SoxProspects News

Minor Notes: The postseason has arrived!

2026-09-29T12:00:00.000-04:00

The MLB regular season came to a close over the weekend and the Red Sox shift their attention to the postseason, where they will face the Yankees in the Wild Card Series for the second consecutive season. It was a light week for news on the farm system, as Worcester's season ended a week earlier, but some of Boston's minor league talent saw action with the big league club in the season's final week and the Red Sox announced the winners of their Minor League Awards.

-----

Red Sox announce 2026 Minor League Award winners

Last Thursday, the Red Sox honored the standout performers in their minor league system this season. To nobody's surprise, Franklin Arias was named the Offensive Player of the Year after a monster season that saw him hit .323/.400/.557 with 25 home runs between Portland and Worcester and claim the crown as the No. 1 prospect in the Red Sox system. The Red Sox named Dylan Brown the Pitcher of the Year after the 22-year-old lefty pitched to a 3.46 ERA and struck out 143 batters in 106 2/3 innings for Salem and Greenville. The fifth-round pick out of Old Dominion was one of the breakout stars in the system this year and rose from No. 60 to 20 in the SoxProspects.com rankings.

Catcher Gerardo Rodriguez earned the title of Defensive Player of the Year after a strong season in Greenville and Andrews Opata was the Baserunner of the Year after stealing 54 bases for Salem. The Latin Program Position Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year went to Joskairo Ramirez and Emanuel Jimenez, respectively. Ramirez hit .320/.443/.553 with five home runs in 45 games in the DSL and Jimenez pitched to a 2.73 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 33 innings.

-----

Paez lights out in second major league start

Jedixson Paez (pictured) was called up as the 27th man on the roster and started the second game of Boston's doubleheader against the Cubs on Friday. After getting roughed up in his first MLB start against the Mariners on September 1, Paez was excellent on Friday night. He worked five shutout innings, striking out five batters while allowing three hits. Paez had a whirlwind of a season, as he started the season in the White Sox bullpen after being claimed in the Rule 5 draft before returning to the Red Sox and pitching most of the season between Portland and Worcester. He closed his season on a positive note, turning in the best performance of his major league career, and he will end the season as the sixth-ranked pitcher (No. 16 overall) in the system.

-----

Houck returns to the major leagues

After spending the 2026 season working his way back from Tommy John Surgery, Tanner Houck's efforts were rewarded as he started the last game of the season for the Red Sox on Sunday. Houck pitched the first three innings of the game and surrendered three runs on four runs, allowing a pair of home runs while striking out a batter. It remains to be seen whether the Red Sox plan to include Houck, a 2024 All-Star, on their postseason roster.

-----

New podcast episode

In the latest episode of the SoxProspects.com podcast, Chris and Ian discussed their takeaways from the 2026 Red Sox season and previewed the upcoming Wild Card Series against the Yankees.

Additional transactions

The Red Sox announced on Tuesday morning that Garrett Crochet will be a part of their postseason roster. Boston's ace, who pitched to a 6.30 ERA in six starts this season and has not pitched since April 25, is expected to pitch out of the bullpen.
After he was activated from the IL on September 20, Tyron Guerrero made only two appearances with the big league club before he was placed on the IL again with a right shoulder strain on Sunday. Losing Guerrero, who pitched to a 3.10 ERA in 40 2/3 innings this season, will be a major blow to the Red Sox bullpen this postseason.
Mickey Gasper was also placed on the 10-day IL after straining his right bicep on a swing on Friday and he is likely to miss the remainder of the season. Gasper's incredible run in August was a highlight of the Red Sox season as the 30-year-old journeyman hit .400/.571/1.100 with six home runs in that tremendous month.
With Guerrero and Gasper heading to the IL, Wyatt Olds and Nate Eaton were recalled in corresponding moves. Both players were named to the Red Sox postseason roster.

-----

Where are they now?

