Tag: salem red sox

Red Sox OF prospect Justin Gonzales recognized as Carolina League Player of the Week

Red Sox outfield prospect Justin Gonzales has been named the Carolina League Player of the Week for the week of June 30-July 6, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Gonzales appeared in five of Low-A Salem’s six games against Lynchburg on the road last week. The right-handed hitting 18-year-old went 8-for-20 (.400) with three doubles, one home run, four RBIs, three runs scored, two stolen bases, three walks, and three strikeouts. He drew one walk on Tuesday, homered as part of a three-hit effort on Wednesday, did not play on Thursday, singled on Friday, doubled and drove in one run on Saturday, and doubled twice in Sunday’s series finale.

Now riding a four-game hitting streak, Gonzales is batting .273/.383/.376 with nine doubles, one triple, two home runs, 15 RBIs, 24 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 24 walks, and 30 strikeouts in 45 games (196 plate appearances) for Salem this season. That includes a .246/.356/.304 slash line against righties and a far more favorable .407/.515/.741 slash line against lefties.

Among 89 Carolina League hitters who have made at least 190 trips to the plate this year, Gonzales ranks 11th in batting average and on-base percentage, 14th in strikeout rate (15.3 percent), 16th in wOBA (.378), 17th in OPS (.758), 19th in wRC+ (122), 27th in slugging percentage, and 33rd in walk rate (12.2 percent) and swinging-strike rate (10.5 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Gonzales has seen playing time at all three outfield spots for Salem. The hulking 6-foot-4, 220-pounder has logged a team-leading 226 1/3 innings in center field, 61 innings in right field, and 15 2/3 innings in left field, recording one outfield assist and committing three errors in 74 total defensive chances. He has also made nine starts at DH and has prior experience at first base.

Originally signed out of the Dominican Republic for $250,000 in January 2024, Gonzales is currently regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 16 prospect. The Bani native burst onto the scene in his professional debut last season, most notably earning Dominican Summer League All-Star and Red Sox Minor League Latin Program Position Player of the Year honors. He stood out in his first stateside spring training and made the jump to Salem on May 6 after just one game in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.

“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 in early May. “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.”

Gonzales, who does not turn 19 until December, could emerge as an intriguing candidate to be moved in the coming weeks if the Red Sox elect to be aggressive ahead of the trade deadline at the end of the month. Assuming he remains in the organization, though, it should be worthwhile to see if Gonzales can aggressively work his way up to High-A Greenville at some point in the second half.

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

Red Sox promote pitching prospect acquired in offseason trade to Low-A Salem

The Red Sox have promoted rising pitching prospect Yhoiker Fajardo from the Florida Complex League to Low-A Salem, according to the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Fajardo was among the top arms in the Florida Complex League to begin the 2025 season. In six appearances (four starts) for the FCL Red Sox, the 18-year-old right-hander posted a 0.44 ERA and 2.71 FIP with 24 strikeouts to seven walks over 20 2/3 innings pitched. Opposing hitters batted just .134 against him.

Coming into play on Tuesday, Fajardo was one of 41 pitchers to have thrown at least 20 innings in the FCL so far this year. Among those 41, he ranked first in ERA, FIP, and line-drive rate (2.3 percent), second in batting average against and WHIP (0.77), sixth in strikeout rate (31.6 percent), seventh in xFIP (3.53), 10th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.45), 12th in groundball rate (51.2 percent), and 16th in walks per nine innings (3.05), per FanGraphs.

Fajardo was acquired by the Red Sox from the White Sox for left-handed reliever Cam Booser in December. The native Venezuelan originally signed with Chicago for $400,000 as an international free agent coming out of Villa de Cura last February. He enjoyed a strong professional debut in the Dominican Summer League that culminated in him being recognized as a 2024 DSL All-Star.

