Tag: red sox

Red Sox promote hard-hitting prospect Kristian Campbell to Double-A Portland

With Matthew Lugo making the jump to Triple-A Worcester, the Red Sox are promoting fellow prospect Kristian Campbell from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Campbell, who turns 22 later this month, is enjoying a productive first full season in pro ball after being drafted by the Red Sox out of Georgia Tech last summer. 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 over 40 games (177 plate appearances) for the Drive to begin the 2024 campaign.

Among 70 qualified hitters in the South Atlantic League, Campbell ranks seventh in batting average and total bases (82), third in on-base percentage and extra-base hits (21), second in slugging percentage, first in OPS (.976), fourth in isolated power (.252), and 15th in walk rate (14.7 percent), per MiLB.com’s leaderboards.

Defensively, Campbell has mainly split his playing time this season between second base and center field. The versatile 6-foot-3, 191-pounder did not commit an error at either position with Greenville and made one start at third base. He has prior experience at both corner outfield spots as well.

A Georgia native himself, Campbell was taken by the Red Sox with the 132nd overall selection in the 2023 amateur draft. That was the same pick the club received as compensation for losing Xander Bogaerts to the Padres in free agency the previous winter.

Campbell signed with the Red Sox for $492,700 last July and, after a brief stop in the Florida Complex League, played a pivotal role in Greenville taking home the 2023 South Atlantic League title. The 21-year-old spent most of this past offseason in Fort Myers and drew plenty of praise during spring training thanks in part to displaying eye-popping exit velocity at the plate. To that end, he is currently ranked by Baseball America as the No. 30 prospect in Boston’s farm system.

As is the case with Lugo in Worcester, it should be interesting to see how Campbell adjusts to more advanced competition in Portland. He nonetheless joins a stacked Sea Dogs roster that — at the moment — includes the likes of Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kyle Teel, Luis Perales, Wikelman Gonzalez, Nick Yorke, and Eddinson Paulino, among others.

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

Red Sox promote prospect Matthew Lugo to Triple-A Worcester amid bounce-back season

The Red Sox are promoting outfield prospect Matthew Lugo from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Lugo, 23, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 50 prospect in Boston’s farm system after beginning the year unranked. The right-handed hitter batted a stout .315/.405/.664 with 10 doubles, four triples, 11 home runs, 35 RBIs, 27 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 20 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 43 games (171 plate appearances) for Portland this season.

Among 88 qualified hitters in the Eastern League, Lugo leads the way in total bases (97), batting average, slugging percentage, OPS (1.069), and isolated power (.349). He also ranks fifth in on-base percentage, 31st in walk rate (11.7 percent), and 28th in strikeout rate (21.1 percent), per MiLB.com’s leaderboards.

Defensively, Lugo has seen the majority of his playing time this season come in left field, where he has committed two errors and has recorded two outfield assists over 318 innings. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder has also made one start in center field and has prior experience at every infield position besides first base.

A former 2019 second-round draft selection out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico, Lugo was trending in the wrong direction coming into the 2024 campaign. He was ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox’ No. 18 prospect around this time last year after receiving a non-roster invite to major-league spring training. But he struggled to a .242/.297/.381 slash line over 83 games (318 plate appearances) with Portland in 2023 and saw his stock plummet as a result.

As noted by Speier, though, Lugo worked diligently this past offseason to improve his approach at the plate. Those efforts have seemingly paid off thus far, as Lugo has nearly doubled his walk rate from last year while lowering his strikeout rate by almost six percent. With that, it will be fascinating to see how Lugo fares against more advanced pitching in Triple-A.

Lugo, who just turned 23 last month, is likely to see time in both the infield and outfield with Worcester, according to Speier. He can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this winter, so this promotion should serve as a new challenge of sorts while the Red Sox determine what kind of role he will play in the organization moving forward.

(Picture of Matthew Lugo: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox pitching prospect Richard Fitts flirts with perfection in latest start for Triple-A Worcester

Red Sox pitching prospect Richard Fitts flirted with perfection in his latest start for Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday night.

