Tag: portland sea dogs

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)

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 to promote pitching prospect Hayden Mullins to Double-A Portland

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

Mullins, 24, has certainly gotten his season off to an encouraging start. In four outings (three starts) to open the 2025 campaign for Greenville, the left-hander posted a 1.06 ERA (2.22 FIP) with 27 strikeouts to three walks over 17 innings in which opposing hitters batted just .186 against him. He fanned six across four scoreless frames in his last time out against Hub City this past Thursday.

Entering play on Sunday, Mullins was one of 31 qualified pitchers in the South Atlantic League. Among those 31, he ranked first in strikeout rate (42.9 percent) and xFIP (2.10), second in strikeouts per nine innings (14.29), third in FIP and swinging-strike rate (16.5 percent), fifth in ERA, eighth in walks per nine innings (1.59) and walk rate (4.8 percent), 10th in WHIP (0.82), 13th in batting average against and line-drive rate (20 percent), and 15th in groundball rate (44 percent), per FanGraphs.

A former 12th-round draft selection of the Red Sox coming out of Auburn in 2022, Mullins received a $97,500 signing bonus but did not make his professional debut until August 2023 due to Tommy John surgery recovery and rehab. The Tennessee native spent all of 2024 with Greenville and has since compiled a 3.48 ERA (3.81 FIP) with 145 strikeouts to 45 walks over 106 total innings at the High-A level.

Listed at 6-foot and 194 pounds, Mullins throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the under-the-radar lefty operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph fastball that reaches 95 mph, an 81-85 mph slider, a 78-80 mph curveball, and an 81-83 mph changeup. He has flashed bat-missing ability with most, if not all, of his offerings.

Mullins, who turns 25 in September, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 29 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 14th among pitchers in the organization. He is not included in Baseball America’s or MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Red Sox prospects list at the moment, but that could soon change if he shows that he can adjust and hold his own against more advanced competition in the upper-minors.

As he prepares to make the leap from High-A to Double-A for the first time, it is worth noting that Mullins can become eligible for this winter’s Rule 5 Draft if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline. The Red Sox will presumably use this promotion to help determine if Mullins is worthy of such a spot, though he could emerge as a possible trade candidate well before that decision needs to be made.

Regardless, Mullins is slated to join a talented pitching staff in Portland that– as of this writing– includes the likes of David Sandlin, Yordanny Monegro, Blake Wehunt, and fellow southpaw Connelly Early, among others. He will likely make his Double-A debut at some point during the Sea Dogs’ upcoming series on the road against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats this coming week.

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

Red Sox promote Rule 5 addition Jack Anderson to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox promoted right-hander Jack Anderson from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester on Friday, as was first reported by Beyond the Monster’s Andrew Parker.

Anderson opened his first season in the Red Sox organization with Portland as a member of the Sea Dogs’ bullpen. The 25-year-old appeared in two games for Boston’s Eastern League affiliate out of the gate, allowing one unearned run on four hits, zero walks, and 10 strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings of relief.

A former 16th-round draft pick of the Tigers coming out of Florida State in 2021, Anderson switched organizations for the first time in his professional career over the winter when the Red Sox plucked him in the minor-league phase of December’s Rule 5 Draft.

Anderson appeared in three Grapefruit League games for Boston as a minor-league call-up this spring, yielding two earned runs on seven hits, one walk, and five strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings. He also retired the lone batter he faced (former Red Sox farmhand Esteban Quiroz) in the club’s exhibition finale against the Sultanes de Monterrey in Mexico on March 25.

In that particular outing, which only required five pitches (four strikes), Anderson threw three four-seam fastballs, one cutter, and one slider, per Baseball Savant. Throwing from a three-quarters arm slot, the 6-foot-3, 197-pound righty reached 91.6 mph with his heater, 84.6 mph with his cutter, and 80.1 mph with his slider.

Anderson, who does not turn 26 until November, has previous experience at the Triple-A level. The Florida native appeared in eight games (made one start) for Detroit’s top affiliate last season and posted a 5.82 ERA (4.98 FIP) with 10 strikeouts to six walks over 17 innings with the Toledo Mud Hens.

With the WooSox, Anderson seems likely to join a righty-heavy bullpen mix that consists of Luis Guerrero (on the 40-man roster), Bryan Mata, Nick Burdi, Isaiah Campbell, Jose Adames, Wyatt Mills, Jacob Webb, and lefty Brendan Cellucci. Hobie Harris, who was also taken in the minor-league phase of December’s Rule 5 Draft, is currently on Worcester’s 7-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation.

