Tag: prospects

How local Red Sox prospect Jack Winnay fared in first full pro season

Before it ended with a trip to the injured list in late August, Red Sox infield prospect Jack Winnay was putting the finishing touches on a very strong first full season in pro ball.

Winnay entered 2026 unranked by Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and SoxProspects.com after being selected by the Red Sox in the 13th round (388th overall) of the 2025 draft out of Wake Forest. After signing for $150,000, the Newton, Mass. native and Belmont Hill product made the most of his professional debut, hitting .321/.393/.434 with one home run and 11 RBIs in 15 games (61 plate appearances) for Low-A Salem.

As a result, Winnay broke camp with High-A Greenville this spring but initially struggled to adjust to the level. The 23-year-old got off to a slow start at the plate, managing just a .177/.380/.241 line with one home run and 10 RBIs through his first 24 games (108 plate appearances) for the Drive. He then seemingly turned a corner in early May and began hitting for more power, slashing .312/.476/.615 with 10 home runs and 21 RBIs over his next 32 games (143 plate appearances) before being promoted to Double-A Portland in late June.

At the time of the promotion, Winnay had batted .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. The right-handed hitter stayed hot upon moving up another level, producing a .313/.404/.495 line with four home runs and 11 RBIs in his first 28 games (114 plate appearances) for Portland through the end of July. He then cooled off a bit before landing on the 7-day injured list with a bruised right forearm on August 27.

Taking a cautious approach, the Red Sox ultimately elected to shut Winnday down for the final two weeks of Portland’s season. He ended up batting .268/.365/.439 with nine doubles, six home runs, 15 RBIs, 26 runs scored, 19 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 45 games (181 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs down the stretch.

Overall, then, Winnay slashed .261/.405/.449 with 14 doubles, 17 home runs, 46 RBIs, 69 runs scored, 72 walks, and 87 strikeouts in 101 games (432 plate appearances) between Greenville and Portland this season. He posted a .247/.398/.397 line in 362 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a .328/.443/.707 line in 70 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.

Among 21 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 400 plate appearances in 2026, Winnay ranked first in on-base percentage, second in walk rate (16.7%), third in OPS (.854), wOBA (.392), and wRC+ (127), fifth in batting average, sixth in swinging-strike rate (9.3%), seventh in slugging percentage, eighth in strikeout rate (20.1%), and ninth in isolated power (.188), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Winnay saw the majority of his playing time between his stops in Greenville and Portland at the corner infield positions. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder made 68 starts at third base, where he committed 15 errors in 147 chances, and 25 starts at first base, where he committed just one error in 216 chances. He also made four starts at DH.

After beginning the season unranked, Winnay is now regarded as Boston’s No. 21 prospect by Baseball America, No. 23 by MLB Pipeline, and No. 19 by SoxProspects.com. All three outlets highlight his advanced approach and good swing decisions at the plate, which Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham touched on when speaking about Winnay in August.

“He sees a lot of pitches, has a really good understanding of strike zone, walks a lot, makes a lot of contact, does not strike out a lot, and impacts the baseball,” Abraham told MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith. “So usually those are recipes for success.”

Winnay has also worked to improve his bat speed since being drafted by the Red Sox. In 2026, he added “3-4 mph to his exit velocities,” which helped him pull “the ball more than he did in his first taste of pro ball” and get “more out of his solid raw power,” according to his MLB Pipeline scouting report.

Barring a trade or other move this winter, Winnay — who will not turn 24 until next June — is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland out of the gate in 2027. That said, it would not be surprising to see him work his way up to Triple-A Worcester at some point after that.

(Picture of Jack Winnay: Olivia Faulkner/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

How Red Sox IF prospect Louis Andujar fared in 2026 stateside debut

Besides Josue Brito and Franklin Primera, the only other Red Sox prospect to earn Florida Complex League Player of the Week honors this season was Louis Andujar. This article will take a closer look at how the young infielder fared during his stateside debut.