Going up against the Charlotte Knights on the road at Truist Field, Fitts retired the first 21 batters he faced through seven perfect innings before surrendering a leadoff single to Oscar Colas in the bottom of the eighth. The right-hander was then relieved by lefty Lucas Luetge, who allowed Colas and an additional runner to score as a result of a two-out throwing error committed by shortstop Nick Sogard.

As such, neither Fitts nor Luetge were charged with earned runs. Instead, Fitts ended the night having only allowed one unearned run on one hit and zero walks to go along with seven strikeouts over seven-plus dominant innings. The 24-year-old threw 82 pitches (65 strikes) and elicited 15 swings-and-misses. He averaged 94.4 mph and topped out at 96.3 mph with his four-seam fastball while also mixing in a mid-80s slider and changeup, per Baseball Savant.

Fitts ultimately notched the winning decision on Wednesday as the WooSox defeated the Knights by a final score of 5-2 to snap a six-game losing streak. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound hurler is now 4-1 with a 3.72 ERA and 41 strikeouts to 15 walks in 10 outings (nine starts) spanning 48 1/3 innings for Worcester this season. Opposing hitters are batting .246 against him.

Among 33 qualified International League pitchers coming into play on Thursday, Fitts ranks ninth in walks per nine innings (2.79), 10th in walk rate (7.4 percent), seventh in batting average against, eighth in WHIP (1.22), 13th in swinging-strike rate (11.7 percent), seventh in ERA, and third in FIP (3.65), according to FanGraphs.

One of three pitchers acquired from the Yankees in last December’s Alex Verdugo trade, Fitts is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 7 prospect in the Red Sox’ farm system. That ranks second among pitchers in the organization behind only fellow righty Wikelman Gonzalez.

Fitts was originally selected by the Yankees in the sixth round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Auburn. The Alabama native signed with New York for $346,800 the following March and made his professional debut in the Florida State League. He earned 2023 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year honors after posting a 3.48 ERA in 27 starts (152 2/3 innings) for Double-A Somerset last season.

When he was dealt from New York to Boston alongside Greg Weissert and Nicholas Judice over the winter, Fitts was attending a facility Christmas party at Tinsley Performance in Pelham, Ala. Garrett Whitlock and Cooper Criswell, who later signed with the Red Sox as a free agent, were on hand as well. The three righties spent the rest of the offseason throwing together before reporting to spring training.

Unlike Whitlock and Criswell, though, Fitts was not at big-league camp in Fort Myers and is not currently on Boston’s 40-man roster. With that being said, Fitts can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time later this year, meaning he would need to be added to the 40-man by the November protection deadline if the Red Sox do not want to risk losing him.

Fitts, who does not turn 25 until December, could be added to the 40-man roster before then if he makes his major league debut at some point later this season. That is a legitimate possibility if the need for a starter arises, as he represents one of the top rotation depth options the Red Sox have available to them in Worcester.

(Picture of Richard Fitts: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox promote prospects Jhostynxon Garcia, Jedixson Paez to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia and right-hander Jedixson Paez from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Garcia and Paez are currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as the Nos. 35 and 47 prospects in Boston’s farm system. The pair of Venezuelans originally signed with the Red Sox as international free agents in July 2019 and January 2021, respectively.

Garcia, 21, batted .258/.365/.517 with six doubles, one triple, a team-leading five home runs, 19 RBIs, 20 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 15 walks, and 25 strikeouts over 24 games (104 plate appearances) for Salem to begin the 2024 season. The right-handed hitter was sidelined for over two weeks (from late April through early May) with a left hamstring strain but still maintained his status as one of the Red Sox’ top power threats upon returning to action.