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

Red Sox 2024 minor-league saves leader signs with American Association team

Former Red Sox minor-league reliever Felix Cepeda has signed with the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association, per the independent league’s transactions log.

Cepeda, 24, paced both the Red Sox organization and the Eastern League with 14 saves in 18 opportunities at Double-A Portland last season. The right-hander posted a 5.57 ERA (5.19 FIP) with 37 strikeouts to 20 walks in 30 relief appearances (42 innings) for the Sea Dogs. Opposing hitters batted .271 against him.

Despite leading the Eastern League in saves, Cepeda struggled in several other areas. Among the 135 pitchers league-wide who threw at least 40 innings last year, the righty ranked 87th in walk rate (10.3 percent), 101st in strikeouts per nine innings (7.93) and walks per nine innings (4.29), 115th in swinging-strike rate (10.5 percent), 117th in strikeout rate (19 percent), 119th in batting average against, 121st in xFIP (4.60), 124th in WHIP (1.57), 127th in ERA, and 128th in FIP, according to FanGraphs.

Cepeda, who hails from the Dominican Republic, originally signed with the Red Sox for $40,000 as an international free agent coming out of Bonao in July 2017. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound hurler made his professional debut the following June and steadily worked his way up the organizational ladder. He actually enjoyed somewhat of a breakout 2023 campaign that saw him pitch in the Arizona Fall League and earn first-time SoxProspects.com All-Star honors.

Though he came into the 2024 season ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 48 prospect in Boston’s farm system, Cepeda was unable to replicate the same kinds of results he produced in 2023. It should be noted that he spent time on the injured list in May and August before reaching minor-league free agency in November. He then allowed 11 runs (eight earned) in eight outings (eight innings) for the Algodoneros de Guasave of the Mexican Pacific League this winter.

Now, Cepeda — who does not turn 25 until July — will presumably look to re-establish himself in the American Association with the hopes of returning to affiliated ball sometime in the future. In the past, he featured a 95-96 mph fastball that got up to 98 mph and complemented it with a mid-80s slider and an upper-80s changeup.

(Picture of Felix Cepeda: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Top Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer provides update on lower back injury that cut his 2024 season short

After missing the final two months of the 2024 season with a lumbar strain in his lower back, top Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer provided an update on his health in a recent conversation with MassLive.com’s Sean McAdam.

“I’m really good,” Mayer told McAdam. “Lower back’s great. I’ve been cleared for a while now, so I’ve been progressing swinging-wise, doing my stuff and working hard in the weight room, doing whatever I can to get my body in the best position for this upcoming season.”

As noted by McAdam, Mayer has not done much in terms of hitting so far this winter, though that will likely change soon.

“I’m still ramping up,” Mayer said. “But as far as that goes, my swing feels phenomenal right now. It feels like I haven’t missed a beat, which is weird because usually when I take a week off, I feel extremely rusty. But I took like two months off and I feel great right now. I’ll be ready to (be a full-go for the start of spring training).”

Mayer, the No. 10 prospect in Baseball America’s top 100 rankings, saw his season cut short by injury for a second straight year over the summer. The recently-turned 22-year-old was limited to 78 games between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland in 2023 due to a lingering left shoulder impingement that ultimately shut him down that August.

Mayer broke camp with Portland this past spring and was putting together a stellar season at the plate through late July. The left-handed hitter netted 2024 Eastern League Post-Season All-Star honors by batting .307/.370/.480 with 28 doubles, eight home runs, 38 RBIs, 60 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 30 walks, and 66 strikeouts in 77 games (335 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

On the other side of the ball, Mayer drew encouraging reviews for his defensive ability at shortstop, where he started 65 games and committed 10 errors in 212 chances with Portland this year. The 6-foot-3, 188-pound infielder also made exactly one start at third base for the second season in a row.

In the weeks following his second straight trip to the All-Star Futures Game, Mayer hit a snag. He was placed on Portland’s injured list on August 1, two days after leaving a game early with what was initially described as lower back and upper glute muscle soreness. Since the issue was deemed minor, the Red Sox proceeded to activate and then promote Mayer to Triple-A Worcester on August 12 with the expectation that he would quickly find his way into the lineup.

The soreness in Mayer’s back, however, persisted. Further medical evaluation, including an MRI, led to the diagnosis of a lumbar strain. Rather than act aggressively, the Red Sox ended Mayer’s season before he could even notch his first Triple-A at-bat by placing him on Worcester’s injured list on August 20 and sending him to extended spring training in Fort Myers, Fla. so he could focus on his rehab.