Like Brito and Primera, Andujar opened the 2026 campaign in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. As an 18-year-old, the right-handed hitter got off to a blistering start, slashing .404/.483/.731 with eight doubles, three home runs, 12 RBIs, 14 runs scored, six stolen bases, seven walks, and 14 strikeouts in 15 games (60 plate appearances) for the FCL Red Sox.

That strong performance netted Andujar an FCL Player of the Week award on May 18 and a promotion to Low-A Salem eight days later. The adjustment to full-season ball, however, proved challenging out of the gate. He batted just .125/.214/.148 with no home runs and four RBIs in his first 24 games (98 plate appearances) for the RidgeYaks through July 1. The next day, he clobbered his first Low-A homer and seemingly turned a corner offensively.

From July 2 through the end of Salem’s season, Andujar slashed a stout .317/.429/.572 with 11 doubles, eight home runs, 25 RBIs, 39 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 20 walks, and 32 strikeouts over 39 games (175 plate appearances). That encouraging finish lifted his overall line in 63 games (273 plate appearances) with the RidgeYaks to a more respectable .245/.352/.412, capping his age-18 season on a high note.

Altogether, then, Andujar hit .274/.375/.470 with 21 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 41 RBIs, 59 runs scored, 20 stolen bases, 33 walks, and 70 strikeouts in 78 games (333 plate appearances) between the FCL and Salem this year. He posted a .278/.375/.457 line in 259 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a .258/.378/.516 line in 74 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.

Among 34 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 330 plate appearances in 2026, Andujar ranked fourth in wOBA (.396), seventh in batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS (.845), eighth in slugging percentage and speed score (6.9), ninth in wRC+ (117), 13th in isolated power (.196), and 15th in strikeout rate (22.8%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Andujar saw most of his playing time this season at third base. Between his stops in the FCL and Salem, the 6-foot, 200-pounder made 69 starts at the hot corner, committing 17 errors in 153 chances. He also made three error-free starts at second base and six starts at DH.

Andujar, who just turned 19 last month, signed with the Red Sox for $20,000 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in January 2025. The San Cristobal native made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last season and impressed, homering five times while producing a .974 OPS in 29 games. He has only strengthened his profile with a compelling stateside debut, though he is not yet ranked among Boston’s top 30 prospects by either Baseball America or MLB Pipeline.

SoxProspects.com, which ranks him 36th in the organization, projects that — barring a trade or other move this winter — Andujar will return to Salem to open the 2027 season. That said, it would not be surprising to see him work his way up to High-A Greenville quickly if he gets off to another torrid start.

(Picture of Louis Andujar: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How Red Sox OF prospect Josue Brito fared in 2026 stateside debut

After repeating the Dominican Summer League and earning the organization’s Latin Program Position Player of the Year award in 2025, Red Sox outfield prospect Josue Brito made his much-anticipated stateside debut this season.

Brito, who originally signed for $20,000 out of Venezuela in January 2024, opened the 2026 campaign in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. The right-handed hitter batted .259/.414/.490 with 12 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 36 RBIs, 33 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 34 walks, and 47 strikeouts in 47 games (191 plate appearances) for the FCL Red Sox.

Following the conclusion of the FCL season in late July, Brito remained in Fort Myers for roughly three weeks before joining Low-A Salem’s roster on August 11. From there, the 19-year-old slashed .215/.363/.369 with four doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs, nine runs scored, two stolen bases, 15 walks, and 21 strikeouts in 18 games (80 plate appearances) for the RidgeYaks down the stretch.

Overall, then, Brito hit .245/.399/.453 with 16 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 44 RBIs, 42 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 49 walks, and 68 strikeouts in 65 games (271 plate appearances) between the FCL and Salem in 2026. He posted a .222/.393/.430 line in 206 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a .315/.415/.519 line in 65 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.

Among 45 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 250 plate appearances this year, Brito ranked second in walk rate (18.1%), sixth in wOBA (.406), seventh in on-base percentage, ninth in OPS (.852), 14th in wRC+ (113), 15th in isolated power (.208), 16th in speed score (6.4), 17th in slugging percentage, and 19th in line-drive rate (23.8%), according to FanGraphs.