Upon switching organizations for the first time in his career over the winter, Fajardo entered the 2025 campaign ranked by both Baseball America and SoxProspects.com as the No. 40 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The projectable 6-foot-3, 181-pound righty throws from a three-quarters arm slot and currently operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a mid-90s fastball (topped out at 97.4 mph with it last Friday), a low-80s slider, and a high-80s changeup, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

It is unclear when Fajardo, who does not turn 19 until October, will make his full-season debut for Salem. Still, with another young arm in the Red Sox pitching pipeline set to move up a level and encounter a new challenge, this is nonetheless an exciting development.

(Picture of Yhoiker Fajardo: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox’ Austin Ehrlicher named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox pitching prospect Austin Ehrlicher has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 9-15, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Ehrlicher was nearly perfect in his latest start for Low-A Salem on Sunday afternoon. Going up against Delmarva on the road, the 22-year-old right-hander walked just one and struck out a season-high of seven over five scoreless, no-hit innings. He retired 15 of the 16 batters he faced, throwing 68 pitches (46 strikes) and generating 10 swings and misses.

Despite Ehrlicher’s strong showing on the mound, the Red Sox dropped Sunday’s series finale to the Shorebirds at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium by a final score of 5-4 to fall to 24-37 on the season.

Ehrlicher has forged a 3.86 ERA (3.03 FIP) with 35 strikeouts to 18 walks in 11 appearances (seven starts) spanning 28 innings for Salem so far this season. The righty began the year in the bullpen but struggled in that role, allowing six earned runs in 5 1/3 innings of relief through the end of April. He moved to the Red Sox’ rotation in early May and has since posted a 2.38 ERA (3.12 FIP) with 25 strikeouts to 13 walks over 22 2/3 innings as a starter while holding opposing hitters to a .192 batting average.

Among 96 pitchers in the Carolina League who have thrown at least 28 innings to this point in the season, Ehrlicher ranks ninth in FIP, 13th in strikeouts per nine innings (11.25), 15th in strikeout rate (29.2 percent), 40th in batting average against (.222) and xFIP (3.80), 44th in ERA, and 46th in swinging-strike rate (12.4 percent), per FanGraphs.

Ehrlicher, who turned 22 earlier this month, was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 18th round (549th overall) of the 2022 draft out of Santa Rosa Junior College. As a draft-and-follow pick, the California native did not sign with the Red Sox until June 2023, forgoing his commitment to transfer to Arizona State in the process of doing so. He received a $200,000 signing bonus but was working his way back from an elbow injury at that time, which pushed his professional debut back until last April. He then made two relief appearances for Salem before ultimately being shut down for the remainder of the 2024 season with right shoulder inflammation.

Now healthy, Ehrlicher is showing flashes of his intriguing potential. A former two-sport athlete who also played basketball at Santa Rosa, Ehrlicher stands at 6-foot-5 and 185 pounds. He throws from a three-quarters arm slot and primarily operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 92-94 mph fastball, an 83-86 mph sweeper, and an 89-90 mph changeup, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Ehrlicher is not currently ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com, which describes him as having “several key traits, including standout athleticism, projectability, and feel for spin.” He is the third Red Sox minor-leaguer to take home Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honors this season, joining fellow righties Blake Aita (a two-time winner) and Trennor O’Donnell.

Moving forward, it should be worthwhile to see if Ehrlicher can leverage his performance with Salem into a promotion to High-A Greenville in the not-so-distant future.

(Picture of Austin Ehrlicher: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Blake Aita to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox are promoting pitching prospect Blake Aita from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, according to Chase Ford of MiLB Central.

Aita, who turns 22 on Wednesday, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 43 prospect, which ranks 23rd among pitchers in the organization. The right-hander posted a 4.24 ERA (3.52 FIP) with 45 strikeouts to nine walks in 10 outings (nine starts) spanning a staff-leading 51 innings for Salem to open his first full professional season. Opposing hitters batted .240 against him.