Among 109 Carolina League hitters who have made at least 100 trips to the plate this year, Garcia ranks 21st in walk rate (14.4 percent), 34th in batting average, 28th in on-base percentage, fourth in slugging percentage and OPS (.882), first in isolated power (.258), third in speed score (8.2), and sixth in wRC+ (152), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Garcia made 12 starts in center field and nine starts in right field for Salem. The 6-foot, 163-pounder committed one error and recorded one outfield assist (both from center) in 39 total defensive chances between the two spots. He has past experience in left field as well.

Garcia, who does not turn 22 until December, will join an outfield mix in Greenville that already includes the likes of Allan Castro, Kristian Campbell, Miguel Ugueto, and Bryan Gonzalez. He should provide the Drive with additional depth in the absences of Juan Chacon and Caden Rose, who are both currently on the 7-day injured list.

Paez, meanwhile, posted a 2.53 ERA (2.28 FIP) with 35 strikeouts to four walks in seven appearances (five starts) spanning 32 innings for Salem this season. The 20-year-old righty was used as a bulk reliever in his last two times out and went four innings in each outing, allowing a total of three runs (two earned) on 11 hits, one walk, and five punchouts.

Among 48 pitchers in the Carolina League who have accrued at least 30 innings this year, Paez ranks 16th in strikeouts per nine innings (9.84), third in walks per nine innings (1.13), walk rate (3 percent), and swinging-strike rate (16.7 percent), 18th in strikeout rate (26.5 percent), 14th in groundball rate (47.2 percent), ninth in ERA, and second in FIP and xFIP (.251), per FanGraphs. He also leads that group with a .380 batting average on balls put in play, which suggests that the defense behind him has struggled at times.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, Paez throws from a three-quarters arm slot and has some effort in his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the young hurler operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of an 89-91 mph fastball that tops out at 92 mph, a 76-79 mph curveball, and an 82-84 mph changeup.

Paez, who does not turn 21 until next January, is slated to join a rotation mix in Greenville that includes the likes of the recently-activated Yordanny Monegro, Dalton Rogers, Juan Daniel Encarnacion, Cooper Adams, Connelly Early, and Hayden Mullins.

(Picture of Jedixson Paez: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote infield prospect Tyler Miller to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox are promoting corner infield prospect Tyler Miller from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, according to Chase Ford of MiLB Central.

Miller, 24, had been with Greenville since the start of the 2023 season. In his first 36 games this year, the left-handed hitter batted .275/.321/.450 with nine doubles, one triple, four home runs, 17 RBIs, 16 runs scored, nine walks, and 28 strikeouts over 140 plate appearances for the Drive. He slashed .313/.365/.552 against right-handed pitching and just .171/.194/.171 against lefties.

Among 78 qualified hitters in the South Atlantic League this season, Miller ranks 23rd in strikeout rate (20 percent) and OPS (.771), 17th in batting average and slugging percentage, 21st in isolated power (.176), 20th in line-drive rate (26 percent), 28th in swinging-strike rate (10.7 percent), and 30th in wRC+ (119), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Miller has primarily split his playing time between first and third base in 2024. With Greenville, the 6-foot-1, 193-pounder made 18 starts at first and 16 at the hot corner while committing six errors in 211 total defensive chances. He also has limited experience at all three outfield spots.

Miller was originally selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Auburn. The Alabama native signed for $157,800 that July and has since posted a slash line of .252/.313/.400 with 29 homers and 61 RBIs in 268 career games (1,106 plate appearances) across three different minor-league levels. He is not currently viewed by SoxProspects.com as one of the top 60 prospects in Boston’s farm system.

By making the jump to Portland, Miller should provide the Sea Dogs with additional depth at first and third base in the absence of Blaze Jordan, who has been sidelined since May 12 after fracturing his left ring finger on a play at the plate. Besides Jordan, Alex Binelas has been the only Sea Dogs player to log innings at both corner infield positions this year.

Miller, who does not turn 25 until December, is the first position player from Greenville’s 2024 Opening Day roster to receive a promotion to Portland. As noted by SoxProspects.com’s Chris Hatfield, it appears as though the Red Sox opened a spot for Miller on the Sea Dogs’ roster by releasing reliever Cody Scroggins.

