Tag: promotions

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Hayden Mullins to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Hayden Mullins from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by Tommy Cassell of The Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

Mullins was slated to start Worcester’s series opener against Rochester at Polar Park on Tuesday, but it was postponed due to inclement weather. The 25-year-old left-hander will now presumably get the starting nod and make his Triple-A debut in either Game 1 or 2 of Wednesday’s scheduled doubleheader.

Mullins is reaching the minors’ highest level for the first time following an up-and-down start to his season with Portland. In 12 outings (11 starts) for the Sea Dogs out of the gate, the southpaw posted a 5.85 ERA with 73 strikeouts to 31 walks over 47 2/3 innings in which Eastern League opponents batted .215 against him. That includes a .182 mark against left-handed hitters and a .236 mark against right-handed hitters.

Among 49 pitchers who entered play Tuesday having thrown at least 45 innings in the Eastern League this year, Mullins ranked first in strikeouts per nine (13.78), second in strikeout rate (34.8%), fourth in swinging-strike rate (15.7%), sixth in batting average against, 16th in FIP (4.16), and 17th in xFIP (4.13). On the flip side, he also ranked 28th in WHIP (1.43), 40th in ERA, and 46th in walks per nine (5.85) and walk rate (14.8%), according to FanGraphs.

Mullins is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 21 prospect, placing 12th among the system’s pitchers. The Tennessee native was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 12th round (369th overall) of the 2022 draft out of Auburn. He signed for just $97,500 but did not make his professional debut until the following August, as he was recovering from the Tommy John surgery that cut his junior season short.

After splitting the remainder of the 2023 campaign between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem, Mullins spent all of 2024 and the first part of 2025 with High-A Greenville before arriving at Portland last April. He fared well in his first stint with the Sea Dogs despite missing time in May due to shoulder fatigue, forging a 2.44 ERA across 18 starts (84 2/3 innings) en route to being recognized as the team’s Pitcher of the Year.

Even in light of that production, Mullins was somewhat surprisingly left off the Red Sox’ 40-man roster last November, leaving him available to other clubs in December’s Rule 5 Draft. He did not get picked, however, and remains in the organization without occupying a 40-man spot.

Listed at 6-foot and 194 pounds, Mullins possesses plus extension and features a 93-94 mph fastball that is capable of reaching 96 mph. The lefty also mixes in an 81-85 mph slider, a 77-80 mph sweeper, an 81-83 mph changeup, and a recently-implemented cutter. His secondaries are considered by Baseball America to be “inconsistent,” even though they “can all miss bats.”

Mullins, who turns 26 in September, can once again become Rule 5-eligible this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline. Barring a trade or another move between now and then, he can further strengthen his case for a roster spot with a strong showing down the stretch at Worcester.

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

Red Sox to promote catching prospect Franklin Primera to Low-A Salem

The Red Sox are promoting teenage catching prospect Franklin Primera from the Florida Complex League to Low-A Salem, as was first reported by Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com.

Primera, who turned 19 earlier this month, lit up the Florida Complex League to begin his first season stateside. The right-handed hitter batted .427/.549/.718 with six doubles, eight home runs, 29 RBIs, 30 runs scored, four stolen bases, 22 walks, and 13 strikeouts in 32 games (134 plate appearances) for the rookie-level FCL Red Sox. He slashed .250/.478/.250 in 24 plate appearances against lefties and .460/.564/.805 in 110 plate appearances against righties.

Among 73 qualified hitters in the FCL entering play this week, Primera leads in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS (1.267), wOBA (.571), and wRC+ (202). He also ranks second in strikeout rate (9.7%), sixth in isolated power (.291), seventh in swinging-strike rate (7.6%), and 24th in walk rate (16.4%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Primera saw most of his playing time in the FCL at catcher. Primarily splitting reps with Jorge Rodriguez, the 6-foot, 230-pound backstop allowed five passed balls and threw out 17 of 101 would-be base stealers in 23 starts behind the plate. He also made eight starts at first base, marking his first exposure there as a professional, and one start at DH.

A native of Venezuela, Primera originally signed with the Red Sox for just $10,000 as an unheralded international free agent in September 2024. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League the following June, emerging as a 2025 DSL All-Star and All-Star Game Co-MVP after hitting a crucial home run for his first (unofficial) round-tripper as a pro.

Thanks to his hot start out of the gate in 2026, Primera is now ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s top catching prospect and No. 19 overall prospect. Evaluators have been impressed by his approach at the plate, his ability to impact the baseball, and his defensive capabilities.