Among 14 qualified pitchers in the Carolina League entering the week, Aita ranked first in walks per nine innings (1.59) and walk rate (4.4 percent), second in WHIP (1.08) and xFIP (3.32), fourth in groundball rate (49.3 percent), fifth in FIP and line-drive rate (19.2 percent), sixth in strikeout rate (22 percent), and seventh in strikeouts per nine innings (7.94), per FanGraphs.

A two-time Carolina League Pitcher of the Week award recipient in his first stint with Salem, Aita was selected by the Red Sox in the sixth round (177th overall) of last summer’s draft out of Kennesaw State, where he earned 2024 All-Atlantic Sun First Team honors. As a draft-eligible sophomore, the Georgia native signed for an under-slot $300,000 in late July but did not make his professional debut until earlier this year.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Aita throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. The sturdy righty primarily operates with a 92-95 mph fastball (up from 89-92 mph in college), an 80-82 mph sweeper, an 86-89 mph cutter, and an 85-89 mph changeup, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

“He’s been great so far,” Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham said of Aita last month. “He worked hard all offseason and spring training to set himself up for success throughout the year. He added velo to his fastball along with his secondaries and continues to pound the zone. His sweeper has been a big weapon, used for strikes and chase against both sides. Very pleased with the consistency and constant improvement daily.”

With this promotion, Aita is now slated to join a talented pitching staff in Greenville that — as of this writing — includes fellow 2024 draftees Payton Tolle, John Holobetz, Brandon Clarke, and Matt McShane.

(Picture of Blake Aita: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

Red Sox promote power-hitting IF prospect Freili Encarnacion to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted infield prospect Freili Encarnacion from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by SoxProspects.com’s Chris Hatfield.

Encarnacion, 20, had gotten his second season with Salem off to a roaring start and was promptly rewarded with a promotion. In 45 games for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate this year, the right-handed hitter batted .303/.363/.566 with 14 doubles, one triple, a team-leading 10 home runs and 32 RBIs, 34 runs scored, five stolen bases, 11 walks, and 39 strikeouts over 193 plate appearances. That includes a .273/.385/.545 slash line against left-handed pitching and a .310/.357/.570 slash line against right-handed pitching.

Among qualified hitters in the Carolina League coming into play Tuesday, Encarnacion ranked first in slugging percentage and isolated power (.263), second in OPS (.929), third in batting average, fifth in wOBA (.434) and wRC+ (153), 19th in on-base percentage, and 21st in line-drive rate (24.6 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Encarnacion saw playing time at every infield position besides shortstop to begin the season with Salem. The 6-foot-2, 181-pounder logged 151 1/3 innings at first base, 44 innings at second base, and 154 innings at third base, committing nine errors in 212 total defensive chances. He also made four starts at DH.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Encarnacion originally signed with the Red Sox for $1.1 million as a highly-touted international free agent coming out of Santo Domingo in January 2022. He made his professional debut and held his own (.704 OPS in 41 games) in the Dominican Summer League shortly thereafter before a back injury limited him to just eight Florida Complex League games in 2023. In his first go-around with Salem last year, he slashed .244/.290/.329 with two home runs and 32 RBIs in 45 games.

Encarnacion, who just turned 20 in January, is not currently ranked among Boston’s top prospects by publications such as SoxProspects.com. He does, however, possess some of the best raw power in the system, as evidenced by the exit velocities (including a 120.6 mph single and a 117.2 mph home run) he has produced so far this season. If he can continue to refine his approach at the plate, he could put himself in a position to move up organizational prospect boards across the industry.

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

Red Sox promote local pitching prospect Shea Sprague to High-A Greenville

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

Sprague, 22, was selected by the Red Sox in the 13th round (387th overall) of last summer’s draft as a junior coming out of North Carolina. The Hanover, Mass. native — who graduated from Boston College High School in 2021 and attended Elon University for the first two years of his collegiate career — signed with his hometown team for a slightly-over-slot $155,000 but did not make his professional debut until last month.