“Extremely frustrating. As a player, of course you don’t want to get injured,” said Mayer. “I work extremely hard while I play to try to prevent injury. I think I’ve just been unlucky these past couple of years. I don’t think it’s something that happened because I didn’t do that or didn’t do this. I fell (resulting in the shoulder injury), something I can’t control. And the other one, I just had a little back problem.

“It’s obviously not ideal, but that’s the situation I’ve been put in and all I can do now is work my ass off (to rehab),” he continued. “I went down to Florida (in the fall) for a month, worked with the trainers there, did workouts, did some core stuff. They sent me home and I continued that training, and I’m pretty much a full-go right now. I’ll start hitting around the new year, which is more than enough time for me. You don’t need to be hitting all off-season.”

Originally selected by Boston with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Eastlake High School (Chula Vista, Calif.), Mayer — barring a trade or other surprise move — is expected to open the 2025 campaign at Worcester. If he can stay on the field and quell any concerns about his durability, he should be able to put himself in a position to make his major league debut before the season draws to a close.

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

How did Red Sox pitching prospect Blake Wehunt fare in 2024?

Blake Wehunt was the fifth of 11 college pitchers selected by the Red Sox in the 2023 draft. How did the former ninth-rounder out of Kennesaw State fare in his first full professional season this year?

Signed for an under-slot $100,000 after being drafted with the 268th overall pick, Wehunt marked his pro debut by making one scoreless relief appearance in the Florida Complex League last August. The right-hander then opened the 2024 campaign at Low-A Salem and posted a 2.16 ERA (2.77 FIP) with 44 strikeouts to 15 walks in eight starts (33 1/3 innings) before receiving a promotion to High-A Greenville in early June.

Upon making the jump from Salem, Wehunt went through an adjustment period of sorts but still held his own in the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League by producing a 4.42 ERA (3.58 FIP) with 65 strikeouts to 19 walks in 13 starts (59 innings) for Greenville. The righty was promoted for a second time to Double-A Portland on September 11 to make one more start before the minor-league season. He allowed five earned runs over five innings as part of an 8-4 loss to Binghamton at Hadlock Field.

Altogether, Wehunt forged a 3.88 ERA and 3.40 FIP with 110 strikeouts to 34 walks in 22 starts spanning 97 1/3 total innings of work between Salem, Greenville, and Portland this past season. Opposing hitters across the three levels he pitched at batted just .207 against him.

Among the 374 minor-leaguers who threw at least 95 innings in 2024, Wehunt ranked 38th in batting average against, 45th in WHIP (1.11), 52nd in xFIP (3.43), 62nd in strikeout rate (27.5 percent) and FIP, 65th in line-drive rate (20.1 percent), 66th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.17), 68th in groundball rate (47.8 percent), 172nd in walks per nine innings (3.14), 179th in ERA, and 180th in walk rate (8.5 percent), per FanGraphs.

Wehunt, who turned 24 in November, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 29 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 15th among pitchers. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound Georgia native throws from a three-quarters arm slot and can make for an uncomfortable at-bat given his imposing stature. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, Wehunt operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 93-96 mph fastball, an 87-89 mph cutter, an 81-86 mph sweeper, and an 84-86 mph splitter.

Though the possibility remains that he could be moved by the Red Sox as part of a larger trade this winter, Wehunt is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland for the start of the 2025 season in April. If that does end up happening, it should be worthwhile to see how he handles the upper minors after getting a brief taste in September.

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

How did No. 1 Red Sox prospect Roman Anthony fare in 2024?

Roman Anthony will enter the 2025 season as Baseball America’s top-ranked Red Sox prospect. That should come as no surprise after the outfielder secured the No. 1 spot on the publication’s top-100 list earlier this summer.

Anthony, the 79th overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland, Fla.), was among the top performers in Boston’s farm system this past season. The West Palm Beach native began the year at Double-A Portland (where he appeared in 10 games last September), overcame somewhat of a slow start and minor injury concerns, represented the Red Sox at All-Star Futures Game festivities, and earned a promotion to Triple-A Worcester all before the 2024 campaign drew to a close.

Out of the gate this spring, Anthony batted .243/.365/.392 with 11 doubles, one triple, 13 RBIs, 20 runs scored, five stolen bases, 29 walks, and 51 strikeouts in 41 games (178 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs) through May 25. The left-handed hitter was then sidelined with rib cage irritation until June 5. Upon returning to action, he slashed .237/.324/.516 with four doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 14 RBIs, 18 runs scored, three stolen bases, 10 walks, and 22 strikeouts over his next 25 games (111 plate appearances) leading up to July’s All-Star break.

