Tag: prospects

Who is Edwin Brito? Get to know the Red Sox’ home run leader in the Dominican Summer League this season

While Justin Gonzales was rightfully recognized as the Red Sox’ 2024 Latin Program Position Player of the Year last month, he did not lead the organization’s two Dominican Summer League affiliates in home runs this season.

That distinction would belong to another 17-year-old slugger in the form of Edwin Brito, who signed with the Red Sox for $450,000 ($200,000 more than Gonzales) as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in January.

A native of Puerto Plata, Brito made his professional debut for DSL Red Sox Red in June. The right-handed hitter initially got off to a slow start offensively but finished the regular season slashing .251/.361/.450 with six doubles, two triples, a team-high eight home runs, 32 RBIs, 27 runs scored, two stolen bases, 21 walks, and 46 strikeouts over 51 games (205 plate appearances). He then went 6-for-24 (.250) with seven RBIs in seven playoff games to help secure the organization’s first DSL title since 2016.

Defensively, Brito saw the majority of his playing time (33 of his 49 starts) this season come in right field, where he recorded six outfield assists and committed two errors in 46 chances. The projectable and stocky 5-foot-11, 195-pounder also logged 30 innings at first base as well as one-third of an inning in left field.

Earlier this year, Baseball America’s Ben Badler tabbed Brito as a name to know from the Red Sox’ 2024 international signing class given his above-average bat speed, above-average power, and above-average arm. Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero, on the other hand, described Brito as a “legitimate slug threat” when speaking with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier in September.

Brito, who turns 18 next month, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 54 prospect in Boston’s farm system. Like Gonzales, he is projected to begin the 2025 minor-league campaign in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

(Picture of Dominican Republic flags: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Who are Justin Gonzales and Yermain Ruiz? Get to know the Red Sox’ Latin Program Position Player, Pitcher of the Year

Last Friday, the Red Sox honored Justin Gonzales and Yermain Ruiz as their 2024 Latin Program Position Player and Pitcher of the Year as part of a pre-game ceremony with the club’s six other minor-league award winners at Fenway Park.

Gonzales, 17, and Ruiz, 18, debuted in the Dominican Summer League this season after signing with the Red Sox as international free agents in January 2024 and August 2023, respectively. The former — a native of the Dominican Republic — received a $250,000 bonus while the latter — a native of Venezuela — signed on for just $10,000.

Gonzales split the 2024 campaign between DSL Red Sox Blue and DSL Red Sox Red. In 47 regular season games, the right-handed hitter batted .320/.391/.517 with 11 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 29 RBIs, 29 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 19 walks and 20 strikeouts over 192 plate appearances. He was named a DSL All-Star in July and playoff MVP in August after slashing .444/.471/.519 in seven games to help Red Sox Red take home the organization’s first DSL title since 2016.

Among the 91 DSL hitters who made at least 190 trips to the plate in the regular season, Gonzales ranked eighth in slugging percentage, ninth in batting average, 10th in strikeout rate (10.4 percent), 12th in swinging-strike rate (16.2 percent) and line-drive rate (24.1 percent), 14th in OPS (.908), 17th in isolated power (.198), 20th in wRC+ (140), and 44th in on-base percentage, per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Gonzales saw playing time at three different positions in his first professional season. The hulking 6-foot-4, 210-pounder logged 236 innings at first base, 111 innings in right field, and 13 innings in center field. He recorded two outfield assists and committed three errors (all at first base) in 250 total chances.

“He’s a monster,” Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero said of Gonzales when speaking with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier last month. “He’s advanced physically compared to other guys. But the thing that stood out as he’s developed is his hand-to-eye. We know he can make a lot of good contact and he’s really honed his approach in terms of attacking pitches.”

Ruiz, meanwhile, spent all of 2024 with DSL Red Sox Red. In 11 regular season starts, the right-hander posted a 1.77 ERA and 4.39 FIP with 37 strikeouts to 15 walks over 45 2/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .172 batting average. He then went 2-0 in his two playoff appearances, including tossing two scoreless frames of relief in Game 1 of the championship series against the DSL Angels.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 27: Yermain Ruiz was recognized as the Red Sox’ Latin Program Pitcher of the Year. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Among the 53 DSL pitchers who threw at least 45 innings in the regular season, Ruiz ranked third in batting average against, seventh in WHIP (0.92), eighth in ERA, and 17th in line-drive rate (16.1 percent), according to FanGraphs.