Between his stops in the FCL and Salem this season, Brito saw most of his playing time come in the outfield corners. Altogether, the 6-foot, 225-pounder made 45 starts in right field and 10 starts in left field, committing five errors and recording nine assists across 94 total defensive chances. He also made four error-free starts at first base and six starts at DH.

Brito, who will not turn 20 until next April, is not yet ranked among Boston’s top 30 prospects by either Baseball America or MLB Pipeline. SoxProspects.com, however, currently ranks him No. 53 in the system. Barring a trade or other move this winter, the site projects that he will return to Salem in 2027, though an opportunity to move up to High-A Greenville could arise if he gets off to a fast start.

(Picture of Josue Brito: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Who are Joskairo Ramirez and Emanuel Jimenez? Get to know Red Sox’ Latin Program Position Player and Pitcher of the Year

As part of pre-game festivities at Fenway Park last Friday night, the Red Sox recognized their 2026 minor league award winners. Among the seven honorees were Boston’s Latin Program Position Player of the Year, Joskairo Ramirez, and Latin Program Pitcher of the Year, Emanuel Jimenez.

Both Ramirez, a 17-year-old outfielder, and Jimenez, a 20-year-old right-hander, are natives of the Dominican Republic and members of the Red Sox’ 2026 international free agent class. Ramirez, from Licey, signed for $800,000 in January. Jimenez, from San Pedro de Macorís, signed for just $10,000 in March.

Ramirez earned Mid-Season Dominican Summer League All-Star honors in his professional debut this season. The left-handed hitter batted .320/.443/.553 with 14 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 30 RBIs, 34 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 26 walks, and 26 strikeouts in 45 games (185 plate appearances) for DSL Red Sox Red. He slashed .339/.463/.562 against righties and .241/.361/.517 against lefties.

Among 19 Red Sox Dominican Summer Leaguers who logged at least 100 plate appearances in 2026, Ramirez ranked first in on-base percentage, OPS (.996), slugging percentage, wOBA (.474), and wRC+ (141), second in batting average and isolated power (.233), fourth in strikeout rate (14.1%), and sixth in speed score (7.1) and swinging-strike rate (10.8%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Ramirez saw most of his playing time this year come in center field. In 40 starts there, the 5-foot-9, 175-pounder committed one error and recorded one assist in 81 chances over 286 1/3 innings. He also made four starts at DH.

Jimenez, meanwhile, spent all of 2026 with DSL Red Sox Blue and was slightly older than his competition. In nine outings (eight starts), the 6-foot-1, 202-pound righty posted a 2.73 ERA with 43 strikeouts to 24 walks across 33 innings. He limited opposing hitters to a .185/.322/.227 slash line in that span.

Among 19 Red Sox Dominican Summer Leaguers who logged at least 20 innings on the mound in 2026, Jimenez ranked second in FIP (4.04) and swinging-strike rate (18.5%), third in ERA, opponents’ batting average, strikeouts per nine (11.73), strikeout rate (29.9%), and WHIP (1.39), fourth in groundball rate (50%) and xFIP (4.74), eighth in walks per nine (6.55), and ninth in walk rate (16.7%), according to FanGraphs.

When reached for comment via email, Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero offered the following scouting report (edited for clarity) on Jimenez:

“Physical right-hander profiling as a bulk starter. Frame for increased strength and durability. Fastball sits 90-92 mph, but there is plenty of time to add velocity there. Slider is his best secondary weapon, but he also throws a curveball and changeup. Quality shapes to his offerings; just needs to work on command.”

Ramirez, who turns 18 later this month, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 47 prospect. Jimenez, who turned 20 in late August, is not yet ranked. Barring a trade involving either of them this winter, both Ramirez and Jimenez are projected by the site to make their stateside debuts in the Florida Complex League in 2027.

(Picture of Emanuel Jimenez [left] and Joskairo Ramirez [right]: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

How Franklin Primera emerged as Red Sox’ top catching prospect in 2026 stateside debut

In his stateside debut this season, Franklin Primera emerged as the Red Sox’ top catching prospect and one of the top position-playing prospects in the organization.

Primera was a late addition to Boston’s 2024 international free agent class, signing in September of that year for just $10,000. As a result, the native Venezuelan entered 2025 with very little fanfare.