Three days before the annual Midsummer Classic in Arlington, Texas, Anthony took center stage in the first-ever Futures Skills Showcase at Globe Life Field on July 13. Competing with seven well-regarded prospects, the 20-year-old overcame some early adversity and ultimately won the competition by crushing six home runs on eight swings in the third and final ‘Swing for the Fences’ stage.

Though he did not play in the Futures Game itself, Anthony kicked things up a notch upon returning to Portland’s lineup on the other side of the All-Star break. From July 19 through August 11, he batted a stout .359/.425/.641 with five doubles, one triple, five home runs, 18 RBIs, 22 runs scored, eight stolen bases, nine walks, and 23 strikeouts over 18 games (87 plate appearances). He was then promoted to Worcester alongside Sea Dogs teammates Marcelo Mayer and Kyle Teel the following day.

Anthony continued his ascent by slashing .344/.463/.519 with 12 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 20 RBIs, 33 runs scored, five stolen bases, 31 walks, and 31 strikeouts in 35 games (164 plate appearances) with the WooSox to close out the season. He became Baseball America’s No. 1 overall prospect when Rays infielder Junior Caminero exhausted his prospect eligibility on September 11.

Altogether, Anthony produced a .291/.396/.498 line with 32 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs, 65 RBIs, 93 runs scored, 21 stolen bases, 79 walks, and 127 strikeouts over 119 total games (540 plate appearances) between Portland and Worcester in 2024. Among the 185 minor-leaguers who made at least 500 trips to the plate this season, Anthony ranked fourth in wRC+ (149), sixth in wOBA (.401), eighth in OPS (.894), ninth in on-base percentage, 14th in walk rate (14.6 percent) and slugging percentage, 22nd in batting average, 25th in isolated power (.207), and 39th in swinging-strike rate (8.7 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Anthony saw playing time at all three outfield spots between his stops in Portland and Worcester this year. With the WooSox in particular, the projectable 6-foot-2, 200-pounder made 21 starts in center, nine starts in left, and four starts in right without committing an error in 71 total defensive chances. His fielding tool currently grades as a 55 on Baseball America’s 20-80 scouting scale.

As far as awards and honors are concerned, Anthony added plenty to his trophy case in the weeks following the conclusion of the minor-league season. In addition to his Futures Game selection, Anthony was named Portland’s Most Valuable Player, an Eastern League season-end All-Star, a Baseball America Double-A and Minor League All-Star, and an All-MiLB Prospect First Teamer.

On the heels of a successful season in which he reached the top ring of the minors, Anthony could very well reach the major leagues before his 21st birthday in May. Barring a trade for a frontline starting pitcher, he is far from a lock to make the Red Sox’ 2025 Opening Day roster given the breadth of left-handed hitting outfield depth ahead of him. Still, Anthony has clearly put himself on the map as a potential franchise cornerstone with an extremely high ceiling.

(Picture of Roman Anthony: Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images)

After one season in Red Sox organization, hard-throwing pitching prospect Bryce Bonnin signs minor-league deal with Rangers

After spending the 2024 season in the Red Sox organization, free agent right-hander Bryce Bonnin signed a minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers last week, according to the MiLB.com transactions log.

Bonnin, 26, joined the Red Sox on a minors pact just days after being released by the Reds in early March. A former third-round draft selection of Cincinnati in 2020, the Texas Tech product opened the season on High-A Greenville’s 7-day injured list with a rotator cuff issue that cost him the entirety of the 2023 campaign.

Upon being activated in late April, Bonnin proceeded to pitch to a 4.04 ERA (3.92 FIP) with 40 strikeouts to 16 walks over 19 relief appearances (35 2/3 innings) for the Drive in which he held opposing hitters to a .164 batting average against. He spent nearly two weeks on the injured list in May but bounced back after that and was later promoted to Double-A Portland on August 20.

In three outings (one start) with the Sea Dogs, Bonnin allowed four earned runs on seven hits, four walks, and eight strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Altogether the righty forged a 4.29 ERA (4.36 FIP) with 48 strikeouts to 20 walks in 22 appearances (42 innings) between Greenville and Portland this season. Opponents batted just .181 against him.

