Tag: pitching prospects

Red Sox promote local pitching prospect Shea Sprague to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Shea Sprague from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Sprague, 22, was selected by the Red Sox in the 13th round (387th overall) of last summer’s draft as a junior coming out of North Carolina. The Hanover, Mass. native — who graduated from Boston College High School in 2021 and attended Elon University for the first two years of his collegiate career — signed with his hometown team for a slightly-over-slot $155,000 but did not make his professional debut until last month.

Sprague struggled out of the gate to begin the 2025 season, surrendering 12 runs (nine earned) in his first two outings (5 2/3 innings) for Salem. The left-hander seemingly flipped a switch on April 23, however, only allowing four earned runs over his next five appearances (24 2/3 innings) while holding opposing hitters to a .195 batting average leading up to Friday’s promotion.

“I think I just settled in, started going after guys,” Sprague said of his early-season turnaround in a recent conversation with MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith. “Kind of went through a similar preseason, early-season struggle last year at UNC, trying to be too cute. But I just started going at guys and trusting my stuff. So that’s probably been the biggest change. Nothing major.”

Overall, Sprague posted a 3.86 ERA (2.45 FIP) with 35 strikeouts to nine walks in seven outings (two starts) spanning 30 1/3 innings for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. In a case of reverse splits, he proved to be more effective against right-handed hitters (.247 opponents’ batting average) than left-handed hitters (.304 opponents’ batting average), which happened to him in college as well.

Among the 45 pitchers in the Carolina League who had thrown at least 30 innings coming into play on Friday, Sprague ranked second in FIP, fourth in xFIP (3.01), fifth in swinging-strike rate (14.8 percent), eighth in walk rate (6.9 percent), ninth in walks per nine innings (2.67), 10th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.38), 12th in strikeout rate (26.7 percent), 20th in groundball rate (43.4 percent), and 21st in ERA, per FanGraphs.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Sprague throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of an 89-92 mph fastball with sink, a low-80s whiff-inducing changeup, a 79-81 mph gyro slider, and a developing sweeper. The projectable southpaw told Smith that one of his goals is to continue adding velocity to his heater and get in the 92-94 mph or 93-95 mph range within the next year.

“The Red Sox stress to us just the importance of velocity,” said Sprague, who is doing drills with weighted plyo balls as part of his side work. “Obviously, I think a lot of velocity comes from physical development, so just getting bigger, stronger, faster. And just throwing more intent more often. Workload and all that stuff. So they have it down to a science, and they’re good about it. It just comes with time, keep working hard, and keep throwing hard.”

Sprague, who just turned 22 in January, is not currently ranked among Boston’s top pitching prospects by publications such as Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, or SoxProspects.com. He is, however, slated to join a pitching staff in Greenville that includes the likes of fellow southpaws Payton Tolle, Eduardo Rivera, Noah Dean, Brandon Clarke, Michael Sansone, and Zach Fogell.

(Picture of Shea Sprague: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox sign former Athletics, Braves farmhand Jorge Juan to minor-league deal

The Red Sox signed free-agent reliever Jorge Juan to a minor-league contract on Tuesday. He was assigned to Double-A Portland but was subsequently placed on the Sea Dogs’ suspended list due to a “prior three-game suspension he had to serve from his previous organization for on-field actions,” according to a team source.

Juan, 26, was released by the Braves earlier this month after spending the last season-plus in the organization. The right-hander posted a 5.11 ERA (4.50 FIP) with 53 strikeouts to 28 walks over 34 relief (37 innings) at Double-A in 2024, then logged a 7.50 ERA (6.27 FIP) with 11 strikeouts to six walks in seven appearances (six innings) between Low-A and Double-A to begin this year.

Juan threw behind a batter and was ejected from his final game with Atlanta’s Double-A affiliate, the Columbus Clingstones, on May 10. He was then cut loose by the Braves on May 11, but not before apparently being handed down a three-game suspension that did not go into effect until he signed with the Red Sox this week. As such, it does not appear as though he can make his organizational debut for Portland until Friday at the earliest.