Despite the lack of attention surrounding his signing, Primera put together a strong professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last season. As an 18-year-old, the right-handed hitter batted .333/.465/.430 with 10 doubles, one home run, 27 RBIs, 33 runs scored, two stolen bases, 25 walks, and 15 strikeouts in 45 games (172 plate appearances). He was named a DSL Mid-Season All-Star via injury replacement and earned All-Star Game co-MVP honors after hitting a crucial pinch-hit home run.

Coming off such an impressive debut campaign, Primera arrived for his first season in the United States with momentum on his side. The 19-year-old began 2026 in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, slashing .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). That performance earned him a promotion to Low-A Salem in late June.

Fresh off receiving FCL Player of the Month honors for June, Primera initially had a difficult adjustment to full-season ball, collecting just one hit in his first five games with Salem. He then broke out with a three-hit performance on July 7 and did not miss a beat for the next two months.

In 46 games for the RidgeYaks altogether, Primera hit .329/.466/.494 with 10 doubles, one triple, five home runs, 24 RBIs, 36 runs scored, two stolen bases, 26 walks, and 23 strikeouts over his final 206 plate appearances of the year.

Overall, then, Primera slashed .367/.499/.581 with 16 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 53 RBIs, 66 runs scored, six stolen bases, 48 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 78 games (340 plate appearances) between the FCL and Salem this season. He posted a .379/.509/.607 line in 269 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a .321/.457/.482 line in 71 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.

Among 38 Red Sox minor leaguers who — regardless of level — logged at least 300 plate appearances in 2026, Primera led in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS (1.080), wOBA (.504), wRC+ (176), and strikeout rate (10.6%). He also ranked third in swinging-strike rate (7.8%), eighth in walk rate (14.1%), and 11th in isolated power (.213), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Primera unsurprisingly saw most of his playing time between his stops in the FCL and Salem at catcher. In 49 total starts behind the plate, the 6-foot, 230-pound backstop allowed eight passed balls and committed 13 errors while throwing out 32 of 191 would-be base stealers. He also made eight starts at first base, committing one error in 50 chances, and 20 starts at DH.

After beginning the season unranked, Baseball America now has Primera as Boston’s No. 3 prospect behind only infielder Franklin Arias and outfielder Justin Gonzales. Last month, the publication identified him as having top-100 potential, citing a combination of offensive and defensive skills that give him a high ceiling.

Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham also spoke highly of Primera in a recent conversation with MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith. Abraham credited Primera for his selflessness and ability to handle a pitching staff.

“Just a young guy [who] has improved in all facets on and off the field. He’s gotten stronger, he’s eating well, he’s gotten in better shape,” said Abraham. “And then, just baseball-wise, defensively, he’s improved his receiving, he’s improved his throwing, he’s hitting the ball harder. Better swing decisions. All the things that you want.”

The Red Sox, as noted by Smith, want Primera to grow bigger and stronger over the course of the offseason while maintaining the kind of conditioning necessary to handle the demands of catching every day.

“Just continue to hit the ball hard,” Abraham said. “He’s an offensively driven backstop. If he hits the ball hard, he’s going to get opportunity. And then defensively, I would just say continue to receive well. That’s obviously something that drives value as a catcher, and he did a good job with it this year, but something that he can continue to improve on.”

Primera, who will not turn 20 until next June, is currently projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Salem for the start of the 2027 season. That said, if he continues to build on what he accomplished this year, it would not be surprising to see him work his way up to High-A Greenville early on.

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

Red Sox power-hitting prospect Brooks Brannon named 2026 Eastern League All-Star

In addition to Franklin Arias, Red Sox power-hitting prospect Brooks Brannon was also named a 2026 Eastern League All-Star by Minor League Baseball on Monday.

Brannon spent all of 2026 with Double-A Portland after first reaching the level last summer, though his season debut was pushed back until late April due to a broken left hamate bone that required surgery in March.