As he prepares for his first taste of full-season ball, Primera is slated to join a Salem catching group that currently includes the likes of Kleyver Salazar, Andonys Guzman, and Andruw Musett. The RidgeYaks are on the road for the next two weeks and open a six-game series against the Augusta GreenJackets on Tuesday.

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

Red Sox promote Newton native, power-hitting prospect Jack Winnay to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted corner infield prospect Jack Winnay from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of SoxProspects.com.

Winnay, who turned 23 earlier this month, is in his first full professional season. The Newton, Mass. native (and Belmont Hill alumnus) was selected by the Red Sox in the 13th round (388th overall) of the 2025 draft out of Wake Forest. He received an at-slot $150,000 signing bonus and debuted at Low-A Salem last August, batting .321/.393/.434 with one home run and 11 RBIs in a limited 15-game sample.

After integrating himself with the Red Sox player development program over the winter, Winnay entered his first spring training with little fanfare and broke camp with Greenville as an unranked prospect. The right-handed hitter struggled out of the gate, slashing just .184/.382/.250 with one home run and nine RBIs in his first 23 games (102 plate appearances) for the Drive through May 3. From there, however, he began to turn a corner offensively — particularly in the power department — and hit .304/.470/.598 with 10 home runs and 23 RBIs across his next 33 games (149 plate appearances) before being promoted late Sunday.

Overall, Winnay batted a respectable .255/.434/.457 with five doubles, 11 home runs, 31 RBIs, 43 runs scored, 53 walks, and 51 strikeouts in 56 games (251 plate appearances) for Greenville to begin the 2026 season. He posted a .364/.475/.788 clip in 40 plate appearances against lefties and a .232/.427/.387 clip in 211 plate appearances against righties.

Among the 80 qualified hitters in the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League, Winnay ranks second in walk rate (21.1%), fourth in on-base percentage, sixth in wOBA (.413), ninth in wRC+ (136), 12th in swinging-strike rate (8.9%), 14th in OPS (.891), 22nd in strikeout rate (20.3%), 27th in isolated power (.202), 28th in slugging percentage, and 35th in batting average, according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Winnay primarily split his playing time with Greenville between the two corner infield positions. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder made a team-leading 40 starts at third base, committing 12 errors in 94 chances, and 14 error-free starts at first base. He also made one start at DH and has prior experience in the outfield.

Thanks to his recent hot stretch at the plate, Winnay is now regarded as Boston’s No. 40 prospect by SoxProspects.com. He is not yet ranked by Baseball America or MLB Pipeline, but that may not be too far behind, given the amount of attention he has received as of late.

Winnay joins third-round right-hander Anthony Eyanson as the second member of the Red Sox’ 2025 draft class to reach the upper minors this season. As was the case for Eyanson — who has forged a 1.46 ERA through his first six Double-A starts (24 2/3 innings) — the jump to Portland represents a new challenge for Winnay in the form of more advanced competition.

The Sea Dogs hit the road and open a six-game series against the Hartford Yard Goats on Tuesday night.

(Picture of Jack Winnay: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox to promote prospects Enddy Azocar, Luke Heyman to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox are promoting prospects Enddy Azocar and Luke Heyman from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster.

Azocar, a 19-year-old outfielder, and Heyman, a 22-year-old catcher, are currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s Nos. 10 and 25 prospects, respectively. The pair were among Salem’s top offensive performers to start the season (they are tied for the team lead in home runs) and are being rewarded with a new challenge in a promotion to Greenville.

Azocar played in 39 of Salem’s first 45 games and was swinging a hot bat as of late. The right-handed hitter batted .295/.344/.530 with 15 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 26 RBIs, 31 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 12 walks, and 40 strikeouts over 180 plate appearances. That includes a .372/.426/.767 line against lefties and a .268/.316/.447 line against righties.

Heyman, another right-handed hitter, played in 36 games for Salem to mark his professional debut. He slashed .218/.383/.420 with six doubles, six home runs, 21 RBIs, 19 runs scored, 31 walks, and 36 strikeouts across 154 plate appearances. His platoon splits are similar to Azocar’s, as he batted .276/.462/.448 off of southpaws compared to .200/.357/.411 off of right-handers.