Juan is now in line to pitch for the third organization of his professional career. The righty originally signed with the then-Oakland Athletics as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in July 2017. He was added to Oakland’s 40-man roster for Rule 5 protection purposes in November 2021, only to be designated for assignment and released the following May. He was re-signed to a minor-league deal but never advanced past the Double-A level before leaving the A’s for the Braves as a minor-league free agent at the conclusion of the 2023 campaign.

Altogether, Juan owns a lifetime 4.74 ERA (4.68 FIP) in 120 career minor-league appearances (22 starts) spanning 216 1/3 innings dating back to June 2018. That includes a 5.61 ERA with 99 strikeouts to 68 walks over 66 total relief outings (77 innings) at the Double-A level, where opposing hitters have batted .223 against him.

Listed at an imposing 6-foot-8 and (likely heavier than) 200 pounds, Juan has struggled with injuries and his command in the past, but has proven to be effective when healthy and locating his pitches. His arsenal has primarily consisted of a mid-90s fastball that touches 99 mph, a mid-80s power breaking ball, and a 90 mph changeup. FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen ranked Juan as the Braves’ No. 37 prospect earlier this spring, writing the following:

“Juan is enormous, but he’s a short-strider who generates much less extension than you’d expect from a pitcher this big. He tends to be relatively upright at release, which gives his pitches the steep plane of a runaway truck ramp. This most benefits Juan’s power breaking ball, which doesn’t pop out of his hand in an identifiable way. Juan’s size, arm strength, and breaking ball performance give him a shot to break into a big league bullpen as a late-bloomer.”

Juan, who does not turn 27 until next March, becomes the latest in a long line of behemoths the Red Sox have added to their pitching pipeline under chief officer Craig Breslow. It should be worthwhile to see how they handle his development moving forward.

(Picture of Jorge Juan: Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)

Red Sox purchase contract of 6-foot-7 lefty PJ Labriola from Frontier League team

The Red Sox officially purchased the contract of left-hander PJ Labriola from the New York Boulders of the independent Frontier League on Wednesday, per the club’s MLB.com transactions log.

Labriola opened the 2025 season in New York after signing with the club in early March. The 24-year-old appeared in three games for the Boulders this month, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits, one walk, and two strikeouts over three innings. He recorded the first save of his professional career against the Rox in Brockton, Mass., last Friday.

“As soon as we started to pursue PJ this winter, we knew that he was a special player, and we also knew that he was very much of the radar of a few different organizations,” Boulders manager TJ Stanton said in a statement released by the team on Monday. “I could not be happier for PJ and absolutely love getting the opportunity to be a part of these great players’ baseball journeys. Hopefully there will be many more to come!”

A native of Sarasota, Fla., Labriola spent the first three years of his collegiate career at Clemson before transferring to North Carolina State in 2023. The lefty compiled an 8.58 ERA in 22 appearances (28 1/3 innings) over two seasons with the Wolfpack and went undrafted as a fifth-year senior last summer. He then spent the remainder of 2024 pitching for the Frederick Keys of the MLB Draft League and the Rocky Mountain Vibes of the independent Pioneer League, forging a 6.00 ERA across 12 outings (12 innings) between the two clubs.

Listed at 6-foot-7 and 223 pounds, Labriola was among the standout performers at Tread Athletics’ series of pro days back in January. As part of that showcase in Pineville, N.C., the towering southpaw featured a mid-90s fastball, an 89-90 mph cutter, and an 86-plus mph gyro slider. He likely caught the Red Sox’ attention at that time and, following a brief stint in the Frontier League, it ultimately culminated in an agreement between the two sides.

Labriola, who does not turn 25 until November, has been assigned to the Florida Complex League Red Sox for the start of his organizational tenure. With that being said, it would not be surprising if he were to join one of Boston’s lower-level full-season affiliates (either Low-A Salem or High-A Greenville) as an additional bullpen option before long.

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

Red Sox promote relief prospect Michael Sansone to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted left-hander Michael Sansone from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster.

Sansone started the season in Salem’s bullpen after spending most of 2024 with Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. To open the 2025 campaign, the 25-year-old lefty posted a 2.75 ERA and 2.92 FIP with 22 strikeouts to just one walk in 10 relief appearances (19 2/3 innings) for the Red Sox. He converted two of his three save opportunities as opposing hitters batted .233 against him.