Despite the delay, Brannon went on to have the best season of his professional career to date. In 93 games for the Sea Dogs, the right-handed hitting 22-year-old batted .280/.355/.560 with a team-leading 28 doubles, two triples, a team-leading 22 home runs, a team-leading 70 RBIs, 50 runs scored, two stolen bases, 39 walks, and 115 strikeouts over 398 plate appearances. He slashed .298/.371/.566 in 311 plate appearances against righties and .218/.299/.538 in 87 plate appearances against lefties.

Among 47 qualified hitters in the Eastern League this season, Brannon ranked first in isolated power (.280) and slugging percentage, second in line-drive rate (27.8%), OPS (.915), and wOBA (.392), third in wRC+ (133), sixth in batting average, and 13th in on-base percentage, according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Brannon saw the lion’s share of his playing time for Portland this year come at first base. Making a team-leading 77 starts at first, the 5-foot-11, 210-pounder committed six errors in 518 chances. He also made 13 starts at DH and went the entire season without logging any innings behind the plate, a first for him.

To go along with Eastern League All-Star honors, Brannon was also the recipient of the Sea Dogs’ 2026 Charlie Eshbach Citizen of the Year award earlier this month for “his outstanding commitment to the community and those around him.”

“Throughout the season, Brannon consistently demonstrated a willingness to give back, including volunteering at the free youth baseball clinic hosted by the Red Sox Foundation at Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field, where he worked directly with young players and signed autographs for kids,” the team wrote in a statement. “He also shared his personal experiences with fans during the Sea Dogs’ Faith & Family Night. Whether interacting with fans at the ballpark, supporting staff members, or encouraging his teammates, Brannon consistently displayed genuine care, compassion, and kindness, making a positive impact both on and off the field.”

Brannon was originally selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round (279th overall) of the 2022 draft out of Randleman High School in North Carolina. A highly-regarded catching prospect at the time, he received a well-over-slot $712,500 signing bonus to forgo his commitment to UNC. Prior to this season, in which he matched a career-high in games played and set a new career-high in plate appearances, he had struggled to stay on the field consistently due to a slew of injuries.

After opening 2026 as SoxProspects.com’s 53rd-ranked Red Sox prospect, Brannon has since moved up 15 spots to No. 38 in the organization. As the publication notes, the fact that Brannon has seemingly moved away from catching puts “far more pressure on his hit tool to improve and allow him to tap into his impressive power,” which requires more contact and less chase to “play to its potential.”

Brannon, who will not turn 23 until next May, can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline. If Brannon remains in the organization — either by being added to the 40-man roster or by going unselected in the Rule 5 Draft (if there is one) — SoxProspects.com currently projects him to return to Portland to start 2027. In that scenario, however, he should have the chance to reach Triple-A Worcester before long.

(Picture of Brooks Brannon: Bryce Mosmen/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

Top Red Sox prospect Franklin Arias named Eastern League MVP

Red Sox infield prospect Franklin Arias has been named the 2026 Eastern League MVP, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday. He was also selected as an Eastern League All-Star and recognized as the league’s top MLB prospect.

Arias opened the 2026 season with Double-A Portland after first reaching the level last September. The right-handed hitting 20-year-old batted .318/.407/.587 with 17 doubles, one triple, 19 home runs, 52 RBIs, 50 runs scored, five stolen bases, 37 walks, and 46 strikeouts in 75 games (332 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs before being promoted to Triple-A Worcester in late July.

Among 65 Eastern League hitters who logged at least 330 plate appearances this season, Arias led in OPS (.994), slugging percentage, strikeout rate (13.9%), wOBA (.423), and wRC+ (153). He also ranked second in batting average, isolated power (.269), and swinging-strike rate (7.5%), and third in on-base percentage, according to FanGraphs.

Shortly after representing the Red Sox at the All-Star Futures Game, Arias arrived at Triple-A on July 25. From there, he slashed .331/.388/.506 with 11 doubles, six home runs, 39 RBIs, 28 runs scored, four stolen bases, 16 walks, and 28 strikeouts in his final 42 games (188 plate appearances) of the year for the WooSox.