Though there was little fanfare surrounding his signing last summer, Ruiz caught the Red Sox’ attention as an amateur thanks to his athletic frame, fast arm, and feel to pitch.

“He has done a good job of adding strength since signing, with his fastball climbing north of 93 mph,” Romero said of Ruiz in a separate conversation with BloggingtheRedSox.com. “We project him to be a starter and are hopeful he will be in the Florida Complex League rotation next year.”

Ruiz, who turns 19 next month, is listed at 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds. Gonzales, on the other hand, turns 18 in December. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 32 prospect in Boston’s farm system and is also expected to make the jump to the Florida Complex League in 2025.

(Pictures of Justin Gonzales and Yermain Ruiz: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox prospect Chase Meidroth snubbed from International League All-Star team

Somewhat surprisingly, Red Sox infield prospect Chase Meidroth was left off Minor League Baseball’s 2024 International League All-Star team, which was unveiled on Wednesday.

Meidroth, Boston’s No. 11 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, enjoyed a productive season at Triple-A Worcester. The right-handed hitting 23-year-old was recognized as the WooSox’ Most Valuable Player after batting .293/.437/.401 with 20 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 57 RBIs, 87 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 105 walks, and 71 strikeouts over 122 games (558 plate appearances). That includes a .304/.457/.430 slash line against right-handed pitching and a .266/.387/.328 slash line against lefties.

Among 85 qualified hitters in the International League this year, Meidroth led in walk rate (18.8 percent), on-base percentage, and swinging-strike rate (3.2 percent). He also ranked fourth in strikeout rate (12.7 percent) and wRC+ (132), eighth in batting average, 18th in OPS (.838), and 26th in line-drive rate (25.9 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Meidroth — Double-A Portland’s 2023 Defensive Player of the Year — once again saw playing time at every infield position besides first base while with Worcester in 2024. The versatile 5-foot-10, 170-pounder (listed height and weight) logged 412 innings at shortstop, 275 1/3 innings at third base, and 137 2/3 innings at second base. He committed 10 total errors (seven at shortstop, three at third base) in 340 chances.

A native of Torrance, Calif., Meidroth was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round (129th overall) of the 2022 draft out of San Diego. He signed with Boston for an under-slot $272,500 that July and made his professional debut in the Florida Complex League shortly thereafter. In the two-plus years since then, Meidroth has utilized his contact skills and plate discipline to compensate for his lack of power, making him one of the organization’s more unique talents.

Despite being snubbed by Minor League Baseball, Meidroth was named to Baseball America’s 2024 Triple-A All-Star team last week. He is currently regarded as the Red Sox’ 13th-ranked prospect by the publication, which hypothesizes that he “could emerge as a bottom-of-the-order regular if he gains strength and bat speed.”

Meidroth, who does not turn 24 until next July, does not need to be added to Boston’s 40-man roster for Rule-5 purposes this offseason. He is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Worcester for the start of the 2025 campaign but may surface in trade talks over the winter if the Red Sox use their breadth of position-playing prospects to address other areas of need at the major-league level.

(Picture of Chase Meidroth: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Nelly Taylor named Red Sox’ Minor League Defensive Player of the Year

Last Thursday, Red Sox outfield prospect Nelly Taylor was named the organization’s 2024 Minor League Defensive Player of the Year. He was honored alongside the club’s seven other minor-league award winners during pre-game festivities at Fenway Park the following night.

Taylor, 21, was Boston’s 11th-round selection in last year’s draft coming out of Polk State College. Even before entering the professional ranks, the Clearwater, Fla. native had already gained notoriety for his glove work by earning 2023 Defensive Player of the Year honors in the Suncoast Conference.

To sway him away from his commitment to transfer to Florida State, the Red Sox gave Taylor an over-slot $300,000 signing bonus last July. The 6-foot, 180-pounder did not make his pro debut until this past April, but he wasted little time in establishing himself as one of the more athletic and toolsy outfielders in the lower levels of Boston’s farm system.