Sprague struggled out of the gate to begin the 2025 season, surrendering 12 runs (nine earned) in his first two outings (5 2/3 innings) for Salem. The left-hander seemingly flipped a switch on April 23, however, only allowing four earned runs over his next five appearances (24 2/3 innings) while holding opposing hitters to a .195 batting average leading up to Friday’s promotion.

“I think I just settled in, started going after guys,” Sprague said of his early-season turnaround in a recent conversation with MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith. “Kind of went through a similar preseason, early-season struggle last year at UNC, trying to be too cute. But I just started going at guys and trusting my stuff. So that’s probably been the biggest change. Nothing major.”

Overall, Sprague posted a 3.86 ERA (2.45 FIP) with 35 strikeouts to nine walks in seven outings (two starts) spanning 30 1/3 innings for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. In a case of reverse splits, he proved to be more effective against right-handed hitters (.247 opponents’ batting average) than left-handed hitters (.304 opponents’ batting average), which happened to him in college as well.

Among the 45 pitchers in the Carolina League who had thrown at least 30 innings coming into play on Friday, Sprague ranked second in FIP, fourth in xFIP (3.01), fifth in swinging-strike rate (14.8 percent), eighth in walk rate (6.9 percent), ninth in walks per nine innings (2.67), 10th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.38), 12th in strikeout rate (26.7 percent), 20th in groundball rate (43.4 percent), and 21st in ERA, per FanGraphs.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Sprague throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of an 89-92 mph fastball with sink, a low-80s whiff-inducing changeup, a 79-81 mph gyro slider, and a developing sweeper. The projectable southpaw told Smith that one of his goals is to continue adding velocity to his heater and get in the 92-94 mph or 93-95 mph range within the next year.

“The Red Sox stress to us just the importance of velocity,” said Sprague, who is doing drills with weighted plyo balls as part of his side work. “Obviously, I think a lot of velocity comes from physical development, so just getting bigger, stronger, faster. And just throwing more intent more often. Workload and all that stuff. So they have it down to a science, and they’re good about it. It just comes with time, keep working hard, and keep throwing hard.”

Sprague, who just turned 22 in January, is not currently ranked among Boston’s top pitching prospects by publications such as Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, or SoxProspects.com. He is, however, slated to join a pitching staff in Greenville that includes the likes of fellow southpaws Payton Tolle, Eduardo Rivera, Noah Dean, Brandon Clarke, Michael Sansone, and Zach Fogell.

(Picture of Shea Sprague: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote OF prospect Enddy Azocar to Low-A Salem

The Red Sox have promoted young outfield prospect Enddy Azocar from the Florida Complex League to Low-A Salem, as was first reported by SoxProspects.com’s Chris Hatfield.

Azocar, 18, has been one of the top offensive performers in the rookie-level Florida Complex League to this point in the season. The right-handed hitter batted a stout .385/.448/.558 with seven doubles, one triple, five RBIs, six runs scored, four stolen bases, six walks, and 11 strikeouts in 14 games (58 plate appearances) for the FCL Red Sox.

Among qualified hitters in the Florida Complex League entering play Tuesday, Azocar ranked fourth in batting average, eighth in slugging percentage and OPS (1.006), ninth in wOBA (.479), 11th in on-base percentage and wRC+ (161), 17th in isolated power (.173) and line-drive rate (25.6 percent), 26th in speed score (7.0), and 28th in strikeout rate (19 percent), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Azocar saw the majority of his playing time with the FCL Red Sox come in center field. Across 11 starts there, the projectable 6-foot-2, 168-pounder recorded one assist and committed one error in 23 chances over 80 innings. He also made one start in left field, one start in right field, and one start at DH.

A native of Venezuela, Azocar originally signed with the Red Sox for $40,000 as an international free agent coming out of Puerto La Cruz in January 2024. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last June and held his own at the plate by slashing .266/.397/.309 (106 wRC+) in 31 games. He then emerged as someone to watch in his first spring training stateside, as indicated by his participation in Boston’s “Futures at Fenway South” showcase against prospects from the Twins organization at JetBlue Park in March.

