Tag: pitching prospects

Red Sox to promote pitching prospect Cooper Adams to Double-A Portland

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

Adams, who turned 25 last month, is not regarded among the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system but is nonetheless having an interesting year. The right-hander appeared in 21 games (made one start) for Greenville to begin his second season in the organization and posted a 3.95 ERA (2.99 FIP) with 55 strikeouts to 20 walks over 43 1/3 innings in which opponents batted .256 against him.

In his last 11 outings dating back to May 28, Adams has pitched to a 1.89 ERA (2.53 FIP) with 21 strikeouts to eight walks across 19 innings in which he has held opponents to a .219 average. Overall, right-handed hitters are batting .263 against him, while left-handed hitters are batting .250 against him.

Among 67 pitchers who have thrown at least 40 innings in the South Atlantic League this year, Adams most notably ranks fifth in swinging-strike rate (15.9 percent), 12th in FIP, 13th in strikeouts per nine innings (11.42), 15th in strikeout rate (29.3 percent), and 21st in xFIP (3.48), per FanGraphs.

After going undrafted out of Mount St. Mary’s University as a fifth-year senior in 2023, Adams worked to add velocity to his repertoire through strength training and mechanical changes at Tread Athletics in North Carolina. The Maryland native later threw for interested teams at the facility’s annual pro day weekend and ultimately signed with the Red Sox last February.

From there, Adams spent the entirety of his first professional season at Greenville, where he forged a 5.08 ERA (5.48 FIP) over 26 appearances (six starts) spanning 79 2/3 innings. He also pitched for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League to close out an eventful 2024, which he described to MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith earlier this spring as “a big development year.”

“And I credit all the guys with the Red Sox,” said Adams, who shouted out then-development coach (and now Low-A Salem’s pitching coach) Alex Reynolds as well as longtime Greenville pitching coach Bob Kipper. “That led me to go to the offseason and go, ‘OK, I’m gonna work on getting my pitches more consistent, getting the shapes of my pitches consistent. And then being able to throw them in locations and throw strikes.”

Adams carried over that momentum from the offseason into Fort Myers and earned a spot on the Red Sox’ 2025 Spring Breakout roster. He retired two of the four batters he faced in the fourth inning of a 7-5 loss to the Rays at Charlotte Sports Park on March 13.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, Adams throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium leg kick into his delivery. The righty now sits 94-95 mph and can reach velocities north of 97 mph with his fastball. He has also featured a 92-94 mph sinker, an 86-91 mph cut-slider, an 83-85 mph curveball, and an 86-88 mph changeup, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

With his promotion to Portland, Adams is slated to join a Sea Dogs bullpen that already includes the likes of Jeremy Wu-Yelland, Noah Song, Yovanny Cruz, and Jack Anderson, among others.

(Picture of Cooper Adams: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox’ Connelly Early named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week

For the second time in as many weeks, a Red Sox pitching prospect has been recognized as the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week.

After right-hander David Sandlin took home the honor last week, left-hander Connelly Early was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 23-29 on Monday, Minor League Baseball announced.

Early was stellar for Double-A Portland and was credited with the win in Sunday’s series finale on the road against Binghamton. The 23-year-old lefty walked three and struck out seven over six scoreless, no-hit innings. He retired 17 of the 20 batters he faced, throwing 82 pitches (56 strikes) and generating 12 whiffs as the Sea Dogs defeated the Rumble Ponies by a final score of 3-1 at Mirabito Stadium.

In 12 outings (nine starts) for Portland to this point in the season, Early has posted a 1.94 ERA (2.20 FIP) with a staff-leading 81 strikeouts to 24 walks over 55 2/3 innings in which opponents have batted just .189 against him. That includes a .141 batting average against left-handed hitters and a .212 batting average against right-handed hitters.

Among 29 pitchers in the Eastern League who have thrown at least 55 innings this year, Early ranks second in strikeouts per nine innings (13.10), strikeout rate (35.4 percent), swinging-strike rate (15.2 percent), batting average against, FIP, xFIP (2.77), groundball rate (52.7 percent), and line-drive rate (14.3 percent), third in ERA, and seventh in WHIP (1.10), per FanGraphs.

Early, who turned 23 in April, is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 10 prospect, which ranks fifth among pitchers in the organization. The Midlothian, Va. native was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round (151st overall) in the 2023 draft out of Virginia by way of Army West Point. He received an at-slot $408,500 signing bonus and has only seen his stock rise since entering the professional ranks..

