA, 11th in WHIP (1.23), 12th in FIP, and 14th in xFIP (3.90), per FanGraphs. While the strikeout numbers are impressive, Coffey also ranked 28th in walk rate (10.3 percent) and 29th in walks per nine innings (4.04) while hitting more batters (25) than anyone else at his level.

Coffey just put the finishing touches on his second full professional season after originally being selected by the Red Sox in the 10th round of the 2022 amateur draft out of Oral Roberts. The California native received a modest $7,500 signing bonus at that time and is now regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 58 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 30th among pitchers in the organization.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Coffey threw from a three-quarters arm slot as a two-way player in college but has since settled in as a sidearmer. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the athletic righty operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of an 88-90 mph fastball that tops out at 92 mph, a 76-78 mph changeup that is considered his best secondary offering, an 82-84 mph sweeping slider, and a newly-implemented cutter.

Should he remain with the Red Sox through the winter, Coffey — who does not turn 25 until next June — is projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to Triple-A Worcester in 2025. A lack of velocity limits his upside, but he still has intriguing potential moving forward.

(Picture of Isaac Coffey: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How did Red Sox pitching prospect Hayden Mullins fare in first full pro season?

Red Sox pitching prospect Hayden Mullins went a career-high 5 2/3 innings in his final outing of the season for High-A Greenville last Wednesday.

Taking over for starter Tyler Uberstine with one out in the top of the second, Mullins retired 15 of the 19 batters he faced over 5 2/3 scoreless frames of relief. The 23-year-old left-hander allowed three hits and one walk while striking out five. He threw 70 pitches (44 strikes), eliciting 12 swings-and-misses as the Drive ultimately fell to the Winston-Salem Dash, 1-0, at Fluor Field.

In 22 appearances (17 starts) for Greenville this season, Mullins posted a 3.94 ERA and 4.12 FIP with 118 strikeouts to 42 walks over a staff-leading 89 innings. That includes a 3.33 ERA (3.97 FIP) with 28 strikeouts to eight walks in his final five outings (24 1/3 innings) dating back to August 10. Opposing hitters batted just .221 against him during that stretch.

Among the 27 pitchers who threw at least 85 innings in the South Atlantic League this year, Mullins ranked second in strikeouts per nine innings (11.93), third in swinging-strike rate (15.1 percent), fourth in strikeout rate (30.3 percent), fifth in xFIP (3.70), eighth in batting average against (.223), 10th in groundball rate (42.7 percent), 12th in FIP and WHIP (1.29), and 13th in ERA, per FanGraphs.

Mullins, who turns 24 on Saturday, was selected by the Red Sox in the 12th round (369th overall) of the 2022 draft out of Auburn. The Tennessee native signed with the club for $97,500 but did not make his professional debut until last August as he was still recovering from Tommy John surgery. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 26 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 13th among pitchers in the organization.

Listed at 6-foot and 194 pounds, Mullins throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As noted by SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall, who saw Mullins pitch in-person on August 23, the undersized lefty sits between 91-94 mph and tops out at 95 mph with his fastball. He also mixes in an 81-85 mph sweeping slider and a deceptive 83-85 mph changeup.

Should he remain with the Red Sox through the winter, Mullins is projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to Double-A Portland in 2025. He has intriguing potential as a pure reliever but will need to shore up his command and control to remain in a starting role moving forward.

(Picture of Hayden Mullins: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox pitching prospect Matt Duffy strikes out 10 in final start of season for Low-A Salem

Red Sox pitching prospect Matt Duffy was excellent in his final start of the season for Low-A Salem last Thursday night.

Going up against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers at Carillion Clinic Field, Duffy scattered four hits and zero walks while striking out a career-high 10 over five scoreless innings. The 22-year-old right-hander finished with 82 pitches (58 strikes), eliciting 12 swings-and-misses.

In 22 appearances (21 starts) for Salem this season, Duffy posted a 2.83 ERA and 3.58 FIP with exactly 100 strikeouts to 27 walks over a staff-leading 98 2/3 innings. That includes a 1.05 ERA (2.25 FIP) with 47 strikeouts to eight walks in his last nine outings (43 innings) after the calendar flipped from June to July.

Among the 23 pitchers who threw at least 90 innings in the Carolina League this year, Duffy ranked second in ERA, fifth in WHIP (1.09), seventh in strikeout rate (24.9 percent) and xFIP (3.36), eighth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.12), walks per nine innings (2.46), walk rate (6.7 percent), and batting average against (.223), and 10th in FIP, per FanGraphs.

Duffy, who turns 23 next month, was selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round (115th overall) of the 2023 draft out of Canisius University in Buffalo, N.Y. The Ontario, Canada native had committed to transfer to South Carolina for his senior season but opted to sign with Boston for $350,000 instead. He made his professional debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League before first arriving in Salem last August.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and around 215 pounds, Duffy throws from a three-quarters arm slot and gets solid extension from his deceptive delivery. The righty primarily operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a fastball, changeup, and sweeping slider. As noted by MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith, Duffy’s fastball velocity increased throughout the season. He topped out at 95.3 mph with his heater against Kannapolis.

