Tag: prospects

Who are Josue Brito and Angelo Ladera? Get to know the Red Sox’ Latin Program Position Player, Pitcher of the Year

As part of pre-game ceremonies on the field at Fenway Park last Friday night, the Red Sox recognized their seven minor-league award winners for the 2025 season. Among the honorees were the organization’s Latin Program Position Player of the Year, Josue Brito, and Latin Program Pitcher of the Year, Angelo Ladera.

Brito repeated the Dominican Summer League this season after originally signing with Boston for $20,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in January 2024. In 43 games for DSL Red Sox Blue, the right-handed hitting 18-year-old batted .284/.497/.606 with eight doubles, nine home runs, 30 RBIs, 31 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 41 walks, and 32 strikeouts over 157 plate appearances. That includes a .350/.552/.900 slash line against lefties and a .270/.484/.539 slash line against righties.

Among 304 qualified Dominican Summer League hitters in 2025, Brito ranked second in slugging percentage, OPS (1.103), isolated power (.321), and wOBA (.521), third in wRC+ (179), fifth in on-base percentage, sixth in walk rate (26.1 percent), 49th in line-drive rate (23.6 percent), and 95th in batting average, per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Brito saw playing time at four different positions this season. The 6-foot, 175-pounder logged 153 innings at first base, 86 innings in left field, 37 innings in right field (where he recorded two assists), and one-third of an inning at second base, committing two errors in 180 total chances. He also made one start at DH and converted his lone save opportunity in the process of making five scoreless relief appearances (3 2/3 innings) on the mound.

Like Brito, Ladera is 18 and hails from Venezuela. The 6-foot, 168-pound right-hander signed with Boston for just $10,000 as an international free agent in February and made his professional debut in June. In 12 regular-season outings (three starts) for DSL Red Sox Red, he forged a 2.20 ERA (3.70 FIP) with 36 strikeouts to 15 walks over 32 2/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .164 batting average. He tossed 3 2/3 scoreless frames in his lone start for DSL Red Sox Blue in the playoffs as well.

Among 293 pitchers who threw at least 30 regular-season innings in the Dominican Summer League this year, Ladera ranked eighth in batting average against, 24th in ERA, 27th in WHIP (1.01), 43rd in strikeout rate (27.9 percent), 49th in FIP, 56th in swinging-strike rate (17 percent), 76th in strikeouts per nine innings (9.92), and 85th in xFIP (4.12), per FanGraphs.

Neither Brito, who turns 19 in April, nor Ladera, who turns 19 next month, is currently ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com. They are both projected by the site to make their stateside debuts in the Florida Complex League in 2026.

(Picture of Fenway Park: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Is Red Sox IF prospect Yoeilin Cespedes primed to bounce back in 2026?

Earlier this month, Baseball America identified one prospect from each organization in need of a bounce-back 2026 season after a disappointing 2025.

Their pick from the Red Sox? Infielder Yoeilin Cespedes, who celebrated his 20th birthday on September 8.

Originally signed for $1.4 million as a highly-touted international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in January 2023, Cespedes made great strides to begin his professional career. Out of the gate, the Azua native was recognized as a Dominican Summer League All-Star and the Red Sox’ Minor League Latin Program Position Player of the Year. He followed that up by setting fire to the rookie-level Florida Complex League to kick off his 2024 campaign.

After batting .319/.400/.615 with five home runs and 24 RBIs in 25 FCL games, Cespedes received a promotion to Low-A Salem last June. Due to lingering soreness in his left hand, however, Cespedes was placed on the injured list before appearing in a game for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. He was then ultimately diagnosed with a broken hamate bone and underwent season-ending surgery in July as a result.

On the heels of a frustrating end to an otherwise promising first season stateside, Cespedes rehabbed through the winter and entered 2025 as Baseball America’s sixth-ranked Red Sox prospect. He broke camp with Salem in the spring and made his long-awaited Low-A debut in early April. In his first 70 games, he batted just .213/.264/.350 with 15 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 33 RBIs, 31 runs scored, six stolen bases, 21 walks, and 65 strikeouts over 303 plate appearances leading up to the MLB All-Star break in mid-July.