A trio of former Red Sox have been named to the Yankees' postseason roster and will have their chance at revenge in the first round of the postseason. John Schreiber and Michael Fulmer both pitched out of the Yankees' bullpen in September, with Schreiber pitching to a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings after he was claimed off waivers from Kansas City. Fulmer tossed 10 innings with a 4.50 ERA after the Yankees signed him as a free agent on August 26. Yankees backup catcher Ali Sanchez, who appeared in four games with the Red Sox last year, hit .244/.275/.302 and is known for his glove behind the plate.

-----

Photo Credit: Jedixson Paez by Kelly O'Connor

Podcast Ep #431: On to the Bronx, redux

2026-09-28T09:17:50.936-04:00

The regular season is in the books, so Chris and Ian hopped on the podcast machine to look back at one of the most unique seasons in the history of a franchise with a lot of weird seasons. Then, with the news of Tyron Guerrero and Mickey Gasper hitting the IL, the guys took one last look at the likely playoff roster before the series with the Yankees starts on Tuesday.

3:15 Red Sox lock Craig Breslow and Chad Tracy up through 2030; MLB season in review - what went well, what went wrong, what surprised, what didn't, and what was just weird

53:45 Final WCS roster preview

Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to SoxProspects on Patreon for the details.

A special thank you to The Ludlow Thieves for our intro/outro song, All the Money. Check them out on YouTube and Spotify.

Got something to say? We love talking about what you want to hear about. Make sure to email us at podcast@soxprospects.com.

Twitter

@SPChrisHatfield

@IanCundall

@MikeAndrewsSP

@SoxProspects

Listen Links

After "roller coaster" season, Max Carlson showed improvement in Portland

2026-09-22T13:00:00.000-04:00

In terms of pitching prospects that flew under the radar in the Red Sox system in 2026, Max Carlson should be towards the top of that list. While the 25-year-old might not be seen on any top prospect lists, Carlson showed intriguing signs on the mound during the second half of the season.

"This season was a bit of a roller coaster for me," Carlson said. "I felt really good coming into spring training. Over the first month in Portland, I was probably the worst pitcher in the Eastern League. Slowly but surely, I started to climb out of it. The biggest thing I did over that big stretch of time was to just be where my feet are. I was trying not to change who I was coming to the field every day and making sure I got my work in. I kept thinking to myself it was going to come around. I strung a couple good outings together and the confidence started coming back. Before you know it, I had put together two good months. During that stretch, my stuff ticked up a little bit and warmed up. I have definitely made a lot of improvements to my arsenal as well, which helped."

The North Carolina product reached Double-A for the first time in his career in 2026 and struck out 94 batters over 79.1 innings pitched. The right-hander credited the pitching coach duo in Portland for helping unlock a few things with his game.

"There have been several different things I have been working on this year," Carlson noted. "Juan Rivera and Isaiah Page, the two pitching coaches here in Portland, are both extremely smart guys and they are always thinking of something you can keep in your back pocket to work on. As little as working on things during catch play, doing drills on side days, or velocity bullpens to address the needs. They have given me some big nuggets to think about over the last couple of months. My cutter, for example, I was always around 83-85mph in the past. I am now sitting 87-89mph after working with them. My fastball has also seen the velo tick back up. I was around 90-91mph at the beginning of the season. Recently, I have been 92-93mph. Those are a couple of things that I have noticed that have altered the performance a bit. My changeup also gets a lot of whiffs, but it gets barreled a little bit against righties. What can we do about that? You take a look at trends and heat maps and try something else. Maybe instead of throwing your changeup into righties, you should be backdooring it. You should be throwing it to the other side of the plate. It is what I have been working on over the last couple months, and I have had a lot of success doing that. Those two guys have been helping a ton"

Carlson had a bit of a unique role in Portland this year, as he made starts, bulk inning relief outings, and even the traditional one inning relief appearances where he picked up saves. It is nothing new or unique, as the Red Sox have treated the lower minors that way dating back a few years now.