Overall, then, Arias hit a stout .323/.400/.557 with a career-high 28 doubles, one triple, a career-high 25 home runs, a career-high 91 RBIs, a career-high 78 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 53 walks, and 74 strikeouts in 117 games (520 plate appearances) between Portland and Worcester this season. He posted a .326/.398/.573 line in 399 plate appearances against righties and a .314/.405/.505 line in 121 plate appearances against lefties.

Defensively, Arias saw most of his playing time this year come at either shortstop or second base. Between his stops in Portland and Worcester, the sure-handed 5-foot-11, 180-pounder made 75 starts at short and 16 starts at the keystone, committing just five errors in 350 total chances. He also made 18 starts at DH.

Arias originally signed with the Red Sox for $525,000 as an international free agent in January 2023. Viewed as one of the top defensive shortstops in his signing class, the Venezuelan native made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League, impressing at the plate before bursting onto the scene in his first season stateside, earning 2024 Florida Complex League MVP, Top Prospect, and All-Star honors. He held his own while advancing multiple levels last year, but truly broke out in 2026 by adding strength and refining his approach to unlock more power.

Arias, who turns 21 in November, is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 2 prospect in baseball behind only Milwaukee’s Jesus Made. The publication named him the Red Sox’ Minor League Player of the Year on Monday, citing his baseball IQ and newfound ability to hit the ball harder and at better angles.

Barring a trade or other surprise move this offseason, Arias will likely return to Worcester to begin the 2027 campaign, with an opportunity to make his major league debut sooner rather than later.

(Picture of Franklin Arias: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

How top Red Sox draft picks Jake Schaffner, Owen Hull fared in pro debuts

With their first two picks in this summer’s draft, the Red Sox not only took a pair of teammates, but also a pair of roommates from the University of North Carolina who share similar backgrounds.

At No. 20 overall, the Red Sox selected shortstop Jake Schaffner. At No. 67, a competitive balance pick acquired from the Brewers as part of February’s Caleb Durbin trade, they took outfielder Owen Hull. Both players had transferred to UNC for their junior seasons from smaller programs, with Schaffner coming from North Dakota State and Hull from George Mason.

Fresh off earning All-ACC First Team honors and leading the Tar Heels to the College World Series finals, Schaffner and Hull signed their first contracts with the Red Sox on July 17. Putting pen to paper at Fenway Park, both Schaffner and Hull received under-slot signing bonuses of $2 million and $1.2 million, respectively. They then ventured to Fort Myers before reporting to High-A Greenville for their professional debuts at the start of August.

Schaffner, a left-handed hitting 21-year-old, batted .315/.362/.435 with six doubles, two triples, one home run, 15 RBIs, 19 runs scored, five stolen bases, seven walks, and 21 strikeouts in 23 games (116 plate appearances) for the Drive to close out the season. Defensively, the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder logged 181 1/3 innings at shortstop, committing five errors in 80 chances.

Hull, a left-handed hitting 22-year-old, batted .337/.436/.531 with 10 doubles, three home runs, 20 RBIs, 17 runs scored, one stolen base, 16 walks, and 17 strikeouts in 24 games (117 plate appearances) for the Drive down the stretch. Defensively, the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder logged 191 1/3 innings in center field without committing an error or recording an assist.

Baseball America currently ranks Schaffner and Hull as Boston’s Nos. 6 and 7 prospects. As Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham recently explained to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, improving how they impact the baseball will be a focus for the duo over the winter, including through an offseason training program in Fort Myers.

“All the things foundationally to be a good baseball player, they have,” Abraham said. “Add more physicality, add more ability to hit the ball in the air, improved range, all those things, and you’re talking about two really exciting players with a ton of potential.”

Schaffner, a Wisconsin native who turns 22 next month, and Hull, a Virginia native who will not turn 23 until next July, are projected to return to Greenville for the start of their first full seasons as pros in 2027. That said, it would not be surprising to see them push one another and move through the system relatively quickly if given the opportunity.

(Picture of Jake Schaffner and Owen Hull: Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox IF prospect Mason White named 2026 South Atlantic League All-Star

Red Sox infield prospect Mason White has been named a 2026 South Atlantic League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Wednesday.