Coming out of the break on July 18, though, Cespedes began to produce more encouraging results. The aggressive right-handed hitter ended the year by slashing .252/.341/.424 with nine doubles, one triple, five home runs, 21 RBIs, 25 runs scored, five stolen bases, 20 walks, and 36 strikeouts in his final 40 games (174 plate appearances) for Salem.

Overall, Cespedes hit .227/.292/.376 with 24 doubles, five triples, 10 home runs, 54 RBIs, 56 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 41 walks, and 101 strikeouts over 110 games (477 plate appearances) as a 19-year-old in Low-A this season. That includes a .222/.292/.351 line in 381 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a .244/.292/.477 line in 96 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.

Among 47 qualified hitters in the Carolina League this year, Cespedes notably ranked first in pull rate (59.8 percent), seventh in isolated power (.150), eighth in line-drive rate (25.2 percent), ninth in fly-ball rate (42.6 percent), and 14th in slugging percentage, per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Cespedes saw all of his playing time on the field this season come at either second base or shortstop. The compact 5-foot-8, 181-pounder logged 773 2/3 innings at the former and 54 innings at the latter, committing 17 errors in 43o total chances. Interestingly, he did not play any shortstop after May 7. He also made 12 starts at DH.

Cespedes now finds himself ranked as Boston’s No. 14 prospect by Baseball America, which theorizes that he will “need to harness his bat-to-ball skills and ample bat speed more consistently” to take a step forward in 2026. Barring a trade or other surprise move this winter, he is expected to make the jump to High-A Greenville to start next season.

(Picture of Yoeilin Cespedes: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Former Red Sox prospect Cutter Coffey named 2025 Northwest League All-Star

Former Red Sox prospect Cutter Coffey has been named a 2025 Northwest League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Wednesday.

Coffey, one of three prospects traded by the Red Sox to the Blue Jays for veteran catcher Danny Jansen last July, spent the entirety of the 2025 season with Toronto’s High-A Vancouver affiliate. The right-handed hitting 21-year-old batted .273/.359/.427 with 26 doubles, 11 home runs, 62 RBIs, 68 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 47 walks, and 100 strikeouts over 99 games (440 plate appearances). That includes a .295/.404/.359 slash line against lefties and a .268/.347/.444 slash line against righties.

After taking home Northwest League Player of the Month honors for July, Coffey spent most of August on the injured list. The young infielder returned to action for Vancouver on Aug. 27 and picked up hits in six of his final nine games en route to being recognized as the Canadians’ 2025 Offensive Player of the Year.

Among 32 qualified hitters in the Northwest League this season, Coffey ranked fourth in line-drive rate (24.7 percent), eighth in batting average and wRC+ (118), ninth in slugging percentage, 10th in on-base percentage, OPS (.786), and wOBA (.361), and 14th in walk rate (10.7 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Coffey saw playing time at every infield position besides first base for the Canadians this year. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder logged 394 innings at third base, 282 innings at second base, and 41 innings at shortstop, committing nine errors in 233 total chances. He also made 16 starts at DH.

A California native, Coffey was originally selected by the Red Sox with the 41st overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Liberty High School and forwent his commitment to the University of Texas by signing for $1.85 million. He had already reached High-A Greenville before being dealt to the Blue Jays along with infielder Eddinson Paulino and right-hander Gilberto Batista in exchange for Jansen a few days ahead of the 2024 trade deadline last summer.

Coffey is currently ranked as Toronto’s No. 27 prospect by MLB Pipeline, which describes him as having “a future as a utility infielder who provides some thump off the bench” if he can “get the most of his tools.” He does not to be added to the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster for Rule 5 protection purposes until next winter.