"Last year I had a really bad shoulder impingement," Carlson said. "It took a long time to get that thing healthy. After rehabbing this past offseason and trying to get healthy, I kind of just told myself the only thing that mattered this year was competing the entire season and staying healthy while proving to people I could do a good job. I take that into account every single day whether I am starting or relieving. It doesn’t really matter what my role is. I am just grateful that I am here and that I am alive and pitching. It has been interesting how they were managing the bullpen arms in Portland this year. Most of the guys have been able to go at least two to three innings. If you were going to go up and help the big league team this year, you were most likely going to be going up there to throw two to three innings. I believe it is the general idea of how they are trying to prepare us."

Photo Credit: Max Carlson by Kelly O'Connor

Minor Notes: Red Sox clinch postseason berth; Arias named Eastern League MVP

2026-09-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

The 2026 season is officially over for Boston's minor league affiliates, as Worcester's campaign ended via rainout on Sunday after being eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday. The big club, meanwhile, clinched a postseason berth for the second straight year despite dropping Sunday's series finale to Tampa Bay. To make that happen, they received some help from the grandson of a franchise legend.

-----

Yastrzemski helps Red Sox clinch

With a go-ahead three-run home run in the sixth inning of Sunday's 4-2 win over the Astros, Braves outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, the grandson of Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski, helped the Red Sox clinch a spot in the postseason. Boston now leads Houston, on the outside looking in, by seven games for the second American League Wild Card spot with six games remaining. The White Sox and Blue Jays sit between the two teams in the standings.

Yastrzemski's homer allowed the Red Sox to celebrate inside the visitors' clubhouse at Tropicana Field on Sunday afternoon. After Monday's off day, Boston opens a six-game homestand against the Guardians and Cubs at Fenway Park beginning Tuesday night. They currently trail the Yankees by 5 1/2 games for the top American League Wild Card spot.

-----

Rehabbers in Worcester

Potential pitching reinforcements were getting work in at Polar Park last week. Johan Oviedo, sidelined since late March with a right flexor strain, made a rehab start for Worcester on Thursday. In 2 1/3 innings against Durham, the 28-year-old allowed one earned run on two hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. He threw 30 pitches (20 strikes), generating three whiffs and averaging 95.9 mph with his fastball.

Fellow righty Tanner Houck, working his way back from Tommy John surgery, made two relief appearances for Worcester against Durham. Working 4 1/3 total innings, the 30-year-old allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. He threw 42 pitches (28 strikes) on Saturday, generating eight whiffs and averaging 93.2 mph with his heater.

Kutter Crawford (right wrist surgery) was scheduled to make a rehab appearance for Worcester on Sunday before the game was rained out. Garrett Crochet (left shoulder inflammation), meanwhile, threw roughly 20 pitches in a side session on Saturday.

-----

Arias named Eastern League's MVP, Top MLB Prospect

Franklin Arias (pictured, top left) was named 2026 Eastern League MVP and Top MLB Prospect on Monday. The 20-year-old infielder batted .318/.407/.587 with 19 home runs and 52 RBI in 75 games (332 plate appearances) for Portland before being promoted to Worcester in late July. Anthony Eyanson, who the Red Sox sent to the Orioles as part of the Adley Rutschman trade, was recognized as the Eastern League's Pitcher of the Year.

In addition to Arias and Eyanson, Brooks Brannon was also named a 2026 Eastern League All-Star. The 22-year-old first baseman slashed .280/.355/.560 with a career-high 22 home runs and 70 RBI in 93 games (398 plate appearances) for Portland this season.

-----

Arizona Fall League contingent revealed

Rosters for the 2026 Arizona Fall League, which begins on October 3, were revealed last week. The Red Sox will be sending a group of eight to play for the Mesa Solar Sox: Mason White, Antonio Anderson, Nazzan Zanetello, Harry Blum, Madinson Frias, Nicholas Judice, Trennor O'Donnell, and Caden Vire.