White, Boston’s fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft out of Arizona, opened his first full professional season at High-A Greenville. The left-handed hitting 22-year-old batted .270/.362/.525 with 14 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, 42 RBIs, 36 runs scored, 31 walks, and 63 strikeouts in 68 games (282 plate appearances) for the Drive before being promoted to Double-A Portland in late July.

Among 87 hitters who made at least 280 trips to the plate in the South Atlantic League this season, White ranked 11th in slugging percentage, 12th in isolated power (.254), 13th in OPS (.887), 18th in wOBA (.388), 19th in swinging-strike rate (10%) and wRC+ (121), 25th in batting average, 31st in on-base percentage, and 32nd in strikeout rate (22.3%), according to FanGraphs.

After arriving in Portland on July 19, White closed out the season by batting .208/.333/.377 with four doubles, one triple, four home runs, 13 RBIs, 18 runs scored, two stolen bases, 20 walks, and 39 strikeouts in 33 games (129 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

Overall, then, White slashed .251/.353/.480 with 18 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs, 55 RBIs, 54 runs scored, two stolen bases, 51 walks, and 102 strikeouts across 101 games (411 plate appearances) between Greenville and Portland in 2026. He posted a .255/.350/.497 line in 343 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers and a .232/.368/.393 line in 68 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers.

“Mason hits the ball really hard,” Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham told MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith earlier this month. “We’ve definitely focused on the swing-and-miss a little bit. He has had a little bit of that, but it’s improved. I think that comes with pitch recognition and understanding the strike zone. Being able to handle the pitches that he knows he can drive and laying off pitches that he can’t.”

Defensively, White saw most of his playing time this year come at either second base or shortstop. Between his stops in Greenville and Portland, the 5-foot-11, 180-pounder made 48 starts at second and 47 starts at short, committing six errors in 337 total chances. He also made five starts at DH.

White, who turns 23 next week, is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 28 prospect. While his affiliated season is over, he was one of eight Red Sox minor leaguers selected to play for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League, which begins in early October. The assignment will not only allow him to continue working on his development, but also give him the opportunity to take the field in his home state for the first time as a pro.

(Picture of Mason White: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox catching prospect Kleyver Salazar named 2026 Carolina League All-Star

Red Sox catching prospect Kleyver Salazar has been named a 2026 Carolina League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Tuesday.

Salazar, 20, enjoyed a breakout season with Low-A Salem, his second at the level. The right-handed hitter batted .293/.403/.479 with 25 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 69 RBIs, 60 runs scored, five stolen bases, 60 walks, and 68 strikeouts in 95 games (412 plate appearances) for the RidgeYaks. He posted a .282/.396/.447 line against righties and a .333/.430/.597 line against lefties.

Among 45 qualified hitters in the Carolina League, Salazar finished first in OPS (.882), wOBA (.413), and wRC+ (132). He also ranked second in on-base percentage and slugging percentage, third in batting average, seventh in isolated power (.186) and strikeout rate (16.5%), 10th in line-drive rate (25.8%), and 13th in walk rate (14.6%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Salazar saw 54 of his 94 starts for Salem this season come at catcher. In 459 innings behind the plate, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound backstop allowed 18 passed balls and threw out 31 of 108 would-be base stealers. He also made four error-free starts at first base and 36 starts at DH.

The younger brother of former Red Sox and Cardinals minor leaguer Johnfrank Salazar, Kleyver originally signed with Boston for $175,000 as an international free agent out of Venezuela in January 2023. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League before arriving stateside in 2024. After one season in the Florida Complex League, he struggled to a .603 OPS over 94 games in his first stint with Salem last year. The 2026 campaign, then, represents something of a breakthrough for a player FanGraphs previously described as “a good defensive prospect with no bat.”

Salazar, who does not turn 21 until next May, is not yet ranked among Boston’s top 30 prospects by Baseball America or MLB Pipeline. SoxProspects.com, meanwhile, has him at No. 50 on its top 60 list. Barring a trade or other move this winter, the publication projects that he will make the jump to High-A Greenville to begin the 2027 season.

(Picture of Kleyver Salazar: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)