“My entire life I’ve been the guy who doesn’t throw the hardest but I throw strikes,” Duffy told Smith last month. “I’ve never really had a problem with not throwing strikes.”

Despite putting together an encouraging first full season in pro ball, Duffy is not currently ranked by publications such as SoxProspects.com as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. He is, however, projected to make the jump to High-A Greenville in 2025.

(Picture of Matt Duffy: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

Red Sox to promote pitching prospect Blake Wehunt to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox are promoting pitching prospect Blake Wehunt from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster.

Wehunt, 23, is on the move for the second time this year. The right-hander opened his first full professional season at Low-A Salem, forging a 2.16 ERA (2.76 FIP) with 44 strikeouts to 15 walks in eight starts (33 1/3 innings) for the Red Sox before receiving a promotion to Greenville in early June.

In 13 starts for the Drive, Wehunt posted a 4.42 ERA and 3.57 FIP with 65 strikeouts to 19 walks over 59 innings. That includes a 2.37 ERA (2.82 FIP) in his last four outings (19 innings) dating back to August 16. Opposing hitters batted just .143 against him in that stretch.

Among the 84 pitchers who came into play Sunday having thrown at least 55 innings in the South Atlantic League this season, Wehunt ranks 19th in WHIP (1.10), 23rd in batting average against (.213), 26th in walks per nine innings (2.90) and xFIP (3.66), 27th in FIP, 28th in walk rate (7.8 percent), 38th in strikeout rate (26.7 percent), 39th in groundball rate (41.8 percent), and 41st in strikeouts per nine innings (9.92), per FanGraphs.

Wehunt, who turns 24 in November, was originally selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round of last year’s draft out of Kennesaw State. The Georgia native signed for $100,000 and marked his pro debut by making a scoreless relief appearance in the Florida Complex League. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 34 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 17th among pitchers in the organization.

Standing at an imposing 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds, Wehunt throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As noted by SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall, who saw Wehunt pitch in Greenville on August 22, the burly righty sits between 93-94 mph and reaches 96 mph with his fastball. He can also mix in an 87-89 mph cutter, an 81-86 mph sweeping slider, and an 84-86 mph splitter.

Wehunt is slated to join a rotation mix in Portland that includes the likes of Wikelman Gonzalez, Juan Encarnacion, Connelly Early, David Sandlin, and Isaac Coffey. While Greenville’s season ended on Sunday, the Sea Dogs have six games remaining on their schedule and currently hold a 1 1/2-game lead in their division.

(Picture of Blake Wehunt: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox pitching prospect Juan Valera named Florida Complex League All-Star

Red Sox pitching prospect Juan Valera has been named a 2024 Florida Complex League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Thursday.

Unlike fellow FCL All-Star Franklin Arias, Valera is not currently regarded by Baseball America or MLB Pipeline as one of the top 30 prospects in Boston’s farm system. SoxProspects.com slates him in at No. 27 on its list, which ranks 12th among pitchers in the organization.

Valera appeared in 11 games (nine starts) for the rookie-level FCL Red Sox this season. The 18-year-old right-hander posted a 1.79 ERA and 3.25 FIP with 40 strikeouts to 14 walks over 40 1/3 innings. Opposing hitters batted just .128 against him.

Among 26 FCL pitchers who threw at least 40 innings in 2024, Valera led in both batting average against and WHIP (0.77). He also ranked second in FIP and line-drive rate (8.8 percent), third in ERA and groundball rate (56 percent), sixth in walks per nine innings (3.12), walk rate (9.1 percent), and strikeout rate (26 percent), seventh in xFIP (3.94), ninth in swinging-strike rate (16 percent) and 13th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.93), per FanGraphs.

Like the aforementioned Arias, Valera was promoted from the FCL to Low-A Salem on July 23. He has since pitched to a 1.65 ERA (3.95 FIP) with 15 strikeouts to 12 walks through his first five starts (16 1/3 innings) for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. While the walks are clearly up, he has held opponents to a .098 batting average thus far.

Valera, who turned 18 in May, originally signed with the Red Sox for $45,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in April 2023. The Sabana Grande de Palenque native made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last June but has really emerged as one to watch this year.

“We’re super high on this kid,” Red Sox director of pitching Justin Willard told The Boston Globe’s Sarah Barber earlier this month. “He’s starting to get to some pretty cool shapes from a pitch-design standpoint. We’re very excited about this kid, and he’s only continued to go out there and kind of hammer the things that he needs to for his long-term development as well.”

Standing at a projectable 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Valera operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a fastball that has sat between 94-99 mph this season, a slider, a sweeper, and a changeup. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, “he checks a lot of boxes that you look for in a pitching prospect his age.”

“This kid, he shows up every day and just gets his work done,” Salem pitching coach Juan Rivera said of Valera in a separate conversation with Barber last week. “If I don’t see him one time during the day, I know for a fact he still got his work in without me having to hover over him. He’s just a really autonomous player, understands his routines and what he needs to accomplish, and just crushes it.”

(Picture of Juan Valera: 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)