Defensively, both Azocar and Heyman were used exclusively at one position when not serving as DH for Salem. Azocar, who is up to 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, made 30 of his 39 starts and logged 260 error-free innings in center field, recording one assist. Heyman, who is listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, made 22 of his 36 starts and logged 190 1/3 innings behind the plate, allowing four passed balls and throwing out 15 of 53 would-be base stealers.

Azocar, a native of Venezuela, originally signed with the Red Sox for $40,000 as an international free agent in January 2024. His stock first started to rise last year following a strong spring and impressive showing in the Florida Complex League. With five-tool potential and encouraging underlying data, he has emerged as one of the organization’s top teenage talents. He does not turn 20 until next February.

Heyman, meanwhile, was acquired from the Mariners for reliever Alex Hoppe in November. Selected in the 14th round (422nd overall) of last summer’s draft out of Florida, he received an above-slot $230,000 signing bonus. Because he was rehabbing from a fractured forearm that cut his junior season short, however, Heyman did not appear in a game for a Seattle affiliate before being dealt to Boston. He turns 23 in July.

Azocar and Heyman are now slated to join an exciting position player group in Greenville that includes other ranked prospects like Justin Gonzales, Henry Godbout, Yoeilin Cespedes, Gerardo Rodriguez, and Mason White. The Drive open a six-game series at home against Asheville on Tuesday night.

With Azocar and Heyman on the move, the Red Sox are also promoting 18-year-old infielder Louis Andujar from the Florida Complex League to Salem, according to Ari Alexander of 7News Boston WHDH.

(Picture of Enddy Azocar: Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Dylan Brown to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Dylan Brown from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com.

Brown, who turns 22 next month, was Boston’s eighth-round pick (238th overall) in last summer’s draft out of Old Dominion. The left-hander received an at-slot $229,000 signing bonus but did not make his professional debut until April 2. He has since gotten his pro career off to a promising start.

In five starts for Salem, Brown forged a 2.31 ERA with 32 strikeouts to 13 walks over 23 1/3 innings in which he held Carolina League opponents to just a .181/.299/.241 clip. That includes a .167/.274/.185 line against right-handed hitters and a .207/.343/.345 line against left-handed hitters.

Among 23 qualified Carolina League pitchers entering play Tuesday, Brown ranked third in groundball rate (59.2%), fourth in FIP (2.83), strikeouts per nine (12.34) and strikeout rate (33%), sixth in batting average against and ERA, and seventh in swinging-strike rate (15.4 percent) and xFIP (3.80), per FanGraphs.

A Pennsylvania native, Brown is currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 60 prospect but figures to move up in the site’s next update. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound southpaw has a deceptive delivery and features a four-pitch mix that consists of a lower-90s fastball that has reached 95 mph, an upper-80s cutter, a lower-80s slider, and a lower-80s changeup.

“So far, he’s been able to consistently keep hitters off balance and locate all his pitches around the strike zone,” Baseball America’s Ian Cundall (formerly SoxProspects.com’s scouting director) wrote of Brown last month. “If that continues, he could become another intriguing pitching prospect to watch in a system full of them.”

With fast-rising righty Anthony Eyanson moving up to Double-A Portland, Brown will be tasked with facing more advanced competition at High-A. He joins a Greenville starting rotation that includes fellow 2025 draftees Kyson Witherspoon and Marcus Phillips. The Drive open a six-game series on the road against the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Tuesday night.

(Picture of Dylan Brown: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote top pitching prospect Anthony Eyanson to Double-A Portland

After a handful of starts for High-A Greenville, Anthony Eyanson is ready to move up to the next level. The Red Sox are promoting the talented pitching prospect to Double-A Portland, according to Chase Ford of MiLB Central.

Eyanson is just days removed from making his fifth (and perhaps final) start for Greenville at home this past Friday. Going up against Hub City at Fluor Field, the 21-year-old right-hander allowed one hit and three walks (the first three of his professional career) while striking out seven of the 15 batters he faced over 3 2/3 scoreless innings. He threw 67 pitches (37 strikes) and generated 11 whiffs.

In five starts for Greenville altogether, Eyanson posted a minuscule 0.44 ERA with 34 strikeouts to three walks over 20 1/3 innings. Opponents in the South Atlantic League batted just .104/.155/.149 against him. That includes a .114/.139/.114 line from right-handed hitters and a .094/.171/.188 line from left-handed hitters.