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Early throws from a low three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his repeatable delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the athletic southpaw primarily operates with a four- to five-pitch mix that consists of a 92-95 mph fastball (topped out at 96.6 mph on Sunday), an 82-85 mph changeup, an 80-83 mph sweeper, an 84-87 mph slider, and a 77-80 mph curveball.

As is the case with Sandlin, Early, too, is seemingly on the verge of a promotion to Triple-A Worcester. Both hurlers simultaneously made the jump to Portland after the MLB All-Star break last July, so it will be interesting to see if that pattern repeats itself in the coming weeks.

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

Red Sox to promote pitching prospects Payton Tolle, Eduardo Rivera to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox are promoting pitching prospects Payton Tolle and Eduardo Rivera from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Josh Ball of Beyond the Monster.

Tolle and Rivera, both 22, are in their first full seasons as members of the Red Sox organization. The pair of large left-handers opened the 2025 campaign with Greenville and excelled there, making the club’s decision to elevate them to Portland at this time hardly surprising.

Tolle was selected by the Red Sox with the 50th overall pick in last summer’s draft out of TCU. The Oklahoma native received an above-slot $2 million signing bonus but did not make his professional debut (in which he made the jump straight to Greenville) until April after logging 81 1/3 innings in his junior season with the Horned Frogs.

In 11 outings (10 starts) for Greenville, Tolle posted a 3.62 ERA (2.89 FIP) with 79 strikeouts to 14 walks over 49 2/3 innings in which opposing hitters batted .234 against him. He capped off his time with the Drive by allowing just one earned run on five hits, one walk, and nine strikeouts across six quality innings against Greensboro on Sunday. Of the 83 pitches he threw, 55 were strikes and 21 generated a swing-and-miss.

Among the 38 pitchers who have thrown at least 45 innings in the South Atlantic League this season, Tolle ranks first in strikeouts per nine innings (14.32), strikeout rate (38.3 percent), and swinging-strike rate (17.3 percent), second in xFIP (2.50), fourth in FIP, 13th in walks per nine innings (2.54), walk rate (6.8 percent), and WHIP (1.17), and 19th in batting average against, per FanGraphs.

Tolle, who turns 23 in November, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 4 prospect (first among pitchers) in Boston’s farm system and the No. 84 prospect in the sport. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound southpaw throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 93-96 mph fastball (reached 97.7 mph on Sunday), a 90-92 mph cutter, an 84-88 mph sweeping slider, and an 87-90 mph changeup, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Rivera, meanwhile, is further into his professional career than Tolle. The native Puerto Rican was originally selected by the Athletics in the 11th round (338th overall) of the 2021 draft out of high school and was released last May. He quickly latched on with the Red Sox as a minor-league free agent and split the remainder of the 2024 season between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem, forging a 2.67 ERA (2.55 FIP) with 38 strikeouts to nine walks over 30 1/3 total innings.

After putting together a strong showing in the Puerto Rican Winter League, Rivera has undoubtedly been one of the biggest surprises on the pitching side of things for Greenville this season. He compiled a 1.61 ERA (2.35 FIP) with 68 strikeouts to 16 walks across 10 outings (six starts) spanning 44 2/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .138 batting average. Like Tolle, he ended his time with the Drive by yielding just one earned run on five hits, no walks, and eight strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings against Greensboro this past Friday. Of the 87 pitches he threw, 60 landed for strikes and 17 were whiff-inducing.

Among the 49 pitchers who have thrown at least 40 innings in the South Atlantic League this year, Rivera ranks first in strikeout rate (39.5 percent), swinging-strike rate (18.8 percent), groundball rate (59 percent), batting average against, second in ERA, FIP, and xFIP (2.42), third in strikeouts per nine innings (13.70) and WHIP (0.83), and 24th in walks per nine innings (3.22), per FanGraphs.

Rivera, who just turned 23 earlier this month, is not currently ranked by Baseball America but is regarded by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 35 prospect, which places 17th among pitchers in the organization. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the 6-foot-7, 235-pound hurler throws from a three-quarters arm slot and features a 93-97 mph fastball (reached 96.2 mph in Friday’s start), an 87-89 mph cutter, an 83-86 mph slider, an 85-89 mph changeup, and a 78-80 mph curveball.

Both Tolle and Rivera are now slated to join a talented Portland pitching staff that already includes the likes of David Sandlin, Connelly Early, and Hayden Mullins, among others. The Sea Dogs open a six-game series on the road against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies on Tuesday.

