Tag: portland sea dogs

How did Red Sox LHP prospect, Double-A Portland Pitcher of the Year Hayden Mullins fare in 2025?

Last month, Red Sox prospect Hayden Mullins was recognized as Double-A Portland’s 2025 Pitcher of the Year. This article will examine how the 25-year-old left-hander fared this season.

Mullins broke camp and got the Opening Day nod for High-A Greenville this spring. The lefty posted a 1.06 ERA (1.69 FIP) with 27 strikeouts to just three walks in his first four outings (three starts) and 17 innings of the year before receiving a promotion to Portland in late April. He made his Double-A debut against New Hampshire on May 1 and electrified, striking out 10 (to match a career-high) over 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball.

Unfortunately, Mullins was placed on Portland’s injured list four days later due to shoulder fatigue and did not return to the mound until May 25. He then picked up where he left off by posting a 2.74 ERA (4.33 FIP) with 25 strikeouts to 15 walks in his next six starts (23 innings) for the Sea Dogs through the end of June. On July 1, he threw an immaculate inning against New Hampshire but left the game early with cramps. That led to him making just one more appearance before the MLB All-Star break began on July 14.

Upon returning from the break, Mullins compiled a 2.42 ERA (3.38 FIP) with 53 strikeouts to 26 walks in his final nine starts (44 2/3 innings) of the year. Altogether, he forged a 2.44 ERA (3.79 FIP) with 96 strikeouts to 48 walks over 18 starts (84 2/3 innings) for Portland this season. Opposing hitters in the Eastern League batted .175 against him.

Among 40 pitchers who threw at least 80 innings in the Eastern League this year, Mullins ranked second in batting average against and ERA, third in strikeout rate (27.7 percent), sixth in strikeouts per nine innings (10.2), seventh in swinging-strike rate (13 percent), ninth in WHIP (1.17), 14th in FIP, 17th in xFIP (3.83), and 19th in groundball rate (40.9 percent), per FanGraphs.

Between Greenville and Portland in 2025, Mullins produced a 2.21 ERA (3.44 FIP) with 123 strikeouts to 51 walks across 22 total appearances (21 starts) spanning a career-high 101 2/3 innings of work. In addition to taking home Pitcher of the Year honors for the Sea Dogs, he was named a SoxProspects.com All-Star for the first time.

Mullins was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 12th round (369th overall) of the 2022 draft out of Auburn. The Tennessee native was recovering from Tommy John surgery at the time he signed for $97,500, which pushed his professional debut back until August 2023. Just over two years later, he is ranked as the No. 18, No. 22, and No. 26 prospect in Boston’s farm system by MLB Pipeline, SoxProspects.com, and Baseball America, respectively.

Standing at 6-feet and 194 pounds, Mullins throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his deceptive delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the undersized southpaw operates with a five-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 95 mph, an 81-85 mph slider, a 78-80 mph curveball, an 81-83 mph changeup, and a mid-80s cutter.

Mullins, who just turned 25 in September, is a candidate to be added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster next month to prevent him from becoming available to other clubs in December’s Rule 5 Draft. Such a move may be met with criticism since Mullins has yet to pitch above the Double-A level and appears headed for a move to the bullpen given his command and control issues, but his profile could make him an attractive option to a team in need of a bat-missing lefty reliever this winter.

If he remains with the Red Sox through the offseason, Mullins is projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to Triple-A Worcester in a relief role to open the 2026 campaign.

(Picture of Hayden Mullins: Ella Hannaford/Minor League Baseball)

How did Red Sox OF prospect, Double-A Portland MVP Allan Castro fare in 2025?

Last month, Red Sox prospect Allan Castro was recognized as Double-A Portland’s 2025 Most Valuable Player. This article will examine how the 22-year-old outfielder fared with the Sea Dogs this season.

Castro broke camp with Portland in early April but suffered a left hamstring strain on Opening Day and was sidelined for the next month-plus as a result. He returned to action on May 7 and emerged as a stabilizing force in the Sea Dogs lineup during the season’s first half.