Among 85 Carolina League pitchers who entered play Tuesday having thrown at least 19 innings this year, Sansone ranked first in walks per nine innings (0.46) and walk rate (1.3 percent), fourth in WHIP (0.92) and xFIP (2.66), ninth in swinging-strike rate (16.1 percent), 13th in FIP, 16th in strikeout rate (29.3 percent), 19th in ERA, 26th in line-drive rate (19.2 percent), and 31st in strikeouts per nine innings (10.07), per FanGraphs.

Sansone began his professional career with the Rays organization after spending four years at Fairfield and going undrafted in July 2022. The Connecticut native made a handful of appearances in the Florida Complex League that summer and compiled a 3.49 ERA (3.10 FIP) in 15 relief outings (28 1/3 innings) for Tampa Bay’s Low-A affiliate the following season before being released in July 2023. He then signed with the Yolo High Wheelers of the independent Pioneer League last March, only to have his contract purchased by the Red Sox a few weeks later.

Sansone reported to Salem shortly thereafter and finished 2024 with a 3.11 ERA (3.25 FIP) in 20 appearances (three starts) spanning 72 1/3 innings. Altogether, the dimunitve southpaw owns a 3.14 ERA (3.16 FIP) with 127 strikeouts to just 15 walks over 120 1/3 career innings at the Low-A level dating back to April 2023, so one could say this is a well-earned promotion.

Standing at 5-foot-9 and 195 pounds, Sansone throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates some deception into his delivery. Not known for his velocity, he primarily operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of an 88-90 mph fastball, an 83-84 mph slider and a 79-80 mph changeup, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Sansone, who turns 26 in November, is not currently ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com. In Greenville, he is slated to join a bullpen mix that, at present, includes fellow lefty Zach Fogell and righties Isaac Stebens, Matt McShane, Cooper Adams, Adam Smith, and Darvin Garcia.

Greenville’s series opener against Bowling Green on Tuesday was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be made up as part of a seven-inning doubleheader on Wednesday night.

(Picture of Michael Sansone: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Tyler Uberstine to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Tyler Uberstine from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster.

Uberstine, who turns 26 next month, opened the 2025 season in Portland’s starting rotation. The right-hander posted a 3.64 ERA (2.60 FIP) with a staff-leading 35 strikeouts to just four walks in six starts (29 2/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs. Opposing hitters batted .241 against him.

Among 30 qualified pitchers in the Eastern League coming into play on Thursday, Uberstine ranked second in walk rate (3.3 percent), third in walks per nine innings (1.21) and FIP, sixth in xFIP (2.90), seventh in strikeouts per nine innings (10.62) and WHIP (1.04), eighth in strikeout rate (29.2 percent), 11th in swinging-strike rate (12.6 percent), 12th in line-drive rate (20.8 percent), and 13th in groundball rate (42.9 percent), per FanGraphs.

A southern California native, Uberstine did not receive any scholarship offers out of Chaminade Prep in 2017, leading him to join the club baseball team after enrolling at USC. He attempted to walk on with the Trojans as a sophomore but was cut before the start of the season. That prompted him to seek out assistance from ex-big-leaguer Joe Biemel, who helped Uberstine refine his mechanics and add velocity to his repertoire.

Uberstine transferred to Northwestern for the final two seasons of his collegiate career and pitched for the Williamsport Crosscutters in the 2021 MLB Draft League. The righty was then selected by the Red Sox in the 19th round (556th overall) of that summer’s draft and signed for an under-slot $97,500 before making his professional debut in the Florida Complex League. He split the 2022 campaign between Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville but suffered an elbow injury the following spring that ultimately required June Tommy John surgery. As such, he missed all of 2023 and did not return to the mound until last August.

After making three short starts for Greenville, in which he allowed one earned run in 4 2/3 innings, Uberstine received an invite to pitch in the 2024 Arizona Fall League. He then forged a 3.12 ERA with seven strikeouts to six walks in seven appearances (8 2/3 innings) for the Mesa Solar Sox to end his year on an encouraging note.