Among 26 South Atlantic League pitchers who had thrown at least 20 innings this year entering play Sunday, Eyanson led in batting average against, ERA, FIP (1.46), strikeouts per nine (15.05), strikeout rate (47.9%), swinging-strike rate (22%), WHIP (0.49), and xFIP (1.31). He also ranked third in groundball rate (59.4%) and walks per nine (1.33), and fourth in walk rate (4.2%), per FanGraphs.

Eyanson was selected by the Red Sox with the 87th overall pick in last summer’s draft out of Louisiana State (by way of UC San Diego). The California native received an over-slot $1.75 million signing bonus and stood out in his first spring training with the club by displaying significant velocity gains. He touched triple digits in the Spring Breakout game on March 20 before breaking camp with Greenville in early April.

Since making his pro debut one month ago, Eyanson — throwing from a high release point — has hovered between 95-97 mph and topped out at 98-99 mph with his fastball. The 6-foot-2, 208-pound hurler also incorporates an 86-88 mph slider, a cut-splitter, and a 79-80 mph high-spin curveball into his arsenal, which he described to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier as “very vertical.”

“I think north-south, and just keeping stuff over the plate and in the zone,” Eyanson told Speier last Thursday. “I’m trying to throw everything in the zone and just let the pitch move on its own, and let the hitter give himself his own problems.”

Eyanson, who does not turn 22 until October, entered 2026 as Baseball America’s No. 13 Red Sox prospect but now has legitimate top 100 buzz surrounding him. He is the first member of Boston’s 2025 draft class to reach Double-A and, like left-hander Payton Tolle a year ago, could be on the fast track to the major leagues.

First, though, comes a new challenge: facing more advanced competition in the upper minors with Portland. The Sea Dogs open a six-game series against New Hampshire at Hadlock Field on Tuesday.

(Picture of Anthony Eyanson: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Brandon Neely to High-A Greenville

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

Neely, 22, was originally taken by the Red Sox in the third round (86th overall) of the 2024 draft out of Florida. The former Gator and First Team All-SEC selection received an under-slot $700,000 signing bonus, but spent the entirety of his first full professional season on the injured list due to forearm stiffness.

Instead of pitching for a Red Sox minor league affiliate, Neely spent most of his 2025 rehabbing in Fort Myers. The right-hander was, however, cleared in September to take part in the Arizona Fall League. He then made five appearances (one start) for the Salt River Rafters, allowing 16 runs (14 earned) on 16 hits, eight walks, and 11 strikeouts over 10 innings.

“It was nice to be out there competing again,” Neely said of pitching in the Arizona Fall League when speaking with Mac Cerullo of The Boston Herald earlier this spring.

Following a healthy offseason, Neely broke camp with Salem and made his official pro debut on April 8. In two relief outings for the RidgeYaks leading up to Friday’s promotion, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound righty yielded just one earned run on one hit, one walk, and eight strikeouts across 4 2/3 innings. That translates to a 1.93 ERA and a 0.43 WHIP.

Neely, who turns 23 in July, is currently ranked as Boston’s No. 49 prospect by SoxProspects.com, which notes that he “checks a lot of boxes the Red Sox look for,” including “a unique delivery with a low release height” and “a fastball with solid traits and bat-missing ability.” He complements his mid-90s heater, which touches 97 mph, with a slider and changeup.

Given that his first two outings of the season came eight days apart (April 8 and 16), it would not be surprising to see Neely make his High-A debut in Greenville’s game against Asheville on Friday night (April 24). If so, he would work in relief of starter Kyson Witherspoon at some point.

In addition to promoting Neely to Greenville, the Red Sox elevated left-handers Michael Sansone (Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester), PJ Labriola (Greenville to Portland), and Jason Gilman (extended spring training to Salem) on Friday. Right-hander Danny Kirwin (right shoulder strain) was also sent on a rehab assignment to Greenville.

(Picture of Brandon Neely: Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Eduardo Rivera to Triple-A Worcester

UPDATE: The Red Sox will call up Rivera ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Yankees, according to multiple reports. He will be added to the 40-man roster and make his major league debut once he takes the mound without ever having pitched above Double-A.

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The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Eduardo Rivera from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Rivera is moving up to the minors’ highest level after making two starts for Portland to open his 2026 season. In those two outings, the 22-year-old left-hander posted a 0.90 ERA with 16 strikeouts to three walks over 10 innings in which opponents batted .167 against him.