Leading up to the MLB All-Star break in mid-July, Castro batted .286/.373/.454 with eight doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 26 RBIs, 23 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 25 walks, and 44 strikeouts in his first 52 games (212 plate appearances) of the year. Upon returning from the break, however, the switch-hitter slashed an underwhelming .245/.330/.365 with 12 doubles, one triple, no home runs, 11 RBIs, 20 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 19 walks, and 35 strikeouts in his next 40 games (176 plate appearances) through September 7. He was placed on the injured list with an undisclosed injury four days later and ended the season there.

Altogether, Castro batted .268/.353/.400 with a team-leading 20 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 37 RBIs, 43 runs scored, 15 stolen bases, 44 walks, and 79 strikeouts over 92 total games (388 plate appearances) for Portland in 2025. That includes a .217/.316/.265 line from the right side of the plate and a far more favorable .284/.365/.444 line from the left side.

Among 48 qualified hitters in the Eastern League this season, Castro ranked ninth in batting average, 10th in line-drive rate (26.5 percent), 11th in on-base percentage, 13th in OPS (.753), wOBA (.350), and wRC+ (119), 14th in slugging percentage and strikeout rate (20.4 percent), 15th in walk rate (11.3 percent), and 18th in swinging-strike rate (10.3 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Castro saw playing time at all three outfield spots for the Sea Dogs this year. The 6-foot-2, 206-pounder logged a team-leading 556 1/3 innings in center, 123 innings in right, and 12 innings in left, committing four errors and recording 10 assists in 188 total chances. He also made 13 starts at DH.

Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Castro originally signed with Boston for $100,000 as an international free agent in July 2019. An infielder at the time, the Santo Domingo native ultimately transitioned to the outfield and earned Red Sox 2021 Latin Program Position Player of the Year honors in his professional debut. He has gradually worked his way up the organizational ladder since then and has often been identified as a potential sleeper prospect.

Castro, who does not turn 23 until next May, is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 20 prospect. Similarly, MLB Pipeline has him ranked as the Red Sox’ No. 22 prospect, while SoxProspects.com has him at No. 26. He can become eligible for this winter’s Rule 5 Draft if not added to the club’s 40-man roster in November, but is otherwise projected to make the jump to Triple-A Worcester in 2026 if he remains in the organization.

(Picture of Allan Castro: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote top prospect Franklin Arias to Double-A Portland

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

Arias is moving up a level for the second time this season. The 19-year-old infielder opened the 2025 campaign at Low-A Salem and batted .346/.407/.397 (134 wRC+) with four doubles, nine RBIs, 15 runs scored, four stolen bases, six walks, and 12 strikeouts in 19 games (86 plate appearances) before receiving a promotion to Greenville in late April.

After getting off to a blistering start with Greenville that saw him net South Atlantic League Player of the Month honors for May, Arias began to cool off as spring turned to summer. The right-handed hitter continued to struggle offensively out of the All-Star break in July, but has fared relatively better as of late to bring his line up to .265/.329/.380 (107 wRC+) with 21 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 49 RBIs, 43 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 32 walks, and 35 strikeouts in 87 games (392 plate appearances) for the Drive.

Overall, Arias is slashing .279/.343/.383 (112 wRC+) with 25 doubles, one triple, six home runs, 58 RBIs, 58 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 38 walks, and 47 strikeouts in 106 games (478 plate appearances) between Salem and Greenville this season. That includes a .214/.296/.282 line against lefties and a .300/.358/.415 line against righties.

Between his stops in Salem and Greenville, Arias primarily split his playing time between shortstop and second base, logging 780 2/3 innings at the former and 44 innings at the latter. The rangy 5-foot-11, 170-pounder (listed height and weight) committed six errors (all at shortstop) in 364 total defensive chances. He also made 10 starts at DH.

A native of Venezuela, Arias originally signed with the Red Sox for $525,000 as an international free agent coming out of Caracas in January 2023. Lauded for his ability to make contact and fielding prowess, he made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League shortly thereafter. He impressed there before truly breaking out last season. As part of a standout 2024 campaign, he was recognized as a Baseball America Rookie and Florida Complex League All-Star, the Florida Complex League’s Top MLB Prospect and MVP, and Boston’s Minor League Baserunner of the Year.

Unsurprisingly, Arias was included in multiple top 100 prospects lists to begin the 2025 season. He is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 3 prospect and the game’s No. 50 prospect, while MLB Pipeline has him ranked as Boston’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 24 prospect in the sport. SoxProspects.com has him at No. 2 on its top 60 list behind only rookie left-hander Payton Tolle.