Assuming he remains in the Blue Jays organization through this winter and into next spring, Coffey — with exactly 200 regular-season games at the High-A level under his belt — would seemingly be a prime candidate to open the 2026 campaign with Toronto’s Double-A affiliate in New Hampshire.

(Picture of Cutter Coffey: Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox OF prospect Justin Gonzales recognized as 2025 Carolina League All-Star

Red Sox outfield prospect Justin Gonzales has been named a 2025 Carolina League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Tuesday.

Gonzales spent most of his first season in the United States with Low-A Salem after making a brief one-game cameo in the rookie-level Florida Complex League in early May. From there, the right-handed hitting 18-year-old batted .298/.381/.423 with 23 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 27 RBIs, 45 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 52 strikeouts in 81 games (357 plate appearances) for the Red Sox.

Among 47 qualified hitters in the Carolina League, Gonzales ranked first in batting average, second in OPS (.804), wOBA (.394), and wRC+ (131), third in slugging percentage and strikeout rate (14.6 percent), sixth in on-base percentage, 14th in swinging-strike rate (10.3 percent), and 17th in isolated power (.125), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Gonzales saw playing time at all three outfield positions for Salem. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder logged 226 1/3 innings in center field, 192 innings in right field, and 127 2/3 innings in left field, recording two assists and committing four errors in 127 total defensive chances. He also made 16 starts at DH.

Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Gonzales originally signed with the Red Sox for $250,000 as an international free agent in January 2024. As part of an impressive professional debut last season, the Bani native was recognized as a Dominican Summer League All-Star and Boston’s Minor League Latin Program Position Player of the Year.

Roughly two weeks before Salem’s season ended, Gonzales received a promotion to High-A Greenville in late August. He ended the year by going 8-for-43 (.186) with four RBIs, five runs scored, one stolen base, four walks, and 11 strikeouts in 11 games for the Drive. Overall, he slashed .281/.363/.390 with 23 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 32 RBIs, 50 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 39 walks, and 65 strikeouts over 93 total games (410 plate appearances) between the FCL, Salem, and Greenville in 2025. That includes a .309/.420/.500 line against lefties and a .275/.350/.364 line against righties.

Gonzales, who turns 19 in December, is currently ranked as the No. 7 prospect in Boston’s farm system by MLB Pipeline. At the same time, Baseball America lists him at No. 12, while SoxProspects.com has him at No. 13. Barring a trade or other surprise move this winter, he will likely return to Greenville for the start of the 2026 minor-league season.

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

How did Henry Godbout, top position player drafted by Red Sox this summer, fare in professional debut?

Henry Godbout was the first of six position players drafted by the Red Sox over the summer. This article will examine how the 21-year-old infielder fared in his professional debut this season.

Godbout was taken out of Virginia with the 75th overall pick in the 2025 draft, which the Red Sox had received as compensation for losing qualified free agent Nick Pivetta to the Padres in free agency last winter. Fresh off earning Second Team All-ACC honors in his junior season with the Cavaliers, the New York native signed with Boston for an at-slot $1.0938 million on July 22.

“Really good instincts, really good action,” Red Sox director of amateur scouting Devin Pearson said of Godbout when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo) following the draft. “They shift a lot at Virginia, but he’s able to cover a lot of ground and has worked both sides of the [second base] bag. We’re betting on the athlete here to be able to do both.

“Makes a ton of contact,” Pearson continued, “super athletic and fits our development strengths in terms of being able to tap into some more power.

After putting pen to paper in Fort Myers, Fla., and spending the remainder of July at the Red Sox’ Fenway South complex, Godbout reported straight to High-A Greenville (as opposed to Low-A Salem) and made his pro debut at Fluor Field on August 6. The right-handed hitter then went 6-for-17 (.353) with three doubles, two RBIs, four runs scored, six walks, and three strikeouts in his first six games with the Drive before suffering a hamstring injury in Greensboro on August 14.