(Picture of Tyler Miller: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote pitching prospect Zach Penrod to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox are promoting pitching prospect Zach Penrod from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by Josh Ball of Beyond the Monster.

Penrod has not officially been added to Worcester’s roster yet but was at Polar Park for Saturday’s 9-5 loss to the Norfolk Tides. The 26-year-old left-hander last pitched for Portland on Friday, allowing four earned runs on five hits, one walk, two hit batsmen and nine strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings in Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Hartford Yard Goats at Hadlock Field. He threw 90 pitches (59 strikes) and elicited 17 swings-and-misses.

The reigning Eastern League Pitcher of the Week, Penrod posted a 2.80 ERA and 2.81 FIP with 53 strikeouts to 13 walks in seven starts (35 1/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs this season. He has struck out 29 of the last 69 batters he has faced dating back to May 12.

Among 38 qualified Eastern League pitchers coming into play on Saturday, Penrod ranked first in strikeouts per nine innings (13.5), swinging-strike rate (17.2 percent), and xFIP (2.72), second in strikeout rate (37.1 percent), fourth in batting average against (.183) and FIP, sixth in WHIP (1.02), and 13th in ERA, per FanGraphs.

Penrod, who turns 27 next month, is in his first full season with the Red Sox organization after signing with the club out of the independent Pioneer League last August. The Idaho native had past experience in affiliated ball after originally going pro with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent out of Division II Northwest Nazarene University in 2018. He pitched in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League that summer but underwent Tommy John surgery the following April and was ultimately released by Texas at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020.

After spending the better part of three seasons (2021-2023) bouncing around the Pioneer League, Penrod latched on with the Red Sox last summer and reported to High-A Greenville. He pitched to a 2.18 ERA in four starts (20 2/3 innings) down the stretch and helped the Drive win a South Atlantic League title before heading out west and earning All-Star honors in the Arizona Fall League.

Altogether, Penrod has compiled a 2.57 ERA (3.26 FIP) with 73 strikeouts to 24 walks in 11 starts (56 innings) between Greenville and Portland. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 29 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 12th among pitchers in the organization.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Penrod throws from a three-quarters arm slot. As noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall, the southpaw operates with a 94-95 mph fastball that has topped out at 97 mph, an 85-88 mph changeup, and an 84-87 mph slider.

With this promotion to Worcester, Penrod is now just one call away from the major-leagues. In the interim, he will join a WooSox starting rotation that –at the moment — includes the likes of righties Richard Fitts, Grant Gambrell, Jason Alexander, Josh Winckowski, and Naoyuki Uwasawa.

(Picture of Zach Penrod: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote top pitching prospect Luis Perales to Double-A Portland

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

Perales, 21, is coming off one of the best starts of his young career in his last time out against the Greensboro Grasshoppers on Tuesday. The right-hander allowed only one hit and two walks to go along with a season-high 12 strikeouts over five scoreless innings. He threw 81 pitches (49 strikes) and induced 26 swings-and-misses.

On the 2024 campaign as a whole, Perales has posted a 3.42 ERA and 1.98 FIP with 46 strikeouts to 10 walks across seven starts (26 1/3 innings) for Greenville. He missed some time last month due to side soreness but has impressed since returning to the mound, pitching to a 2.11 ERA (1.97 FIP) with 39 punchouts to eight walks over his last five outings (21 1/3 innings) dating back to April 27.

Among 60 pitchers in the South Atlantic League who came into play Wednesday with at least 25 innings under their belts this season, Perales ranked first in strikeouts per nine innings (15.72), strikeout rate (39.7 percent), and swinging-strike rate (20.7 percent), per FanGraphs. He also led the pack in batting average on balls put in play (.474), which suggests that the defense behind him has been lacking at times.