“It was pretty surreal,” Uberstine told MLB.com’s Jesse Borek in Arizona last November. “They threw me out in Greenville again, where I played in ‘22, and then I was like, ‘Hopefully I can get a couple more innings. The quality would be great.’ [The Fall League] is where the best players come, and when they called me in the office and mentioned it, it was just a huge moment.

“I was like, ‘Dang, I went from not playing baseball to playing in the Draft League and here I am now playing in the Fall League,’” Uberstine added. “Just having these opportunities to learn from so many people, players, coaches, it’s just a huge honor.”

Fast forward to the present, and Uberstine is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 56 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 30th among pitchers in the organization. To this point in the season, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound hurler has sat between 91-94 mph and reached 95 mph with his fastball. He has also featured an 86-89 mph cutter, an 81-84 mph slider, and an 84-86 mph changeup, according to SoxProspects.com director of scouting Ian Cundall.

Having last pitched on May 10, Uberstine is expected to make his Triple-A debut by getting the start for the WooSox in the penultimate game of their series on the road against the Buffalo Bisons this coming Saturday. He is another minor-leaguer who can become Rule 5-eligible this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline, so that could be something to keep in mind when evaluating his performance moving forward.

(Picture of Tyler Uberstine: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Dalton Rogers to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Dalton Rogers from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Rogers had spent parts of the last three seasons with Greenville since initially being elevated from Low-A Salem in May 2023, so one could say this was a well-earned promotion. To open the 2025 campaign, the 24-year-old left-hander posted a 1.31 ERA (3.21 FIP) with 28 strikeouts to 10 walks in five outings (one start) spanning 20 2/3 innings for the Drive. Opposing hitters batted just .173 against him.

Among the 55 South Atlantic League pitchers who entered Tuesday having thrown at least 20 innings thus far in 2025, Rogers ranked second in groundball rate (56.5 percent), third in ERA, fourth in line-drive rate (10.9 percent), 10th in strikeout rate (32.6 percent) and batting average against, 12th in strikeouts per nine innings (12.19) and swinging-strike rate (15 percent), 13th in xFIP (3.45), 16th in FIP, and 20th in WHIP (1.11), per FanGraphs.

Rogers was originally selected by the Red Sox in the third round (99th overall) of the 2022 draft out of Southern Mississippi. The Flowood, Miss. native received an under-slot $447,500 signing bonus that July and made his professional debut shortly thereafter. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 58 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 32nd among pitchers in the organization.

Listed at 5-foot-11 and 172 pounds, Rogers throws from a high three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the diminutive lefty operates with a five-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph fastball that has reached 96 mph this season, an 87-89 mph cutter, an 85-87 mph changeup, an 82-85 mph slider, and a 72-75 mph curveball.

Rogers, who does not turn 25 until next January, will join fellow recently-promoted southpaw Jeremy Wu-Yelland in an otherwise right-handed heavy Portland bullpen. Like Wu-Yelland, Rogers can become eligible for this winter’s Rule 5 Draft if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November. How he fares in his first test against upper-minors hitting could go a long way in determining his status within the organization moving forward.

In addition to promoting Rogers to Portland, the Red Sox elevated right-handers Alex Hoppe and Wyatt Olds to Triple-A Worcester ahead of the WooSox’ series opener on the road against the Buffalo Bisons.

(Picture of Dalton Rogers: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Former Red Sox prospect Gilberto Batista (part of Danny Jansen trade) named Florida State League Pitcher of the Week

Former Red Sox prospect Gilberto Batista has been named the Florida State League Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 5-11, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

One of three prospects traded to the Blue Jays for veteran catcher Danny Jansen last July, Batista was excellent in his latest start for Low-A Dunedin on Saturday. The young right-hander earned the win on the road against Fort Myers, scattering four hits and one walk while striking out a career-high of nine over five scoreless innings.

Retiring 13 of the 18 batters he faced on the night, Batista finished with 62 pitches (42 strikes) and induced a game-high 13 swings and misses. The 20-year-old hurler averaged 93.5 mph and reached 95.3 mph with his four-seam fastball, a pitch he threw 25 times. He also featured an 85-88 mph slider (thrown 24 times), an 84-86 mph slider (thrown seven times), a 92-95 mph sinker (thrown three times), and an 84-86 mph changeup (thrown seven times), according to Baseball Savant.