Following an 11-day stint on the injured list, Godbout returned to action on August 28 and closed out the season by going 9-for-27 (.333) with three doubles, three RBIs, two runs scored, one stolen base, three walks, and three strikeouts in his final seven games of the 2025 campaign as Greenville came up just short of qualifying for a spot in the South Atlantic League playoffs.

Overall, Godbout batted .341/.473/.477 with six doubles, five RBIs, six runs scored, one stolen base, nine walks, and six strikeouts in 13 games (55 plate appearances) for the Drive. That includes a .333/.455/.667 slash line against left-handed pitching and a .343/.477/.429 slash line against right-handed pitching.

It is a small sample size, but Godbout was one of 261 hitters to accrue at least 55 plate appearances in the South Atlantic League this year. Among those 261, he ranked third in batting average and on-base percentage, fourth in strikeout rate (10.9 percent), fifth in OPS (.950), wOBA (.452), and wRC+ (182), sixth in swinging-strike rate (5.6 percent), 14th in slugging percentage, 21st in walk rate (16.4 percent), 76th in isolated power (.136), and 85th in line-drive rate (23.7 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Godbout unsurprisingly split his playing time with Greenville between second base and shortstop. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder logged 55 innings at second and 22 innings at short without committing a single error in 19 total chances. He also made three starts at DH.

On the heels of making a positive first impression in his pro debut, Godbout is already regarded among the top prospects in Boston’s farm system by numerous outlets. He is ranked No. 19 by MLB Pipeline, No. 21 by Baseball America, and No. 23 by SoxProspects.com, respectively.

Godbout, who turns 22 in November, is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Greenville for the start of the 2026 season. With a full offseason of developmental opportunities ahead of him, he could emerge as an even more intriguing prospect as well as a quick riser within the organization next year.

(Picture of Henry Godbout: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

3 Red Sox prospects crack Baseball America’s 2025 Dominican Summer League rankings

Late last week, Baseball America’s Josh Norris ranked the top 35 prospects who played in the Dominican Summer League in 2025.

Of those 35, three members of the Red Sox organization made the cut, with infielders Dorian Soto and Jhorman Bravo coming in at No. 8 and No. 26 and catcher Franklin Primera coming in at No. 33.

Soto, 17, received the highest bonus ($1.4 million) of any international free agent the Red Sox signed this year and is currently ranked by Baseball America as the club’s No. 10 prospect. The switch-hitting Dominican-born infielder put pen to paper in January and made his professional debut in June. He then batted .307/.362/.428 (104 wRC+) with 10 doubles, two home runs, 18 RBIs, 27 runs scored, one stolen base, 16 walks, and 28 strikeouts in 47 games (186 plate appearances) between Boston’s two DSL affiliates.

Though he was named a DSL All-Star in July, Soto did not play in the All-Star Game itself due to a wrist injury that ultimately “quieted his performance down the stretch.” Before that, Norris noted, he “showed an exciting blend of hittability, power, and remaining projection.”

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, Soto saw playing time at every infield position besides first base this year, logging 230 2/3 innings at shortstop, 42 2/3 innings at third base, and two innings at second base. He committed nine errors in 133 total defensive chances between those three spots and also made seven starts at DH.

“He’s a tall, lanky player with plenty of room for strength on his frame,” Norris wrote of Soto. “The added bulk might push him to third base, but he has plenty of arm strength for the position and should have the requisite power, as well.”

Bravo, also 17, signed with Boston for $150,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in January, but did not generate nearly as much buzz as Soto. In 34 games for DSL Red Sox Red, the left-handed hitter slashed .241/.328/.664 (77 wRC+) with one double, two triples, two home runs, 14 RBIs, 21 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 16 walks, and nine strikeouts over 134 plate appearances. He did not play after July 31 due to an unspecified injury.