Arias, who turns 20 in November, is leading off and starting at shortstop in Portland’s series opener against Erie at Hadlock Field on Tuesday night. The Sea Dogs have 12 regular-season games remaining and currently trail Somerset by just 1 1/2 games for a spot in the Eastern League playoffs.

(Picture of Franklin Arias: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote IF/OF prospect Justin Riemer (.423 OBP) to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted infield/outfield prospect Justin Riemer from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Riemer is not currently regarded among Boston’s top prospects by publications like Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, or SoxProspects.com. The 23-year-old has not hit for much power this season, though he has gotten on base at an exceptional rate thus far.

After breaking camp with Greenville earlier this spring, Riemer suffered a shoulder injury on April 15 and was sidelined for a month as a result. The right-handed hitter returned to action on May 15 and batted .243/.423/.287 with five doubles, one home run, 16 RBIs, 26 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 54 walks, and 45 strikeouts in 66 games (241 plate appearances) for the Drive overall. That includes a .238/.365/.286 slash line against lefties and a .245/.439/.288 slash line against righties.

Among the 95 hitters who entered play Friday having made at least 240 trips to the plate in the South Atlantic League this year, Riemer ranked first in walk rate (22.4 percent) and swinging-strike rate (2.8 percent), second in on-base percentage, 14th in wOBA (.364), 15th in strikeout rate (18.7 percent), 16th in wRC+ (127), and 34th in batting average and OPS (.710), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Riemer has seen playing time at five different positions so far this season. In addition to making 34 starts at second base, nine starts at third base, and two starts at shortstop, the versatile 5-foot-10, 170-pounder was introduced to the outfield in early June and has since logged 125 error-free innings between the two corner spots. He has also made three starts at DH.

Riemer was originally selected by the Red Sox with the 133rd overall pick (which the club received as compensation for qualified free agent Nathan Eovaldi signing with the Rangers in December 2022) in the 2023 draft out of Wright State. The Virginia native signed with Boston for an over-slot $500,000 shortly thereafter, but was still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered that spring, which pushed his professional debut back until last July.

In the time since officially entering the pro ranks, Riemer has drawn praise for his disciplined approach, pitch recognition, and bat-to-ball skills. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, though, Riemer’s ability to draw walks at a high rate could be put to the test as he moves from the lower minors to the upper minors, where he is sure to be challenged more by tougher opposing pitchers.

Having said that, Riemer is not in the starting lineup for Portland’s game against Binghamton at Hadlock Field on Friday night.

(Picture of Justin Riemer: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote OF prospect Miguel Bleis to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted outfield prospect and former top international signing Miguel Bleis from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster.

Bleis, 21, is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 20 prospect, while MLB Pipeline has him at No. 12 and SoxProspects.com has him at No. 13 in the system. The right-handed hitter got his season off to a somewhat late start due to a quad injury, but batted .226/.314/.422 with 15 doubles, one triple, a team-leading 13 home runs and 41 RBIs, 48 runs scored, 20 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 75 strikeouts in 77 games (325 plate appearances) for Greenville. That includes a .247/.327/.466 slash line against right-handed pitching and a .156/.270/.266 slash line against left-handed pitching.

Among 71 qualified South Atlantic League hitters entering play Friday, Bleis notably ranks first in pull rate (62.6 percent), second in fly ball rate (46.3 percent), ninth in isolated power (.195), 14th in slugging percentage, 23rd in OPS (.736), 24th in wOBA (.343), and 29th in strikeout rate (23.1 percent) and wRC+ (113), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Bleis saw playing time at all three outfield spots with Greenville this season. The athletic 6-foot-2, 205-pounder made 37 starts in right field, 30 starts in center field, and four starts in left field, recording five assists (all from center) and committing two errors in 137 total chances. He also made six starts at DH.

Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Bleis received the largest bonus ($1.5 million) of any international free agent the Red Sox signed in 2021. The San Pedro de Macorís native was once viewed as a consensus top-100 prospect after dominating the rookie-level Florida Complex League in 2022. Since undergoing season-ending left shoulder surgery in June 2023, however, he has struggled to produce consistent results, despite occasionally showing flashes of his five-tool potential.