With the promotions of Tolle and Rivera, fellow lefty Shea Sprague is once again being elevated from Salem to Greenville, according to SoxProspects.com’s Chris Hatfield. Sprague, a Hanover, Mass. native, made one relief appearance for the Drive in late May in which he struck out five and walked only one over 3 1/3 scoreless, one-hit frames before being sent back down on June 3.

(Picture of Payton Tolle: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ David Sandlin named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for second time this season

Red Sox pitching prospect David Sandlin has been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 16-22, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Sandlin takes home the honor for the second time this season (he first did so for the week of May 26-June 1) after starting Double-A Portland’s combined no-hitter against Akron at Hadlock Field on Sunday afternoon. The 24-year-old right-hander struck out nine and walked three over six scoreless, no-hit innings. Relievers Christopher Troye and Jonathan Brand followed his lead for the final three frames as the Sea Dogs blanked the RubberDucks, 10-0.

Finishing with 94 pitches (59 strikes), Sandlin induced a game-high 14 swings-and-misses en route to improving to 4-3 on the year. He now sports a 3.90 ERA (3.14 FIP) with 62 strikeouts to 19 walks through 12 outings (11 starts) spanning a staff-leading 60 innings for Portland this season. Opposing hitters have batted .230 against him.

Among 21 qualified pitchers in the Eastern League, Sandlin ranks second in FIP, fifth in strikeout rate (25.1 percent), sixth in xFIP (3.65) and swinging-strike rate (12.7 percent), seventh in strikeouts per nine innings (9.30), WHIP (1.18), and line-drive rate (21.3 percent), eighth in walks per nine innings (2.85) and walk rate (7.7 percent), and ninth in batting average against, per FanGraphs.

Originally acquired from the Royals for reliever John Schreiber in February 2024, Sandlin is currently regarded by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 11 prospect, which places seventh among pitchers in the organization. Elsewhere, MLB Pipeline has the former 2022 11th-round draft selection out of Oklahoma ranked as the No. 9 prospect in Boston’s farm system, while SoxProspects.com has him at No. 13.

Standing at a sturdy 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Sandlin has primarily operated with a four- to five-pitch mix this season. The athletic righty regularly averages 94-97 mph with his fastball (reached 98.5 mph on Sunday) that has touched triple digits in the past. He has also incorporated a 90-93 mph gyro slider, an 85-88 mph sweeper, an 88-91 mph splitter, and a 77-81 mph curveball into his diverse arsenal.

Sandlin, who does not turn 25 until next February, can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time in his professional career this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline. Taking that into account, it would not be surprising if he were to receive a promotion to Triple-A Worcester sooner rather than later as the Red Sox continue to evaluate his future role in the organization.

(Picture of David Sandlin: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox pitching prospect Yordanny Monegro slated to undergo Tommy John surgery

Red Sox pitching prospect Yordanny Monegro will undergo Tommy John surgery after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing elbow, Double-A Portland manager Chad Epperson told Beyond the Monster’s Josh Ball on Wednesday.

Monegro has been on Portland’s 7-day injured list since June 14. In his start against Somerset the night prior, the 22-year-old right-hander left the mound with a trainer in the second inning after giving up a one-out RBI double to Cole Gabrielson. He appeared to be quite emotional as he made his way towards the visitors’ dugout.

As noted by Ball, Monegro was initially diagnosed with right elbow discomfort/inflammation (the same reason he was scratched from a start earlier this month) upon being placed on the injured list this past Saturday. Further imaging and testing (i.e., an MRI) revealed a torn UCL, leading to Wednesday’s announcement from Epperson that surgery was now necessary.

“This young man, and the work he was putting in, I think he finally figured that out,” Epperson said of Monegro. “The weight room, the nutrition, everything that he was going and buying into, he finally figured out that part of it, and to have this go and happen to him really sucks because you were starting to see results.”

In nine outings (eight starts) for Portland this season, Monegro posted a 2.67 ERA and 2.34 FIP with 49 strikeouts to eight walks over 33 2/3 innings in which opposing hitters batted .250 against him. Among 72 Eastern League pitchers who had thrown at least 30 innings in 2025 entering play Wednesday, Monegro ranked first in xFIP (1.73), second in groundball rate (57 percent), third in strikeouts per nine innings (13.10) and strikeout rate (35.8 percent), seventh in swinging-strike rate (15 percent), eighth in FIP, 16th in walks per nine innings (2.14) and walk rate (5.8 percent), 19th in ERA, and 33rd in WHIP (1.19), per FanGraphs.