-----

New podcast

On the latest episode of the podcast, Chris and Ian celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the launch of SoxProspects.com and look ahead to the Red Sox' potential playoff roster against the Yankees in the Wild Card round. Be sure to check it out wherever you get your podcasts.

-----

Players of the Week for September 14-20:

Allan Castro, OF, Worcester Red Sox

5 G, 19 AB, 8 H, 4 R, 3 2B, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 2 BB, .421/.455/1.053

Castro (pictured, right) ended his season on a high note, homering twice on Wednesday and driving in a career-high seven runs on Friday. The 23-year-old switch-hitter batted .289/.354/.482 with 11 doubles, seven home runs, 36 RBI, 28 runs scored, three stolen bases, 19 walks, and 27 strikeouts in 44 games (189 plate appearances) for Worcester following July's All-Star break. He is slated to become a minor league free agent in the coming weeks.

Michael Sansone, LHP, Worcester Red Sox

1 GS, 1-0, 6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, .053 OBA

Sansone turned in a strong final start of the season on Friday. The 26-year-old lefty spent much of 2026 being shuttled between Portland and Worcester, finishing with a 5.74 ERA and a 93:44 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 25 outings (17 starts) and a career-high 111 1/3 innings. Like Castro, Sansone is in line to become a minor league free agent this winter.

Photo Credit: Franklin Arias and Allan Castro by Kelly O'Connor

Podcast Ep. #430: On to the Playoffs

2026-09-21T11:38:28.711-04:00

Chris and Ian hopped on the podcast machine after the Red Sox officially clinched a playoff spot - on the 23rd anniversary of the launch of SoxProspects.com! - to work through the team's potential playoff roster against the Yankees in the Wild Card round. They then got some final in-person scouting reports for the regular season as Ian caught the WooSox this week, briefly touched on the Red Sox AFL contingent, and had some in-depth discussion of the state of the system in response to some great listener questions. Listen in!

2:59: Working through the playoff roster

25:52: AFL contingent; WooSox scouting reports on Jedixson Paez, Tanner Houck, Blake Wehunt, Sam McWilliams, Angel Bastardo, Braiden Ward, Franklin Arias, Allan Castro, and Romy Gonzalez

46:53: Listener emails on pitch shape and the state of the system/upper minors pitching

Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to SoxProspects on Patreon for the details.

A special thank you to The Ludlow Thieves for our intro/outro song, All the Money. Check them out on YouTube and Spotify.

Got something to say? We love talking about what you want to hear about. Make sure to email us at podcast@soxprospects.com.

Twitter

@SPChrisHatfield

@IanCundall

@MikeAndrewsSP

@SoxProspects

Listen Links

Cup of Coffee: Season comes to a close

2026-09-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/21 Cup of Coffee: Unfortunately, there was no minor league baseball to recap on Sunday, as Worcester's scheduled season finale was canceled. With the WooSox being the lone Red Sox affiliate still active, that brings the 2026 minor league season to an end across the organization.

On behalf of everyone at SoxProspects, thank you for reading, commenting, listening, and following along throughout the season. Stay tuned next week for our annual Awards and All-Star selections as we begin putting a bow on the 2026 minor league season.

Cup of Coffee: Arias homers, but Worcester is eliminated from playoff contention

2026-09-20T12:00:00.000-04:00

9/20 Cup of Coffee: An extra-inning loss to Durham has officially eliminated Worcester from playoff contention. Even with a win they would have been eliminated after Rochester beat Buffalo. Top prospect Franklin Arias still had a big day, and Tanner Houck was solid in long relief.