In addition to the gaudy strikeout numbers, Perales has also given up fewer walks and has induced softer contact. As The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier recently noted, Perales has cut down his walk rate from 12.7 percent last year to 8.6 percent this year while elevating his groundball rate from around 30 percent to 47.3 percent.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 160 pounds, Perales throws from a high three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-to-high leg kick into his delivery. The righty primarily operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a high-90s fastball that tops out at 98-99 mph, a low-90s cutter, a low-80s changeup, and a mid-80s slider.

Perales, who does not turn 22 until next April, originally signed with the Red Sox for $75,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in July 2019. Alongside fellow countryman Wikelman Gonzalez, Perales was added to the club’s 40-man roster over the winter to receive protection from the Rule 5 Draft. He is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 9 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks third among pitchers in the organization behind fellow righties Gonzalez and Richard Fitts.

In Portland, Perales is slated to join a starting rotation that — for the time being — includes the likes of Gonzalez, Angel Bastardo, Isaac Coffey, Zach Penrod, Helcris Olivarez, and Hunter Dobbins. If any of these arms were to make the jump to Triple-A Worcester to accommodate the addition of Perales, Penrod would seemingly be a prime candidate.

(Picture of Luis Perales: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Zach Penrod named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox pitching prospect Zach Penrod has been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 13-19, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Penrod takes home the honor after impressing in his latest start for Double-A Portland this past Saturday. As part of a 2-1 win over the Somerset Patriots, the 26-year-old left-hander allowed just one earned run on one hit, three walks, and 10 strikeouts across six quality innings of work.

Penrod retired the first 14 batters he faced at TD Bank Ballpark before issuing a two-out walk in the bottom of the fifth inning. He then gave up a leadoff single and issued two more walks to fill the bases with no outs in the sixth. Somerset pushed across one run on a sacrifice fly, but Penrod escaped any further damage by inducing back-to-back flyouts to get out of the jam and end his night on a more encouraging note.

Finishing with 90 pitches (59 strikes), Penrod recorded 25 swings-and-misses en route to earning the winning decision. The lefty is now 3-0 with a 2.10 ERA (2.95 FIP) and 44 strikeouts to 12 walks over six starts (30 innings) for Portland this season. He has put up those numbers while holding opposing hitters to a .173 batting average against.

Among 38 qualified pitchers in the Eastern League to this point in the year, Penrod ranks first in strikeouts per nine innings (13.2), swinging-strike rate (17.1 percent), and xFIP (2.59), second in strikeout rate (37.3 percent), third in batting average against, fourth in WHIP (1.00), fifth in ERA, and ninth in FIP, per FanGraphs.

Penrod, who turns 27 next month, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 29 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 12th among pitchers in the organization. The Red Sox originally signed the Idaho native out of the independent Pioneer League last August. He had previous experience in affiliated ball after signing with the Rangers as an undrafted free agent out of Division II Northwest Nazarene University in 2018, but has really put himself on the map this time around.

Since making his organizational debut nine months ago, Penrod has compiled a 2.13 ERA and 3.39 FIP with 64 strikeouts to 23 walks in 10 starts (50 2/3 innings) between High-A Greenville and Portland. He helped the Drive win the South Atlantic League championship last September and was then recognized as an All-Star in the 2023 Arizona Fall League.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Penrod throws from a three-quarters arm slot. As noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall, the southpaw operates with a 94-95 mph fastball that has topped out at 97 mph, an 85-88 mph changeup, and an 84-87 mph slider.

Given the success he has enjoyed with Portland so far this season, it certainly seems as though Penrod could be nearing a promotion to Triple-A Worcester. There are some questions about what role (starter or multi-inning reliever) he is best suited for moving forward, but he has nonetheless emerged as an intriguing within the system.

(Picture of Zach Penrod: Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)

Red Sox prospect Blaze Jordan ‘expected to miss multiple weeks’ with fractured finger

Red Sox corner infield prospect Blaze Jordan is “expected to miss multiple weeks” after fracturing his left ring finger over the weekend, the club’s director of player development Brian Abraham told The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Jordan suffered the injury in the first inning of Double-A Portland’s 10-7 loss to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Hadlock Field on Saturday afternoon. After drawing a two-out walk, the 21-year-old attempted to score from first on a Nick Yorke double. He was instead thrown out at home and fractured his finger while extending his left hand towards the plate.