Originally signed for $35,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in February 2020, Monegro is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 17 prospect, ranking ninth among pitchers in the organization. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound hurler was getting his first taste of the upper-minors this year after spending most of last season at High-A Greenville. He was topping out at 96 mph with his mid-90s four-seam fastball while also mixing in a low-90s sinker, an upper-80s slider, an upper-70s curveball, and an upper-80s changeup.

If Monegr0 does indeed undergo Tommy John surgery in the coming days or weeks, he would be looking at a lengthy rehab process that would keep him sidelined for the remainder of the 2025 season and most, if not all, of 2026 as well. That depends on the extent of the damage to the UCL. However, in contrast to full-blown Tommy John surgery, an internal brace procedure typically offers a quicker recovery timeline but still comes with a sizable layoff.

That difference in downtime is relevant in the case of Monegro, who turns 23 in October and can once again become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November. In a similar situation last year, the Red Sox elected to leave fellow righty Angel Bastardo (who was recovering from June 2024 Tommy John surgery) off their 40-man roster and subsequently lost him to the Blue Jays in December’s Rule 5 Draft. Bastardo has spent the entirety of the 2025 season to this point on Toronto’s 60-day injured list.

(Picture of Yordanny Monegro: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect acquired in offseason trade to Low-A Salem

The Red Sox have promoted rising pitching prospect Yhoiker Fajardo from the Florida Complex League to Low-A Salem, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Fajardo was among the top arms in the Florida Complex League to begin the 2025 season. In six appearances (four starts) for the FCL Red Sox, the 18-year-old right-hander posted a 0.44 ERA and 2.71 FIP with 24 strikeouts to seven walks over 20 2/3 innings pitched. Opposing hitters batted just .134 against him.

Coming into play on Tuesday, Fajardo was one of 41 pitchers to have thrown at least 20 innings in the FCL so far this year. Among those 41, he ranked first in ERA, FIP, and line-drive rate (2.3 percent), second in batting average against and WHIP (0.77), sixth in strikeout rate (31.6 percent), seventh in xFIP (3.53), 10th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.45), 12th in groundball rate (51.2 percent), and 16th in walks per nine innings (3.05), per FanGraphs.

Fajardo was acquired by the Red Sox from the White Sox for left-handed reliever Cam Booser in December. The native Venezuelan originally signed with Chicago for $400,000 as an international free agent coming out of Villa de Cura last February. He enjoyed a strong professional debut in the Dominican Summer League that culminated in him being recognized as a 2024 DSL All-Star.

Upon switching organizations for the first time in his career over the winter, Fajardo entered the 2025 campaign ranked by both Baseball America and SoxProspects.com as the No. 40 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The projectable 6-foot-3, 181-pound righty throws from a three-quarters arm slot and currently operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a mid-90s fastball (topped out at 97.4 mph with it last Friday), a low-80s slider, and a high-80s changeup, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

It is unclear when Fajardo, who does not turn 19 until October, will make his full-season debut for Salem. Still, with another young arm in the Red Sox pitching pipeline set to move up a level and encounter a new challenge, this is nonetheless an exciting development.

(Picture of Yhoiker Fajardo: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox’ Austin Ehrlicher named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox pitching prospect Austin Ehrlicher has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 9-15, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Ehrlicher was nearly perfect in his latest start for Low-A Salem on Sunday afternoon. Going up against Delmarva on the road, the 22-year-old right-hander walked just one and struck out a season-high of seven over five scoreless, no-hit innings. He retired 15 of the 16 batters he faced, throwing 68 pitches (46 strikes) and generating 10 swings and misses.

Despite Ehrlicher’s strong showing on the mound, the Red Sox dropped Sunday’s series finale to the Shorebirds at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium by a final score of 5-4 to fall to 24-37 on the season.

Ehrlicher has forged a 3.86 ERA (3.03 FIP) with 35 strikeouts to 18 walks in 11 appearances (seven starts) spanning 28 innings for Salem so far this season. The righty began the year in the bullpen but struggled in that role, allowing six earned runs in 5 1/3 innings of relief through the end of April. He moved to the Red Sox’ rotation in early May and has since posted a 2.38 ERA (3.12 FIP) with 25 strikeouts to 13 walks over 22 2/3 innings as a starter while holding opposing hitters to a .192 batting average.