Among the 60 Red Sox minor-leaguers who threw at least 40 innings in 2024, Bonnin ranked fourth in batting average against, sixth in swinging-strike rate (18.4 percent), eighth in line-drive rate (18.4 percent), 11th in WHIP (1.12), and 19th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.29) and strikeout rate (27.6 percent). On the flip side, however, he ranked 35th in ERA, 40th in FIP, xFIP (4.32), and walks per nine innings (4.29), and 41st in walk rate (11.5 percent), per FanGraphs.

In the process of putting up those numbers, Bonnin peaked as the No. 48 prospect in Boston’s farm system, per SoxProspects.com’s rankings. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound hurler sat in the mid-90s and reached 98-99 mph with his fastball while also mixing in a slider and changeup. He elected minor-league free agency earlier this month and was once again not on the open market for very long.

Bonnin becomes the latest Red Sox minor-league free agent to switch organizations this winter, joining the likes of fellow righties Jason Alexander (who signed a minors pact with the Athletics) and Justin Hagenman (who signed a one-year major-league deal with the Mets). It seems likely that Bonnin will start the 2025 season with the Rangers’ Double-A affiliate in Frisco, Texas.

(Picture of Bryce Bonnin: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Top Red Sox catching prospect Kyle Teel led organization in RBIs this season

In his first full professional season, top catching prospect Kyle Teel led all Red Sox minor-leaguers in RBIs.

Teel, the 14th overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Virginia, split the 2024 campaign between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. The left-handed hitter batted .288/.386/.433 with 23 doubles, 13 home runs, an organizational-leading 78 RBIs, 88 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 68 walks, and 116 strikeouts over 112 games spanning 505 plate appearances.

To open his age-22 season, Teel returned to Portland this spring after getting into nine games with the Sea Dogs last September. No stranger to playing in chilly conditions, the New Jersey native overcame a slow April start (.213/.333/.344 line in 16 games) by slashing .357/.443/.560 in May to earn Eastern League Player of the Month honors.

Teel stayed hot at the plate as May turned to June and June turned to July. He was then selected to represent the Red Sox at the All-Star Futures Game in Texas, where he went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles. He remained with the Sea Dogs after the All-Star break and continued to produce, leading to questions about a possible promotion to Triple-A.

https://twitter.com/RedSoxPlayerDev/status/1812529861044363281

Those questions were answered on August 12, as Teel — after batting .298/.390/.462 with 20 doubles, 11 home runs, 60 RBIs, 65 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 48 walks, and 87 strikeouts in 84 games (382 plate appearances) for Portland — was officially elevated to Worcester alongside fellow top prospects Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer. Kristian Campbell, the other member of Boston’s Big Four, joined the trio the following week.

Similar to how his season started, Teel’s first few weeks with the WooSox were tough and likely served as an adjustment period of sorts. He carried with him a .118/.207/.137 line in his first 13 games at Triple-A through the end of August but ended the year on a strong note by posting a 1.058 OPS in September. Altogether, Teel hit .255/.374/.333 with three doubles, two home runs, 18 RBIs, 23 runs scored, three stolen bases, 20 walks, and 29 strikeouts in 28 games (123 plate appearances) for Worcester.

Among the 185 minor-leaguers who made at least 500 trips to the plate this season, Teel ranked 18th in on-base percentage, 26th in batting average and wRC+ (134), 32nd in walk rate (13.5 percent), 42nd in wOBA (.376), 46th in OPS (.819), 69th in slugging percentage, 82nd in swinging-strike rate (10.2 percent), and 92nd in line-drive rate (23.5 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Teel unsurprisingly saw all of his playing time on the field between Portland and Worcester this year come at catcher. Equipped with plus arm strength, the 6-foot, 190-pound backstop logged 655 1/3 total innings behind the plate for the two affiliates and threw out 23 of 116 possible base stealers. He also allowed 11 passed balls and committed 12 errors in 793 chances.

In addition to the Futures Game selection and Player of the Month honor, Teel received a great deal of recognition when season-end awards were being handed out. He was named an Eastern League Post-Season All-Star, a Baseball America Double-A All-Star, and a SoxProspects.com All-Star. He was also voted as the Eastern League’s top defensive catcher in Baseball America’s 2024 Best Tools survey.

Teel, who turns 23 in February, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 4 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 25 prospect in the sport. Barring him being included in a surprise trade for starting pitching this winter, it appears as if he will be given an opportunity to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster this coming spring.

Whether or not he makes the team has yet to be determined and won’t be for a while, but Teel is nonetheless positioned to make his big-league debut at some point in 2025 as the Red Sox’ catcher of the future.

(Picture of Kyle Teel: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)