Though he was taken out of the game and carted off the field, Jordan offered an optimistic take on the injury after the fact by tweeting “We’ll be back” with a heart emoji. He was placed on Portland’s 7-day injured list on Sunday but a more precise timetable for his return has not yet been revealed.

Jordan had been riding a 17-game hitting streak coming into play on Saturday, so this development certainly comes at an inopportune time. On the 2024 season as a whole, the right-handed hitter has batted .283/.342/.414 with seven doubles, two home runs, 16 RBIs, 12 runs scored, six walks, and 11 strikeouts in 26 games (111 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

Among qualified hitters in the Eastern League to this point in the year, Jordan boasts the lowest strikeout rate at 9.9 percent. He also ranks 17th in batting average, 37th in on-base percentage, 28th in slugging percentage, 33rd in OPS (.756), 21st in swinging-strike rate (9.9 percent), and 34th in wRC+ (116), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Jordan has unsurprisingly split time between first and third base with Portland this season. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder has made nine starts at the former and 14 starts at the latter, committing a total of three errors in 97 defensive chances. He has also started three games at designated hitter.

A former third-round draft selection coming out of DeSoto Central High School in 2020, Jordan is currently ranked by Baseball America as the No. 17 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The Mississippi native can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time in his career later this year if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the protection deadline in November.

(Picture of Blaze Jordan: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox’ Juan Daniel Encarnacion named South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox pitching prospect Juan Daniel Encarnacion has been named the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 6-12, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

It is a well-deserved honor for Encarnacion, who was not even lined up to start for High-A Greenville this past Saturday. He was instead thrown into the fire after the Drive’s scheduled starter, David Sandlin, was scratched late due to forearm soreness.

In Sandlin’s place, Encarnacion spun a gem against the Hickory Crawdads at Fluor Field on short notice. The right-hander yielded zero hits, one walk, and one hit batsman to go along with six strikeouts over five scoreless innings of work. He retired the first 13 batters he faced before running into some trouble in the top of the fifth.

After plunking Quincy Scott and issuing a one-out walk to Konner Piotto, Encarnacion got Benjamin Blackwell to ground out and Yosy Galan to pop out, thus extinguishing the threat. The 23-year-old hurler finished with 64 pitches (46 strikes) and induced 16 swings-and-misses but did not factor into the decision as Greenville ultimately fell to Hickory by a final score of 3-2.

Encarnacion now owns a 3.27 ERA and 3.26 FIP with 31 strikeouts to eight walks in five starts (22 innings) for the Drive this season. Among 60 pitchers in the South Atlantic League who have accrued at least 20 innings on the mound, Encarnacion ranks sixth in strikeouts per nine innings (12.68), 22nd in walks per nine innings (3.27), eighth in strikeout rate (33.3), 20th in walk rate (8.6 percent), 24th in batting average against (.207), 24th in WHIP (1.14), second in swinging-strike rate (17.3 percent), 25th in ERA, 17th in FIP, and 18th in xFIP (3.38), per FanGraphs.

A former international free agent who signed with the Red Sox for $40,000 in September 2018, Encarnacion has spent parts of the last three seasons (2022-2024) at the High-A level. The San Pedro de Macoris native struggled to a 6.32 ERA (6.05 FIP) across 99 2/3 innings for Greenville last year, so the results he has produced so far in 2024 are certainly encouraging.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and 173 pounds, Encarnacion throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the lanky righty operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 95 mph, an 85-87 mph slider that features 10-to-4 break, and an 89-91 mph changeup.

Encarnacion, who does not turn 24 until next March, is not currently ranked by publications such as SoxProspects.com as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. He could, however, emerge as a candidate for a promotion to Double-A Portland before long if he continues to impress for Greenville.

(Picture of Juan Daniel Encarnacion: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)