Following Saturday’s outing, Batista now owns a 1.74 ERA and 4.21 FIP with 28 strikeouts to five walks through seven appearances (four starts) for Dunedin this season. Opposing hitters have batted .235 against him. Among 16 qualified pitchers in the Florida State League, he most notably ranks second in walks per nine innings (1.45) and walk rate (4.1 percent), fourth in ERA, sixth in swinging-strike rate (13.4 percent), and eighth in xFIP (3.53), per FanGraphs.

Batista was originally signed by the Red Sox for just $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in November 2022. The 6-foot, 165-pound righty made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League the following June and was later recognized as the organization’s 2023 Latin Program Pitcher of the Year. He opened the 2024 campaign in the Florida Complex League and was promoted to Low-A Salem in late July, though he was dealt to the Blue Jays alongside infielders Cutter Coffey and Eddinson Paulino for Jansen before he could appear in a game for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate.

Since that four-player trade was made, Batista has forged a 2.08 ERA (4.04 FIP) with 77 strikeouts to 21 walks in 11 outings (seven starts) spanning 47 2/3 innings for Dunedin. He is not currently regarded by Baseball America or MLB Pipeline as one of the Blue Jays’ top pitching prospects, but he did receive an honorable mention from FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen and James Fegan last month as a “kitchen sink righty and strike-throwing athlete with below-average present stuff” who could profile as a depth starter in the future.

With that, it should be interesting to see if Batista — who does not turn 21 until next January — can leverage his performance with Dunedin into a promotion to Toronto’s High-A affiliate in Vancouver before long.

(Picture of Gilberto Batista courtesy of the Dunedin Blue Jays)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Jeremy Wu-Yelland to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Jeremy Wu-Yelland from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster.

After pitching for China in the World Baseball Classic qualifiers in March, Wu-Yelland opened the 2025 season in Greenville’s bullpen. The 25-year-old left-hander posted a 3.09 ERA (1.96 FIP) with 20 strikeouts to five walks over seven relief appearances (11 2/3 innings) for the Drive. He went 2-for-2 in save opportunities and held opposing hitters to a .222 batting average.

Among 133 South Atlantic League pitchers who came into play Thursday having thrown at least 11 innings, Wu-Yelland ranked fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (15.43), sixth in swinging-strike rate (18.3 percent), seventh in FIP, 10th in strikeout rate (39.2 percent), 13th in xFIP (2.60), 50th in ERA, 64th in groundball rate (43.5 percent), 65th in walk rate (9.8 percent) and batting average against, and 66th in walks per nine innings (3.86), per FanGraphs.

Wu-Yelland was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round (118th overall) of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft out of Hawaii. The Spokane, Wash. native signed for $200,000 and made his professional debut in May 2021 before undergoing Tommy John surgery the following April. He then missed the entirety of the 2022 campaign and was limited to just three outings in the Florida Complex League as a result of being shut down in 2023. He returned to the mound in May 2024 and finished with a 5.67 ERA (3.77 FIP) in 23 appearances (33 1/3 innings) for Greenville last year.

With 54 career innings at the High-A level to his name, the Red Sox likely figured it was time to present Wu-Yelland with a new challenge in the form of a promotion to Portland. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound southpaw has been up to 98 mph with his upper-90s fastball this season and has also featured a cutter and slider. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 57 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 31st among pitchers in the organization.

Wu-Yelland, who turns 26 next month, will join a right-handed heavy bullpen mix in Portland that includes the likes of Jack Anderson, Jonathan Brand, Zach Bryant, Yovanny Cruz, Alex Hoppe, Gabriel Jackson, Reidis Sena, and Christopher Troye. It should be interesting to see if he makes his Double-A debut at Hadlock Field before the end of the weekend.

(Picture of Jeremy Wu-Yelland: Patrick Mulligan/Getty Images)

Red Sox acquire pitching prospect John Holobetz from Brewers to complete Quinn Priester trade

Exactly four weeks after dealing right-hander Quinn Priester to the Brewers, the Red Sox completed their April 7 trade with Milwaukee by adding some minor-league pitching depth on Monday.