“Enddy has had a great spring so far and has caught some attention,” Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero said via email on March 21. “His frame will allow for plenty of strength, and he’s already 6-foot-2 at 18 years old. He did a great job in the offseason of getting stronger, and he’s only starting to fill that frame out.”

On the heels of his hot start, Azocar — who turned 18 in February — now finds himself ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 49 prospect in Boston’s farm system. In Salem, he is slated to join an outfield mix that is headlined by fellow 2024 international signee Justin Gonzales, who was promoted from the FCL earlier this month after playing just one game at the level.

Unfortunately, Salem’s series opener against Carolina on Tuesday was postponed due to inclement weather, so Azocar will have to wait at least one more day to make his Low-A debut. The rained-out contest is now scheduled to be made up as part of a seven-inning doubleheader on Wednesday evening.

(Picture of Enddy Azocar: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote relief prospect Michael Sansone to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted left-hander Michael Sansone from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by Hunter Noll of Beyond the Monster.

Sansone started the season in Salem’s bullpen after spending most of 2024 with Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. To open the 2025 campaign, the 25-year-old lefty posted a 2.75 ERA and 2.92 FIP with 22 strikeouts to just one walk in 10 relief appearances (19 2/3 innings) for the Red Sox. He converted two of his three save opportunities as opposing hitters batted .233 against him.

Among 85 Carolina League pitchers who entered play Tuesday having thrown at least 19 innings this year, Sansone ranked first in walks per nine innings (0.46) and walk rate (1.3 percent), fourth in WHIP (0.92) and xFIP (2.66), ninth in swinging-strike rate (16.1 percent), 13th in FIP, 16th in strikeout rate (29.3 percent), 19th in ERA, 26th in line-drive rate (19.2 percent), and 31st in strikeouts per nine innings (10.07), per FanGraphs.

Sansone began his professional career with the Rays organization after spending four years at Fairfield and going undrafted in July 2022. The Connecticut native made a handful of appearances in the Florida Complex League that summer and compiled a 3.49 ERA (3.10 FIP) in 15 relief outings (28 1/3 innings) for Tampa Bay’s Low-A affiliate the following season before being released in July 2023. He then signed with the Yolo High Wheelers of the independent Pioneer League last March, only to have his contract purchased by the Red Sox a few weeks later.

Sansone reported to Salem shortly thereafter and finished 2024 with a 3.11 ERA (3.25 FIP) in 20 appearances (three starts) spanning 72 1/3 innings. Altogether, the dimunitve southpaw owns a 3.14 ERA (3.16 FIP) with 127 strikeouts to just 15 walks over 120 1/3 career innings at the Low-A level dating back to April 2023, so one could say this is a well-earned promotion.

Standing at 5-foot-9 and 195 pounds, Sansone throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates some deception into his delivery. Not known for his velocity, he primarily operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of an 88-90 mph fastball, an 83-84 mph slider and a 79-80 mph changeup, as noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Sansone, who turns 26 in November, is not currently ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com. In Greenville, he is slated to join a bullpen mix that, at present, includes fellow lefty Zach Fogell and righties Isaac Stebens, Matt McShane, Cooper Adams, Adam Smith, and Darvin Garcia.

Greenville’s series opener against Bowling Green on Tuesday was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be made up as part of a seven-inning doubleheader on Wednesday night.

(Picture of Michael Sansone: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote IF prospect Antonio Anderson to High-A Greenville

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

Anderson, 19, is enjoying a bounce-back season after struggling mightily in his first full season of pro ball last year. To kick off the 2025 campaign, the switch-hitter batted a stout .345/.436/.488 with six doubles, two home runs, 17 RBIs, 18 runs scored, one stolen base, 15 walks, and 22 strikeouts in 22 games (101 plate appearances) for Salem. That includes a .276/.382/.397 slash line from the left side of the plate and a .500/.546/.692 slash line from the right side.