Among 96 pitchers in the Carolina League who have thrown at least 28 innings to this point in the season, Ehrlicher ranks ninth in FIP, 13th in strikeouts per nine innings (11.25), 15th in strikeout rate (29.2 percent), 40th in batting average against (.222) and xFIP (3.80), 44th in ERA, and 46th in swinging-strike rate (12.4 percent), per FanGraphs.

Ehrlicher, who turned 22 earlier this month, was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 18th round (549th overall) of the 2022 draft out of Santa Rosa Junior College. As a draft-and-follow pick, the California native did not sign with the Red Sox until June 2023, forgoing his commitment to transfer to Arizona State in the process of doing so. He received a $200,000 signing bonus but was working his way back from an elbow injury at that time, which pushed his professional debut back until last April. He then made two relief appearances for Salem before ultimately being shut down for the remainder of the 2024 season with right shoulder inflammation.

Now healthy, Ehrlicher is showing flashes of his intriguing potential. A former two-sport athlete who also played basketball at Santa Rosa, Ehrlicher stands at 6-foot-5 and 185 pounds. He throws from a three-quarters arm slot and primarily operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph fastball, an 83-86 mph sweeper, and an 89-90 mph changeup, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Ehrlicher is not currently ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com, which describes him as having “several key traits, including standout athleticism, projectability, and feel for spin.” He is the third Red Sox minor-leaguer to take home Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honors this season, joining fellow righties Blake Aita (a two-time winner) and Trennor O’Donnell.

Moving forward, it should be worthwhile to see if Ehrlicher can leverage his performance with Salem into a promotion to High-A Greenville in the not-so-distant future.

(Picture of Austin Ehrlicher: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How has ex-Red Sox pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez fared since being traded to Yankees?

In light of Carlos Narvaez’s late-game heroics against his former team at Fenway Park on Friday night, it feels like an appropriate time to check in on how the prospect the Red Sox dealt to the Yankees for their breakout catcher in what looked like a minor trade six months ago is faring in his new organization so far.

Funnily enough, that prospect, Elmer Rodriguez, worked out of the bullpen for the first time this season against High-A Greenville on Friday night. In five scoreless innings of relief for Hudson Valley (New York’s High-A affiliate), the 21-year-old right-hander scattered just two hits and two walks while striking out eight of the 18 batters he faced. He threw 76 pitches (44 strikes), generating 12 swings-and-misses as the Renegades blanked the Drive, 1-0.

Through his first 11 outings (10 starts) for Hudson Valley, Rodriguez has forged a 2.70 ERA and 2.47 FIP with 74 strikeouts to 25 walks over a staff-leading 60 innings of work in which opponents have batted just .172 against him. That includes a .205 batting average against right-handed hitters and a .133 batting average against left-handed hitters.

Among 20 qualified South Atlantic League hitters coming into play on Saturday, Rodriguez ranked second in batting average against, FIP, and groundball rate (52.9 percent), third in xFIP (3.10), fourth in strikeouts per nine innings (11.10), strikeout rate (30.3 percent), ERA, and WHIP (1.03), and fifth in swinging-strike rate (14.6 percent), per FanGraphs.

A Puerto Rican native, Rodriguez was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round (105th overall) of the 2021 draft out of Leadership Christian Academy in Guaynabo. He received an under-slot $497,500 signing bonus and slowly worked his way up Boston’s organizational ladder before ending the 2024 season in Greenville. Along with $250,000 in international bonus pool space, he was traded to New York for Narvaez on the final day of the Winter Meetings in December.

Rodriguez entered the 2025 campaign regarded by Baseball America as the Yankees’ No. 16 overall prospect, but has since moved up to the No. 4 spot, which ranks third among pitchers in New York’s farm system behind only fellow righties Bryce Cunningham and Carlos Lagrange. As noted in his Baseball America scouting report, the 6-foot-3 hurler boasts a diverse pitch mix that includes an upper-90s fastball that reaches 98-99 mph, a gyro slider, a sweeper, a curveball, and a splitter.

Rodriguez, who turns 22 in August, could very well be in line for a promotion from Hudson Valley to Double-A Somerset shortly. That is noteworthy when considering the fact that he can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time this winter if he is not added to New York’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline.

Though there are still some things to iron out, such as his command and developing arsenal, a new challenge for Rodriguez in the form of a move from High-A to Double-A would surely aid Yankees decision makers in determining if he is worthy of a 40-man roster spot in the coming months.