In his first 101 games of the 2024 campaign at Low-A Salem, Taylor made 54 starts in center field, 23 starts in left field, and 16 starts in right field. Between those three spots, he recorded three outfield assists (two in right, one in center) and committed four errors (two in right, one in center, one in left) in 208 total chances. After receiving a late-season promotion to High-A Greenville on August 27, he made five more starts in center field, two more starts in left field, and one start in right field. He did not record an assist or commit an error in 13 chances with the Drive.

To that end, Taylor was named the Red Sox’ Minor League Defensive Player of the Month on two separate occasions (May and August). Back in July, FanGraphs’ Eric Longehnagen described Taylor as “an actual fit in center field,” noting that he “certainly runs well enough to play out there, or at least continue to develop there, though his feel for the position is only fair.”

Taylor, Longenhagen wrote, “has a much better chance to occupy a premium defensive home than some of the more famous hitters in this system.” SoxProspects.com, on the other hand, describes Taylor as an “excellent defender” who possesses “plus speed” and “above-average range” in center field.

Offensively, Taylor batted .228/.336/.358 with 24 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 46 RBIs, 69 runs scored, 31 stolen bases, 60 walks, and 106 strikeouts in 101 games (434 plate appearances) for Salem. The left-handed hitter was riding a hot bat at the time of his promotion and subsequently slashed .289/.341/.553 with two doubles, one triple, two homers, eight RBIs, five runs scored, two stolen bases, three walks, and 13 strikeouts in 10 games (41 plate appearances) for Greenville to close out his first full pro season.

While a .713 OPS in 111 games (475 plate appearances) between Low-A and High-A may not necessarily jump off the page, Taylor did regularly make hard contact this season. As The Dynasty Dugout’s Chris Clegg wrote last month, “The underlying data shows Taylor can hit the ball hard as he has run a 90th percentile exit velocity near 105 mph, a pretty impressive mark.”

Elsewhere, Taylor’s 33 stolen bases on the year were the third-most among Red Sox minor-leaguers, as only Miguel Bleis (38) and Franklin Arias (35) had more. His 7.7 (out of 10) speed score also ranked first among the 12 Boston farmhands who registered at least 450 plate appearances this season, per FanGraphs.

Taylor, who turns 22 in January, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 37 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He has a unique story in that he underwent surgery to remove a Wilms tumor, a rare kidney cancer, at just five years old that prevented him from playing contact sports in his youth. As such, he has been tabbed by SoxProspects.com as “a player fans will want to root for” since he “has the work ethic to reach his potential.”

Assuming he remains with the Red Sox through the winter, Taylor is projected to return to Greenville for the start of the 2025 season as part of the Drive’s outfield mix.

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

Red Sox OF prospect Jhostynxon Garcia recognized by Baseball America for breakout season

Earlier this week, Red Sox outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia was named a 2024 Second Team Minor-League All-Star by Baseball America.

Garcia came into the 2024 season with very little fanfare and was not ranked by Baseball America as one of the top 30 prospects in Boston’s farm system. The 21-year-old returned to Low-A Salem this spring and batted .258/.365/.517 with six doubles, one triple, five home runs, 19 RBIs, 20 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 15 walks, and 25 strikeouts in 24 games (104 plate appearances) before being promoted to High-A Greenville in late May.

Upon joining Greenville, Garcia turned things up a notch offensively and slashed a stout .311/.371/.627 to go along with 14 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs, 37 RBIs, 44 runs scored, one stolen base, 12 walks, and 50 strikeouts in 53 games (229 plate appearances) for the Drive. The right-handed hitter then received another promotion to Double-A Portland in mid-August and closed the year by posting a .263/.320/.386 line with four doubles, two triples, two home runs, 10 RBIs, 14 runs scored, two stolen bases, six walks, and 24 strikeouts in 30 games (126 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

Altogether, Garcia hit .286/.356/.536 with 24 doubles, five triples, an organizational-leading 23 home runs, 66 RBIs, 78 runs scored, 17 stolen bases, 33 walks, and 99 strikeouts in 107 total games (459 plate appearances) across three different levels in 2024. That includes a .274/.347/.506 slash line in 405 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a .380/.426/.760 slash line in 54 plate appearances against lefties.