In Portland, Bleis figures to provide the Sea Dogs with additional outfield help after the Red Sox traded James Tibbs III and Zach Ehrhard to the Dodgers for right-hander Dustin May on Thursday. This promotion is also noteworthy because Bleis can become eligible for this winter’s Rule 5 Draft, so how he fares in his first stint at the Double-A level could go a long way in determining if he is worthy of being added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline.

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

Red Sox promote IF prospect Mikey Romero to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox have promoted infield prospect and former first-round pick Mikey Romero from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster.

Romero, 21, is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 14 prospect, while MLB Pipeline has him at No. 7 and SoxProspects.com has him at No. 11. The left-handed hitter broke camp with Portland this spring and batted .254/.315/.440 with 18 doubles, four triples, eight home runs, a team-leading 40 RBIs, 40 runs scored, four stolen bases, 23 walks, and 74 strikeouts in 66 games (297 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs to begin the 2025 season.

After being sidelined for most of June with arm fatigue, Romero had slashed .262/.292/.423 with eight doubles, two triples, three home runs, 22 RBIs, 14 runs scored, one stolen base, five walks, and 31 strikeouts in his last 30 games (138 plate appearances) leading up to Friday’s promotion. Overall, he is batting .253/.305/.452 against right-handed pitching and .255/.356/.392 against left-handed pitching so far this year.

Among 62 qualified hitters in the Eastern League entering play Friday, Romero notably ranks eighth in isolated power (.187), 11th in slugging percentage, 16th in OPS (.755), 18th in batting average, 19th in wRC+ (116), 20th in wOBA (.342), 26th in line-drive rate (23.2 percent), and 31st in on-base percentage, per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Romero has seen playing time at every infield position besides first base this season. With Portland, the 6-foot, 205-pounder made 20 starts at third base, 20 starts at shortstop, and nine starts at second base, committing seven errors in 138 total chances. He also made 17 starts at DH.

A California native, Romero was originally selected by the Red Sox with the 24th overall selection in the 2022 draft out of Orange Lutheran High School. He forwent his commitment to LSU by signing with Boston for an under-slot $2.3 million and has dealt with several injuries since entering the professional ranks. Having said that, he had a healthy offseason after reaching Portland last August and then impressed manager Alex Cora in spring training despite not being part of big-league camp.

“Mikey Romero is a good player,” Cora said in March. ” We just got to get him healthy. He did everything this offseason to put himself in good shape. He’s a lot stronger now. This is the first time I’ve had a look consistently, and I like him as a player. … Good instincts, really good instincts.”

Romero figures to provide the WooSox with additional infield help after Blaze Jordan was traded to the Cardinals for veteran left-hander Steven Matz on Wednesday night. To mark his Triple-A debut, he is batting sixth and starting at third base in Game 1 of Worcester’s doubleheader against Lehigh Valley at Polar Park on Friday afternoon. He will be tasked with facing Phillies righty Aaron Nola, who is beginning a rehab assignment with the IronPigs, out of the gate.

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

Red Sox to promote pitching prospects Connelly Early, David Sandlin to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox are promoting pitching prospects Connelly Early and David Sandlin from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster.

Early, 23, and Sandlin, 24, are currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s Nos. 11 and 12 prospects, which rank sixth and seventh among pitchers in the organization, respectively. Both hurlers are moving up a level after first arriving in Portland a little over a year ago and putting together encouraging starts to their 2025 seasons.

Early, a left-hander, posted a 2.51 ERA (2.59 FIP) with a staff-leading 96 strikeouts to 29 walks over 15 appearances (12 starts) spanning 71 2/3 innings in which he held opponents to a .202 batting average. Sandlin, a right-hander, forged a 3.61 ERA (3.29 FIP) with 86 strikeouts to 27 walks across 17 outings (13 starts) spanning a staff-leading 82 1/3 innings in which opponents batted .227 against him.

Among 24 pitchers who have thrown at least 70 innings in the Eastern League this year, Early ranks second in strikeouts per nine innings (12.06), strikeout rate (32.3 percent), swinging-strike rate (14.9 percent), FIP, and xFIP (2.90), third in batting average against, groundball rate (49.7 percent), and ERA, and sixth in WHIP (1.13). Sandlin, meanwhile, ranks fifth in FIP, sixth in xFIP (3.50), seventh in strikeout rate (25.4 percent), eighth in strikeouts per nine innings (9.40), ninth in swinging-strike rate (11.7 percent) and WHIP (1.18), 10th in batting average against and ERA, 11th in walks per nine innings (2.95), and 12th in walk rate (8 percent), per FanGraphs.