Although the sample size is relatively small, it nonetheless illustrates how effective Rivera has been in the early going. Among 42 pitchers who have thrown at least 10 innings in the Eastern League this year, Rivera ranks first in FIP (1.67), second in ERA, strikeout rate (41%), and xFIP (2.35), third in strikeouts per nine innings (14.40) and swinging-strike rate (16.7%), eighth in WHIP (0.90), ninth in batting average against and groundball rate (52.6%), 12th in walks per nine innings (2.70), and 13th in walk rate (7.7%), per FanGraphs.

A former 2021 11th-round draft selection of the Athletics out of high school in Puerto Rico, Rivera joined the Red Sox organization as a minor league free agent shortly after being released by the A’s in May 2024. The San Juan native spent the remainder of that season in the lower levels (Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem) before splitting the 2025 campaign between High-A Greenville and Portland.

Rivera was slated to reach minor league free agency at season’s end but instead re-signed with the Red Sox in October. He then pitched for the Cangrejeros de Santurce in the Puerto Rican Winter League, helping them win their 17th title. That success allowed him to represent the island in the Caribbean Series for a second straight year, as well as in the World Baseball Classic.

Listed at an intimidating 6-foot-7 and 237 pounds, Rivera is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as Boston’s No. 26 prospect. The hard-throwing southpaw throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a five-pitch mix that consists of a 93-96 mph fastball that tops out at 98 mph, an 87-89 mph cutter, an 83-86 mph slider, an 85-89 mph changeup, and a 78-80 mph curveball.

Rivera, who turns 23 in June, is now just one call away from the big leagues. Though he is viewed as more of a reliever in the long run, he should provide some much-needed depth to a depleted starting rotation in Worcester. To that end, it appears as though he is tentatively scheduled to make his Triple-A debut for the WooSox by following fellow lefty Alec Gamboa out of the bullpen on Thursday afternoon against the Syracuse Mets at Polar Park.

Looking even further ahead, Rivera will be eligible for both minor league free agency and the Rule 5 Draft this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline. That is something to keep in mind as he navigates Triple-A for the first time.

(Picture of Eduardo Rivera: Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)

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 OF prospect Justin Gonzales to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted outfield prospect Justin Gonzales from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster.

Gonzales, 18, is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 12 prospect. At the same time, MLB Pipeline has him ranked at No. 7 and SoxProspects.com has him ranked at No. 13. The Dominican Republic native is enjoying a productive first season in the United States after originally signing with the Red Sox for $250,000 as an international free agent coming out of Bani last January.

On the heels of earning 2024 Dominican Summer League All-Star honors and being named the organization’s Minor League Latin Program Position Player of the Year in his professional debut, Gonzales impressed in his first stateside spring training down in Fort Myers and received a promotion to Salem on May 6 after appearing in just one game in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

Given his general lack of experience, it’s not terribly surprising that Gonzales struggled somewhat out of the gate in his first taste of full-season ball. The right-handed hitter was batting .246/.398/.277 in his first 18 games (83 plate appearances) with Salem through the end of May. He began to turn a corner in June, however, and has been steadily on the rise since then. Overall, he slashed .298/.381/.423 with 23 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 27 RBIs, 45 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 52 strikeouts over 81 games (357 plate appearances) for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. That includes a .317/.431/.533 line against lefties and a .294/.368/.397 line against righties.

Among 54 qualified Carolina League hitters entering play Tuesday, Gonzales ranked first in batting average, third in slugging percentage and strikeout rate (14.6 percent), fourth in OPS (.804), wOBA (.393), and wRC+ (131), ninth in on-base percentage, 18th in swinging-strike rate (10.3 percent), and 20th in isolated power (.125), per FanGraphs.

“This kid is more physical than any player I’ve been around,” Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier earlier this year. “He’s a monster. I think he’s still kind of learning what he can do physically, learning his body. And for a guy who’s so big and has so much power, his ability to control the bat is incredibly impressive. He’s been a much better hitter than maybe we had expected. That’s been really exciting.”

Defensively, Gonzales saw playing time at all three outfield spots with Salem. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder logged 226 1/3 innings in center, 192 innings in right, and 127 2/3 innings in left, recording two assists and committing four errors in 127 total chances. He also made 16 starts at DH and has previous experience at first base.

Gonzales, who does not turn 19 until December, surpasses recently-activated right-hander Juan Valera as the youngest player on Greenville’s roster. He is batting second and starting in right field for the Drive in their series opener against the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Fluor Field on Tuesday night.

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