Among the 386 minor-leaguers who made at least 450 trips to the plate this season, Garcia ranked fifth in wRC+ (151), ninth in isolated power (.250), 10th in slugging percentage, 15th in OPS (.892), 53rd in batting average, 80th in speed score (7.1), and 127th in on-base percentage, per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Garcia saw playing time at all three outfield positions between his stops in Salem, Greenville, and Portland this year. With the Sea Dogs in particular, the 6-foot-215-pounder made 27 of his 30 starts in center field, where he recorded one outfield assist and committed two errors in 61 defensive chances.

Aptly nicknamed “The Password” because of his unique first name, Garcia originally signed with the Red Sox for $350,000 as an international free agent coming out of San Fernando de Apure, Venezuela in July 2019. His younger brother, Johanfran, signed with Boston in January 2022 and is still viewed as one of the organization’s premier catching prospects even after tearing his right ACL in early May and undergoing season-ending surgery.

The elder Garcia, meanwhile, is now regarded by Baseball America as the No. 18 prospect in Boston’s farm system. If not for Kristian Campbell, the argument could be made that he was the organization’s top breakout performer this year. That is noteworthy when considering Garcia can become Rule 5-eligible this winter if he is not added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November.

Assuming he remains with the Red Sox in some capacity, though, Garcia — who turns 22 in December — is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland in 2025.

(Picture of Jhostynxon Garcia: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox to send eight minor-leaguers to Arizona Fall League

The Red Sox will send eight minor-leaguers — five pitchers and three position players — to the Arizona Fall League this year.

Left-hander Zach Fogell, right-handers Cooper Adams, Danny Kirwin, Conor Steinbaugh, and Tyler Uberstine, catcher Brooks Brannon, infielder Max Ferguson, and outfielder Caden Rose were named to the Mesa Solar Sox’ preliminary 2024 roster on Wednesday. They are slated to play alongside prospects from the Angels, Athletics, Cubs, and Rays organizations.

Of the eight that make up the Red Sox’ contingent, Brannon is perhaps the most notable. The 20-year-old is currently regarded by MLB Pipeline as the No. 27 prospect in Boston’s farm system. He was originally selected in the ninth round of the 2022 draft out of Randleman High School (N.C.) and forwent his commitment to the University of North Carolina by signing for an over-slot $712,500.

After a low back strain limited him to just 17 games last year, Brannon opened the 2024 campaign on the 60-day injured list due to a knee issue. The right-handed-hitter spent a few weeks rehabbing in the Florida Complex League before joining Low-A Salem in early June. He then batted .251/.326/.396 with eight doubles, two triples, six home runs, 24 RBIs, 22 runs scored, five stolen bases, 23 walks, and 67 strikeouts in 54 games (230 plate appearances) for the Red Sox. From behind the plate, he threw out 13 of 69 possible base stealers.

Sticking with the position players, Ferguson missed much of the season with an ankle injury that sidelined him for more than four months. In 28 games between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester, the left-handed hitting 25-year-old slashed just .152/.255/.272 with two doubles, three home runs, 11 RBIs, 14 runs scored, six stolen bases, 13 walks, and 30 strikeouts over 106 plate appearances. He was originally selected by the Padres in the fifth round of the 2021 draft out of Tennessee but was traded to the Red Sox with Eric Hosmer and Corey Rosier for Jay Groome the following August.

Rose, like Brannon and Ferguson, also spent time on the 60-day injured list this season after being taken by the Red Sox in the seventh round of the 2023 draft out of Alabama. The right-handed hitting 22-year-old struggled out of the gate for High-A Greenville (.619 OPS in 25 games) but posted a .353/.476/.529 line with six doubles, seven RBIs, nine runs scored, three stolen bases, five walks, and 10 strikeouts in 10 games (42 plate appearances) for Salem upon returning to action late last month.

On the pitching front, Uberstine stands out given the fact that he only recently returned to the mound after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June. A former 19th-round draft selection out of Northwestern in 2021, the 25-year-old joined Greenville in late August and allowed one earned run on five hits, one walk, and six strikeouts in three starts (4 2/3 innings) for the Drive. He was promoted to Portland on September 10 but spent the rest of the season on the Sea Dogs’ development list.