Having already obtained outfielder Yophery Rodriguez and a competitive balance draft pick (33rd overall in this year’s draft) last month, Boston acquired minor-league righty John Holobetz from Milwaukee as the player to be named later (as opposed to cash considerations) in the deal to officially complete the swap.

Holobetz, 22, was selected by the Brewers in the fifth round (156th overall) of last summer’s draft out of Old Dominion (where he primarily pitched out of the bullpen) by way of Radford. The Pennsylvania native signed with Milwaukee for an under-slot $322,500 but did not make his professional debut until this April. He posted a 3.00 ERA (2.48 FIP) with 31 strikeouts to five walks in five outings (three starts) spanning 24 innings for Low-A Carolina to begin the 2025 season. Opposing hitters batted just .180 against him.

Among 15 qualified Carolina League pitchers, Holobetz currently leads the pack in strikeout rate (31.3 percent), batting average against, WHIP (0.88), FIP, and xFIP (2.71). He also ranks second in strikeouts per nine innings (11.63), walks per nine innings (1.88), and walk rate (5.1 percent), and seventh in ERA, per FanGraphs.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Holobetz throws from a three-quarters arm slot and puts a lot of effort into his delivery. At present, he features a 92-94 mph fastball that has reached 96 mph this season, an 83-86 mph slider, and a high-80s changeup. According to Holobetz’s Baseball America pre-draft scouting report, “scouts believe the changeup is his best pitch, a potential weapon, but his breaking ball is more of a work in progress. Despite his reliever history, he throws enough strikes to potentially start in pro ball.”

Holobetz, who turns 23 in late July, was initially assigned to Low-A Salem but will instead report to High-A Greenville to begin his career as a member of the Red Sox organization.

(Picture of John Holobetz: Old Dominion University Athletics)

Red Sox sign former Seton Hall righty Jay Allmer to minor-league deal

The Red Sox purchased the contract of right-hander Jay Allmer from the Lake Country DockHounds of the independent American Association on Wednesday, per the league’s transactions log.

Allmer signed with Lake Country back in November but did not appear in a game for the club, as the 2025 American Association season does not get underway until next week. The 22-year-old went undrafted out of Seton Hall last summer after posting a 2.73 ERA with 35 strikeouts to 19 walks over 25 relief appearances (29 1/3 innings) for the Pirates as a senior.

Though he did not get picked in the draft, Allmer spent the remainder of his summer pitching for the Morehead City Marlins of the Coastal Plain League and the Frederick Keys of the MLB Draft League. In 37 outings between the two summer ball teams, the 6-foot-6, 215-pound righty posted a 3.05 ERA with 48 strikeouts to 11 walks across 44 1/3 total innings of relief.

A native of North Carolina, Allmer originally committed to UNC Asheville out of high school. He spent the first two seasons (2021-2022) of his collegiate career with the Bulldogs, compiling a 14.95 ERA in 19 appearances (18 2/3 innings) before transferring to Seton Hall ahead of his junior season in 2023.

According to Mason Feole of Connected Performance, Allmer initially received little to no interest as a free agent in 2024 but “embraced the adversity” that came with that and worked diligently “to ensure that he was ready for the opportunity and locked in on making the necessary changes in order to make it happen.”

Allmer, as Feole noted in an Instagram post on Wednesday, increased the peak velocity of his fastball from 91 to 97 mph. In addition to a mid-90s heater, Allmer also features a lower-90s sinker, a mid-80s sweeper, an upper-80s changeup, and a 78-80 mph slider.

“At the end of the day, Jay is a Red Sox because he is simply good enough to be,” Feole wrote. “He has changed who he is as a player to be good enough, and now he’s achieved it. Incredibly proud of his mindset and approach to this progression and change.”

Allmer, who turns 23 in June, has been assigned to Low-A Salem and is active for Wednesday’s contest against Fredericksburg. He will presumably provide Boston’s Carolina League affiliate with right-handed bullpen depth behind the likes of Austin Ehrlicher, Joe Vogatsky, Nicholas Judice, Eybersson Polanco, and Nicolas De La Cruz.

(Picture of Jay Allmer: Seton Hall University Athletics)