Early was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round (151st overall) of the 2023 draft out of Virginia (by way of Army) and received a $408,500 signing bonus. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound southpaw features a 92-95 mph fastball that tops out at 96 mph, an 82-85 mph changeup, an 80-83 mph sweeper, an 84-87 mph slider, and a 77-80 mph curveball, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Sandlin was acquired from the Royals for reliever John Schreiber last February after originally being selected by Kansas City in the 11th round (325th overall) of the 2022 draft out of Oklahoma (by way of Eastern Oklahoma State). As highlighted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound righty operates with a 94-97 mph fastball that can reach 99-100 mph, a 90-93 mph slider, an 85-88 mph sweeper, an 88-91 mph splitter, and a 77-81 mph curveball.

Unlike Early, Sandlin can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November. That could make him an intriguing trade candidate in the coming days if the Red Sox elect to deal from their pool of Rule 5-eligible prospects in an effort to improve the big-league club like they did last summer.

Barring a move involving either before Thursday’s trade deadline, though, Early and Sandlin are slated to join a starting rotation mix in Worcester that currently includes the likes of Cooper Criswell and Kyle Harrison (who are both on the 40-man roster) as well as Isaac Coffey, Robert Stock, and Tyler Uberstine. The WooSox open a six-game series against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Polar Park on Tuesday.

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

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 OF prospect Allan Castro recognized as Eastern League Player of the Week

Red Sox outfield prospect Allan Castro has been named the Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of June 30-July 6, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Castro appeared and recorded multiple hits in all six of Double-A Portland’s games against New Hampshire last week. The switch-hitting 22-year-old went 12-for-24 (.500) with three doubles, one triple, one home run, six RBIs, five runs scored, three walks, and four strikeouts. He doubled, drove in one run, and scored twice on Tuesday, scored once on Wednesday, doubled and drove in one run on Thursday, drove in two runs and scored once on Friday, doubled on Saturday, and tripled and homered in Sunday’s series finale.

Now riding a nine-game hitting streak, Castro is batting .301/.381/.470 with eight doubles, one triple, six home runs, 24 RBIs, 20 runs scored, five stolen bases, 22 walks, and 39 strikeouts in 46 games (189 plate appearances) for Portland this season. That includes a .214/.290/.250 slash line from the right side of the plate and a far more favorable .319/.399/.514 slash line from the left side.

Among the 89 Eastern League hitters who have made at least 180 trips to the plate in 2025, Castro ranks fifth in batting average, 10th in on-base percentage and wOBA (.387), 11th in OPS (.851), 13th in slugging percentage, 14th in wRC+ (146), 26th in swinging-strike rate (9.5 percent), 27th in strikeout rate (20.6 percent), 29th in walk rate (11.6 percent) and line-drive rate (24.4 percent), and 31st in isolated power (.169), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Castro has seen playing time at all three outfield spots for the Sea Dogs. The 6-foot-2, 206-pounder has logged a team-leading 265 2/3 innings in center, 25 innings in right, and 12 innings in left, recording five assists without committing an error in 78 total defensive chances. He has also made 10 starts at DH.

Originally signed out of the Dominican Republic for $100,000 in July 2019, Castro is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 23 prospect. The organization’s 2021 Latin Program Position Player of the Year broke camp with Portland (where he struggled to a .180/.274/.230 line after receiving a promotion from High-A Greenville last July) this spring but spent much of the season’s first month on the injured list due to a left hamstring strain. He returned to action on May 7 and has been on an offensive tear as of late.

After being left off the Red Sox’ 40-man roster last year, Castro — who just turned 22 in late May — can once again become eligible for this winter’s Rule 5 Draft if he is not added by the November protection deadline. Taking that into consideration, the possibility remains that Castro could get dealt ahead of the trade deadline later this month. If he remains in the organization, though, it would not be surprising to see him earn a promotion to Triple-A Worcester at some point in the second half.

(Picture of Allan Castro: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

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)