Fogell, Boston’s 18th-round selection in the 2023 draft out of Connecticut, spent much of his first full professional season with Greenville after being promoted from Salem in early April. In 33 appearances for the Drive, the 24-year-old Rhode Island native posted a 3.32 ERA and 4.52 FIP with 67 strikeouts to 32 walks over 57 innings of relief in which he held opposing hitters to a .212 batting average.

Adams, Kirwin, and Steinbaugh signed with the Red Sox as undrafted free agents in February, April, and March, respectively. Adams, 24, posted a 5.08 ERA (5.48 FIP) with 59 strikeouts to 37 walks in 26 outings (six starts) spanning 79 2/3 innings for Greenville. Kirwin, also 24, produced a 3.63 ERA (3.65 FIP) with 69 strikeouts to 24 walks in 20 outings (five starts) spanning 69 1/3 innings for Salem. Steinbaugh, 25, was assigned to Salem from Greenville in early May and put up a 2.86 ERA (3.65 FIP) with 52 strikeouts to 19 walks in 20 appearances (one start) spanning 56 2/3 innings after that.

In addition to sending eight players, the Red Sox will be dispatching one coach and one athletic trainer to Arizona as well. Sean Isaac, who has served as Portland’s pitching coach in each of the last two seasons, was named to Mesa’s coaching staff under manager Andy Schatzley. Marissa Sciabarra, who has served as Boston’s Florida Complex League athletic trainer in each of the last two seasons, was named to the Solar Sox’ support staff.

The 2024 Arizona Fall League regular season begins on October 7 and runs through November 14. The annual Fall Stars game is scheduled for November 9 while the championship game will be held on November 16 at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale.

(Picture of Brooks Brannon: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox’ Kristian Campbell named Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year

Top Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell has been named Baseball America’s 2024 Minor League Player of the Year, the publication announced on Tuesday.

Campbell enjoyed a meteoric rise in his first full professional season after being selected by the Red Sox with the 132nd overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Georgia Tech. The 22-year-old was not ranked among Boston’s top 30 prospects by Baseball America to open the 2024 campaign and did not draw too much attention as a result.

After adding strength and overhauling his swing to better impact the baseball over the winter, Campbell broke camp with High-A Greenville this spring. The right-handed hitter batted .306/.418/.558 with 13 doubles, eight home runs, 25 RBIs, 29 runs scored, three stolen bases, 26 walks, and 47 strikeouts in 40 games (177 plate appearances) for the Drive. He was named the South Atlantic League Player of the Month for May and was promoted to Double-A Portland in early June.

In his next 56 games for the Sea Dogs, Campbell slashed a stout .362/.463/.582 with 17 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 35 RBIs, 48 runs scored, 17 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 38 strikeouts over 255 plate appearances. He was named the Eastern League Player of the Week twice (June 10-16, August 5-11) and the Eastern League Player of the Month for June before receiving another promotion to Triple-A Worcester in late August.

With the WooSox, Campbell hit .286/.412/.486 to go along with two doubles, four home runs, 17 RBIs, 17 runs scored, four stolen bases, 13 walks, and 18 strikeouts over 19 games (85 plate appearances). He suffered a left lat strain while running from home to first base on September 11 and was subsequently shut down for the remainder of Worcester’s season.

All told, Campbell finished 2024 with a .330/.439/.558 line in 115 total games (517 plate appearances) between Greenville, Portland, and Worcester. He doubled 32 times, tripled thrice, homered 20 times, drove in 77 runs, scored 94 runs, stole 24 bases, drew 74 walks, and struck out 103 times. His 180 wRC+ was the top mark in the minors this year, per Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes.

On the other side of the ball, Campbell saw playing time at four different positions at all three of his stops this season. The versatile 6-foot-3, 210-pounder logged 310 1/3 cumulative innings at second base, 298 2/3 innings at shortstop, 204 innings in center field, and 44 innings at third base. To that end, he was named the Sea Dogs’ Defensive Player of the Year.

“He’s the kind of guy who bought into the programming, bought into what he felt like he needed to improve and what we provided for him in terms of training and focus,” Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham said of Campbell when speaking with Pontes. “He added about 15 to 20 pounds of muscle and strength. When we talk about impacting the baseball, that’s a big thing.”