(Picture of Elmer Rodriguez: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Blake Aita to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox are promoting pitching prospect Blake Aita from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, according to Chase Ford of MiLB Central.

Aita, who turns 22 on Wednesday, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 43 prospect, which ranks 23rd among pitchers in the organization. The right-hander posted a 4.24 ERA (3.52 FIP) with 45 strikeouts to nine walks in 10 outings (nine starts) spanning a staff-leading 51 innings for Salem to open his first full professional season. Opposing hitters batted .240 against him.

Among 14 qualified pitchers in the Carolina League entering the week, Aita ranked first in walks per nine innings (1.59) and walk rate (4.4 percent), second in WHIP (1.08) and xFIP (3.32), fourth in groundball rate (49.3 percent), fifth in FIP and line-drive rate (19.2 percent), sixth in strikeout rate (22 percent), and seventh in strikeouts per nine innings (7.94), per FanGraphs.

A two-time Carolina League Pitcher of the Week award recipient in his first stint with Salem, Aita was selected by the Red Sox in the sixth round (177th overall) of last summer’s draft out of Kennesaw State, where he earned 2024 All-Atlantic Sun First Team honors. As a draft-eligible sophomore, the Georgia native signed for an under-slot $300,000 in late July but did not make his professional debut until earlier this year.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Aita throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. The sturdy righty primarily operates with a 92-95 mph fastball (up from 89-92 mph in college), an 80-82 mph sweeper, an 86-89 mph cutter, and an 85-89 mph changeup, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

“He’s been great so far,” Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham said of Aita last month. “He worked hard all offseason and spring training to set himself up for success throughout the year. He added velo to his fastball along with his secondaries and continues to pound the zone. His sweeper has been a big weapon, used for strikes and chase against both sides. Very pleased with the consistency and constant improvement daily.”

With this promotion, Aita is now slated to join a talented pitching staff in Greenville that — as of this writing — includes fellow 2024 draftees Payton Tolle, John Holobetz, Brandon Clarke, and Matt McShane.

(Picture of Blake Aita: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

Red Sox’ David Sandlin named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox pitching prospect David Sandlin has been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 26-June 1, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Sandlin threw a seven-inning complete-game shutout in Game 1 of Double-A Portland’s doubleheader on the road against the Altoona Curve at Peoples Natural Gas Field last Thursday. The 24-year-old right-hander scattered three hits and one walk while striking out eight over seven scoreless innings. He retired the final eight batters he faced and finished with 83 pitches (56 strikes), inducing eight swings and misses.

The Sea Dogs ultimately defeated the Curve, 3-0, in Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader and went on to sweep the twin bill with a 9-6 victory in the nightcap.

Through nine appearances (eight starts) for Portland to this point in the season, Sandlin has posted a 3.77 ERA (3.42 FIP) with 45 strikeouts to 12 walks over a staff-leading 43 innings of work. Opposing hitters have batted .239 against him.

Among 25 qualified pitchers in the Eastern League, Sandlin notably ranks sixth in walks per nine innings (2.51) and xFIP (3.47), seventh in walk rate (6.8 percent) and FIP, and ninth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.42), strikeout rate (25.6 percent), swinging-strike rate (12.2 percent), and WHIP (1.19), per FanGraphs.

Sandlin entered the 2025 campaign regarded by Baseball America as the No. 7 prospect in Boston’s farm system, ranking second among pitchers in the organization behind only fellow righty Luis Perales. The former 2022 11th-round draft pick out of Oklahoma was acquired by the Red Sox from the Royals for reliever John Schreiber last February. He split the 2024 season between High-A Greenville and Portland, compiling a 5.34 ERA (4.78 FIP) across 18 starts spanning 57 1/3 total innings.

Listed at a sturdy 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Sandlin has primarily featured a five-pitch mix this season. Throwing from a three-quarters arm slot, the athletic hurler regularly averages 94-97 mph with a fastball that has reached 99 mph in-game after touching triple digits last year and over the winter. He has also incorporated a 90-93 mph slider, an 85-88 mph sweeper, an 88-91 mph splitter, and a 77-91 mph curveball into his diverse arsenal.

Sandlin, who just turned 24 in February, can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time in his professional career this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November. With that, it would not be surprising if the fireballer were to receive a promotion to Triple-A Worcester in the near future as the Red Sox continue to assess whether he is worthy of a 40-man roster spot.

(Picture of David Sandlin: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)