-----

Durham Bulls (TB) 4, Worcester Red Sox 3 (10 innings)

Worcester's slim playoff hopes ended with an extra-innings loss to Durham. A two-run home run from Franklin Arias in the third inning gave the WooSox a 2-1 lead, and Arias later added an RBI single in the fifth to retake the lead at 3-2. Braiden Ward followed up his five-hit night by going 1 for 4 with a double and a walk, and Tyler McDonough went 1 for 2 with a double and two walks.

Gage Ziehl turned in a quality start as he allowed two runs (one earned) over six innings. He walked one and struck out three. Making his fourth rehab appearance, Tanner Houck allowed one earned run and struck out two over 3 1/3 frames. In all, he allowed three runs over eight innings with nine strikeouts since returning on September 8. The loss went to Sam McWilliams as he allowed the zombie runner to score in the 10th.

-----

Player of the Day: Franklin Arias did everything he could to keep Worcester in the playoff picture, going 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBI. Arias is up to 25 home runs and 91 RBI over 117 games between Portland and Worcester. He entered the year with 18 home runs total over his previous 240 games. The increased power output has catapulted him into a consensus top-10 prospect in the game. While it seems unlikely that Boston would add Arias to the 40-man roster to help the 2026 roster, he has put his name in the conversation to make the team in 2027.

Photo Credit: Franklin Arias by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Ward has five hits, Castro drives in seven in WooSox romp

2026-09-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/19 Cup of Coffee: Everything went right for Worcester on Friday, as the team needed to take care of business on the field while getting some help around the league. Braiden Ward (pictured) and Allan Castro had huge evenings at the plate in support of a near-perfect Michael Sansone.

-----

Worcester Red Sox 16, Durham Bulls (TB) 1

Worcester scored early and often, keeping its long-shot playoff hopes alive as the International League schedule winds down to a wild finish. By the end of the third inning, the WooSox sported a 12-0 lead and Allan Castro had already driven in Braiden Ward three times. Ward scored five runs and drove in three as he went 5 for 5. He pulled a solo homer over the right field wall in the sixth inning and added his 61st stolen base of the season. Castro finished with seven RBI, going 3 for 4 with two doubles, a sacrifice fly, and a three-run homer in the third. Nathan Hickey also had a three-run homer, going deep in the first. Not to be lost in the shuffle, top prospect Franklin Arias was 2 for 4 with a pair of runs driven in.

The support was more than enough for Michael Sansone, who retired the first 13 batters he faced in a winning decision. Carrying a no-hitter into the fifth, Sansone allowed just one hit, a triple by former first-round pick Carson Williams. He struck out five without issuing a walk, and needed just 60 pitches to complete the six frames. Devin Sweet, Angel Bastardo, and Osvaldo Berrios went a scoreless inning each.

Rochester and Indianapolis both lost, so Worcester moves to two games out of first place with just two games left to play. Third-place Syracuse was victorious, moving to just a half-game back as the International League race comes down to the wire.

-----

Player of the Day: It is tough going when a six-inning start allowing one hit or an eight-total base, seven-RBI effort don't get the nod, but that was the case at Polar Park on Wednesday. Braiden Ward scored five runs as he went 5 for 5 amid talk of him joining the major league squad. Acquired from the Rockies in the deal that sent reliever Brennan Bernardino out west, Ward continues to build on his Red Sox Triple-A record for stolen bases. He has also scored 82 runs on the year while hitting .251/.364/.372.

Photo Credit: Braiden Ward by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Oviedo makes rehab start, Holobetz shines in relief as Worcester is shut out

2026-09-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/18 Cup of Coffee: Worcester's three-game winning streak was snapped at the hands of Durham on Thursday. Johan Oviedo struck out four in his rehab start, while John Holobetz (pictured) fanned eight in his first relief appearance at the Triple-A level, but the bats went cold in a losing effort.