Campbell, who was also named 2024 Eastern League MVP on Tuesday, is now regarded by Baseball America as the No. 3 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 24 prospect in the sport. The Georgia native is joined by fellow Red Sox prospects Roman Anthony (No. 1), Marcelo Mayer (No. 10), Kyle Teel (No. 25), Braden Montgomery (No. 59), and Frankin Arias (No. 92) on Baseball America’s top 100 list.

“It just kind of all clicked at one time and happened this season pretty fast,” Campbell told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. “I think it caught me off guard and caught some other people off guard, but it’s been cool. It’s been happening fast but in a good way. I had a pretty good season, but it’s just a start. I’ve got to try to do it all again next year and the year after that.”

Campbell, who does not turn 23 until next June, has turned the Red Sox’ Big Three of Anthony, Mayer, and Teel into a Big Four. Unlike Anthony, Mayer, and Teel, though, Campbell hits from the right side of the plate. That distinction could help set him apart once he is deemed ready to contribute at the big-league level, which could come as soon as early 2025.

“It’s going to be interesting how we make it fit,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including MassLive.com’s Sean McAdam) in Toronto on Tuesday. “But (his bat) plays. And like I said before, right-handed hitters at Fenway are needed to create balance and change games. And he’s going to change games.”

(Picture of Kristian Campbell: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox power-hitting prospect Bryan Gonzalez named 2024 South Atlantic League All-Star

Red Sox power-hitting prospect Bryan Gonzalez has been named a 2024 South Atlantic League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Thursday.

Gonzalez, who celebrated his 23rd birthday earlier this week, put up impressive power numbers in his second season with High-A Greenville. The right-handed hitting slugger batted .272/.337/.508 with 13 doubles, two triples, a career-high 20 home runs, 59 RBIs, 58 runs scored, 15 stolen bases, 29 walks, and 115 strikeouts in 91 games (362 plate appearances) for the Drive.

With 31 home runs in 201 games for Greenville dating back to the start of the 2023 campaign, Gonzalez now sits atop the leaderboard for most career homers in Drive franchise history. The record was previously held by Chris Turner, who connected on 29 total big flies over 187 games for Boston’s South Atlantic League affiliate from 2005-2006.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, was among the top power threats at his level this season. Of the 132 qualified hitters in High-A, Gonzalez finished with the second-most home runs, the second-highest slugging percentage, the fourth-highest isolated power mark (.235), the sixth-highest OPS (.845), and the eighth-highest wRC+ (136). He also ranked 20th in batting average, 59th in on-base percentage, and 66th in speed score (5.9), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Gonzalez saw the majority of his playing time with Greenville this year come at first base. The burly 6-foot-1, 220-pounder made a team-leading 74 starts at first for the Drive and committed 14 errors in 537 chances. He also logged seven innings at third base, 22 innings in left field (where he recorded two outfield assists), and 88 innings in right field.

After Greenville’s season ended on September 8, Gonzalez and several of his teammates were promoted to Double-A Portland for the final week of the Eastern League regular season. He appeared in just two of the Sea Dogs’ six games against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Hadlock Field and went 0-for-2 with a strikeout as a pinch-hitter in both contests.

Gonzalez, who hails from the Dominican Republic, originally signed with the Red Sox for $500,000 as an international free agent coming out of Villa Mella in July 2018. Given the amount of swing-and-miss in his game, he is not currently regarded by publications such as SoxProspects.com as one of the top prospects in Boston’s farm system.

If Gonzalez, who is Rule 5-eligible this offseason, remains with the Red Sox through the winter, he is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland in 2025.

(Picture of Bryan Gonzalez: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Top Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell likely done for season after being placed on Triple-A Worcester’s injured list

The 2024 season is likely over for top Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell, who was placed on Triple-A Worcester’s 7-day injured list on Tuesday.

Campbell suffered a left lat strain while running from home to first in the third inning of Worcester’s 7-0 win over the Syracuse Mets at Polar Park last Wednesday. The 22-year-old has not been ruled out entirely in the event that the WooSox advance to the International League playoffs, but the Red Sox will err on the side of caution, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

“I think the most important thing for him right now is to go into the offseason fully healthy so he can train this winter,” Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham told Speier. “I think we need to be smart here. We’re going to make sure we’re thinking about the longer term and bigger picture versus the shorter term.