Among qualified Carolina League hitters coming into play on Tuesday, Anderson ranked fourth in batting average, sixth in on-base percentage, OPS (.924), wOBA (.443), and line-drive rate (30.2 percent), seventh in wRC+ (154), 12th in slugging percentage, 28th in walk rate (14.9 percent), 30th in isolated power (.143) and swinging-strike rate (10.1 percent), and 31st in strikeout rate (21.8 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Anderson saw the majority of his playing time to begin the season come at third base. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder logged 145 1/3 innings at the hot corner for Salem, committing two errors in 42 chances. He also made one start at first base (a career first) and four starts at DH after splitting time between third base and shortstop last year.

A Georgia native, Anderson was originally selected by the Red Sox in the third round (83rd overall) of the 2023 draft out of North Atlanta High School. He forwent his commitment to Georgia Tech by signing with Boston for an over-slot $1.5 million and made his professional debut in the Florida Complex League shortly thereafter.

Anderson, who turns 20 next month, is not currently regarded by Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, or SoxProspects.com as one of the top prospects in Boston’s farm system. Still, as recently highlighted by Baseball America’s Geoff Pontes, he has improved in several areas across the board this season and appears to have turned a corner developmentally.

With that being said, it should be interesting to see how Anderson handles the jump from Low-A to High-A and the adjustment period that comes with it. In Greenville, he figures to join a corner infield mix that — at present — includes the likes of Albert Feliz, Andy Lugo, Brooks Brannon, Juan Montero, and Marvin Alcantara, among others.

(Picture of Antonio Anderson: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Blake Aita named Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for second time this season

Red Sox pitching prospect Blake Aita has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the week of April 28-May 4, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

This marks the second time this season that Aita has earned Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honors. The 21-year-old first took home the award last month after striking out four and walking only one over five scoreless, no-hit innings in his professional debut for Low-A Salem on April 4.

Aita was arguably even more impressive in his most recent outing for Salem at home last Thursday. Going up against the Fredericksburg Nationals at Carilion Clinic Field, the young right-hander gave up just one hit and no walks while fanning seven across six shutout frames. He took a perfect game into the top of the sixth before giving up a leadoff single, which was nullified two batters later when he induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to end his night.

Finishing with 67 pitches (45 strikes), Aita induced a game-high 14 swings and misses as the Red Sox ultimately held on to defeat the Nationals by a final score of 5-4.

Through five starts for Salem to begin his first full professional season, Aita has posted a 3.28 ERA (3.24 FIP) with 22 strikeouts to six walks over a staff-leading 24 2/3 innings in which opposing hitters have batted .220 against him. Among 15 qualified Caroline League pitchers, he ranks third in WHIP (1.05) and xFIP (3.47), fourth in walks per nine innings (2.19), walk rate (6.1 percent), and FIP, and seventh in groundball rate (45.6 percent), per FanGraphs.

Aita is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 40 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 20th among pitchers in the organization. The Tennessee native was selected by the Red Sox in the sixth round (177th overall) of last year’s draft out of Kennesaw State, where he was named 2024 First Team All-Atlantic Sun. As a draft-eligible sophomore, he signed for $300,000 but waited until this spring to make his pro debut.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Aita throws from a high-three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the intriguing righty operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 92-95 mph fastball (velocity increased in spring training), an 80-82 mph sweeper, an 86-89 mph cutter, and an 85-89 mph changeup.

“He’s been great so far,” Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham said of Aita. “Has worked hard all offseason and spring training to set him up for success throughout the year. He added velo to his fastball along with his secondaries and continues to pound the zone. His sweeper has been a big weapon, used for strikes and chase against both sides.”

Aita, who turns 22 next month, is seemingly a prime candidate to receive a promotion to High-A Greenville in the not-so-distant future. He can continue to strengthen his case for that move by stringing together more dominant outings for Salem in the meantime.

“Very pleased with the consistency and constant improvement daily,” said Abraham.

(Picture of Blake Aita: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)