Defensively, Bravo — like Soto — made at least one start at every infield position besides first base this season. The 6-foot-1, 176-pounder logged 106 innings at shortstop, 73 1/3 innings at second base, and 40 1/3 innings at third base, committing six errors in 105 chances. He also made three starts at DH.

As noted by Norris, Bravo’s offensive numbers do not necessarily jump off the page, “but scouts across the league raved about his skills and the foundation they set for the future.

“He has the chops not only to stick at shortstop, but to excel at the position,” Norris continued. “Some scouts grade his defense as nearly double-plus thanks to strong instincts, a stellar internal clock, and more than enough arm for the left side that includes a quick release and plenty of accuracy.”

Primera, meanwhile, was signed for just $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela last September. In his professional debut this season, the right-handed hitting 18-year-old batted .333/.465/.430 (144 wRC+) with 10 doubles, one home run, 27 RBIs, 33 runs scored, two stolen bases, 25 walks, and 15 strikeouts over 45 games (172 plate appearances) for DSL Red Sox Red. He was a late addition to the American League’s DSL All-Star roster in July but homered in his first at-bat to take home All-Star Game co-MVP honors.

“Overall, though, the most intriguing part of Primera’s offensive game revolves around his bat-to-ball skills,” Norris wrote. “He rarely swung and missed and did a fine job laying off pitches out of the strike zone. His game power is mostly gap-to-gap, and he’ll need to add some strength as he gets older. Scouts are bullish that he can make that necessity a reality.”

On the other side of the ball, Primera made 39 starts behind the plate for DSL Red Sox Red. The 6-foot, 179-pound backstop threw out 26 of 111 possible base stealers while allowing five passed balls and committing eight errors in 300 total chances. He also made six starts at DH.

“Primera also earns high marks for his defense, including above-average to plus grades for his receiving and arm strength,” added Norris. “He has the floor of a backup catcher in the big leagues with the upside for a bit more.”

It is still early, and plenty can change between now and then. Still, looking ahead to next season, all three of Soto, Bravo, and Primera could be in line to take the next step in their professional journeys by making their stateside debuts in the Florida Complex League.

(Picture of Dorian Soto via his Instagram)

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 OF prospect Anderson Fermin named 2025 Florida Complex League All-Star

Red Sox outfield prospect Anderson Fermin has been named a 2025 Florida Complex League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Thursday.

Fermin, who turns 19 next week, is not currently regarded among Boston’s premier prospects by publications such as Baseball America or MLB Pipeline. At the same time, SoxProspects.com has the teenager ranked 57th on its top 60 list.

Signed for $400,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic last January, Fermin made his stateside debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League this season after taking home 2024 Dominican Summer League All-Star honors in his first taste of pro ball. Coming off that showing, the switch-hitting speedster batted .283/.454/.377 with seven doubles, three triples, 14 RBIs, 32 runs scored, a team-leading 25 stolen bases, 42 walks, and 35 strikeouts in 48 games (185 plate appearances) for the FCL Red Sox.

Among 65 qualified FCL hitters this year, Fermin ranked first in walk rate (22.7 percent), third in on-base percentage, fourth in wOBA (.428), fifth in speed score (8.6), seventh in batting average and swinging-strike rate (10.4 percent), eighth in OPS (.831) and wRC+ (138), 17th in slugging percentage, 19th in strikeout rate (18.9 percent), and 30th in line-drive rate (19.2 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Fermin saw playing time at all three outfield spots with the FCL Red Sox. The athletic 5-foot-11, 174-pounder logged 182 2/3 innings in center field, 89 innings in left field, and 57 innings in right field, recording two assists and committing just one error in 73 total chances. He also made four starts at DH and played shortstop on the amateur circuit.

Following the conclusion of the FCL season in late July, Fermin remained in Fort Myers before receiving a promotion to Low-A Salem on Tuesday. He made his full-season debut in Wednesday’s 5-1 loss to Kannapolis, going 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts while playing eight clean innings in right field.

(Picture of Anderson Fermin: 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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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