“We’re going to obviously trust our group and our staff and Kristian to see how he feels and go from there,” added Abraham, “but I would not be surprised if we end up taking the decision out of his hands and making sure that he’s healthy going into the offseason.”

Campbell, the 132nd overall pick in last year’s draft out of Georgia Tech, was not ranked as one of the Red Sox’ top 30 prospects by Baseball America or MLB Pipeline to begin his first full professional season. After working to add strength and bat speed to better impact the baseball over the winter, the right-handed hitter broke camp with High-A Greenville this spring and batted .306/.418/.558 with eight home runs and 25 RBIs in 40 games (177 plate appearances) before receiving a promotion to Double-A Portland in early June.

Playing alongside The Big Three of Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Kyle Teel in Portland, Campbell slashed .362/.463/.582 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs in 56 games (255 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs. He was then promoted again to Worcester on August 20 and posted a .286/.412/.486 line with four homers and 17 RBIs in 19 games (85 plate appearances) before being shut down this week.

So, between his three stops at Greenville, Portland, and Worcester, Campbell — nicknamed ‘Barry Bonds’ by his teammates — batted a stout .330/.439/.558 with 32 doubles, three triples, 20 home runs, 77 RBIs, 94 runs scored, 24 stolen bases, 74 walks, and 103 strikeouts in 115 games (517 plate appearances) this season. On the other side of the ball, the versatile 6-foot-3, 191-pounder started at least one game at four different positions. To that end, he was named the Sea Dogs Defensive Player of the Year. With the WooSox, he logged 100 innings at shortstop, 26 innings at third base, 19 innings in center field, and 14 innings at second base.

Campbell, who does not turn 23 until next June, is now regarded by Baseball America as the No. 3 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 24 prospect in the sport. MLB Pipeline has the Georgia native ranked as the Red Sox’ No. 5 prospect and the No. 74 prospect in baseball. Elsewhere, The Athletic’s Keith Law recently tabbed Campbell as his Prospect of the Year.

With the Red Sox already looking ahead to 2025, Campbell has positioned himself as a potential building block for the future alongside the left-handed hitting trio of Anthony, Mayer, and Teel. While that distinction alone may not exclude him from being involved in trade talks in the offseason, it seems as though he could be ready to contribute at the big-league level as early as next summer.

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

Red Sox sidearm prospect Isaac Coffey named Double-A Portland’s Pitcher of the Year

Red Sox pitching prospect Isaac Coffey has been named Double-A Portland’s Pitcher of the Year, the Sea Dogs announced prior to their season finale against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Hadlock Field on Sunday.

Coffey, 24, appeared in 24 games (made 21 starts) for the Sea Dogs this season. The sidearming right-hander posted a 3.17 ERA and 3.81 FIP with 148 strikeouts to 51 walks over a team-leading 113 2/3 innings of work. That includes a 1.42 ERA (2.59 FIP) with 56 strikeouts to eight walks in six outings (31 2/3 innings) after the calendar flipped from July to August.

Among 35 qualified pitchers at the Double-A level in 2024, Coffey ranked second in strikeouts per nine innings (11.72) and strikeout rate (30 percent), fifth in batting average against (.215), seventh in ERA, 11th in WHIP (1.23), 12th in FIP, and 14th in xFIP (3.90), per FanGraphs. While the strikeout numbers are impressive, Coffey also ranked 28th in walk rate (10.3 percent) and 29th in walks per nine innings (4.04) while hitting more batters (25) than anyone else at his level.

Coffey just put the finishing touches on his second full professional season after originally being selected by the Red Sox in the 10th round of the 2022 amateur draft out of Oral Roberts. The California native received a modest $7,500 signing bonus at that time and is now regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 58 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 30th among pitchers in the organization.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Coffey threw from a three-quarters arm slot as a two-way player in college but has since settled in as a sidearmer. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the athletic righty operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of an 88-90 mph fastball that tops out at 92 mph, a 76-78 mph changeup that is considered his best secondary offering, an 82-84 mph sweeping slider, and a newly-implemented cutter.

Should he remain with the Red Sox through the winter, Coffey — who does not turn 25 until next June — is projected by SoxProspects.com to make the jump to Triple-A Worcester in 2025. A lack of velocity limits his upside, but he still has intriguing potential moving forward.

(Picture of Isaac Coffey: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)