-----

Durham Bulls (TB) 2, Worcester Red Sox 0

Johan Oviedo got the start for Worcester. Making his first appearance of any kind since late March, the rehabbing right-hander went 2 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run on two hits, one walk, and four strikeouts. He threw 30 pitches (20 strikes) and generated three whiffs. Fellow righty John Holobetz followed out of the bullpen and fared well in his first relief outing at the Triple-A level, scattering two hits and two walks while striking out eight over 4 1/3 scoreless frames. He threw 66 pitches (43 strikes) and generated 20 whiffs. Tyler Samaniego surrendered an additional run in the eighth, while Noah Song put up a zero in the ninth.

Offensively, Worcester was held to just two hits by three different Durham pitchers. Allan Castro went 1 for 3 with a double to extend his on-base streak to nine games. Tomas Nido singled for his side's only other hit.

Following Thursday's loss, Worcester (39-31) now trails Indianapolis and Rochester (both 43-29) by three games for first place in the International League second-half standings with three regular-season games remaining.

-----

Player of the Day: John Holobetz gets the nod for his dominant showing out of the bullpen on Thursday night. Assuming he is done for the season, the 24-year-old hurler finishes 2026 with a 3.57 ERA and 39:11 strikeout-to-walk ratio in nine outings (eight starts) spanning 40 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level. He is currently ranked as the organization's No. 9 prospect.

Photo Credit: John Holobetz by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Castro homers twice as WooSox stay alive

2026-09-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/17 Cup of Coffee: Worcester won its third straight, as Allan Castro (pictured) twice came up clutch on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the WooSox did not get the help they were looking for elsewhere on the International League schedule, and continue to face an uphill battle for a playoff spot.

-----

Worcester Red Sox 8, Durham Bulls (TB) 5

Twice Worcester fell into deficits, trailing both 3-0 and 5-3, and both times Allan Castro erased them with a long ball. Castro's two-run blast in the third inning scored Franklin Arias and knotted the score at 3-3. Four innings later, his second two-run homer of the night carried into the right-center field seats and put Worcester up 6-5, a lead it would not relinquish. Arias also singled and drove in a pair. Braiden Ward, who scored on the second Castro long ball, was 3 for 4 with two stolen bases, giving him 60 on the year.

On the mound, starter Blake Wehunt battled through five innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. He struck out three and walked two. Patrick Halligan allowed a run in the sixth, before Seth Martinez, John Brebbia, and Sam McWilliams turned in a scoreless inning apiece. Martinez got credit for the win while McWilliams noted his second save of the year.

Although Worcester did what it needed to do, four of the five teams ahead of the WooSox were also victorious on Wednesday. Rochester and Indianapolis both got in the win column, holding onto a tie for first place in the second half standings. Syracuse also won to remain a game back. Only Scranton fell, and joins Worcester in a tie for fourth place at two games out.

-----

Player of the Day: Allan Castro is closing the season on a power surge. The right fielder previously homered twice on Sunday, and now has gone deep five times in his last four games. He is hitting .286/.358/.455 since the All-Star Break and moves into a tie for second in the organization with 70 RBI on the year. Castro is currently ranked 34th in the system.

Photo Credit: Allan Castro by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Paez deals, Castro hits walkoff single for WooSox

2026-09-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/16 Cup of Coffee: With the Sea Dogs' season ending on Sunday, the WooSox are the last team standing in the Red Sox system as the Triple-A regular season enters its final week.

-----

Worcester Red Sox 2, Durham Bulls (TB) 1 (10 innings)

After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, the WooSox bats were held silent until the eighth inning. The WooSox loaded the bases on a Nathan Hickey walk, a Franklin Arias single, and an Allan Castro walk then scored their first run of the game when Romy Gonzalez drew Worcester's third walk of the inning. That run was enough to push the game into extra innings, where Castro was the hero as he ripped a walkoff single to right field to send the WooSox home with the win. Arias went 1 for 4 with a walk.

WooSox starting pitcher Jedixson Paez allowed a solo shot in his first inning of work but he was in complete control for the rest of his start, throwing six innings of one-run ball. Paez allowed three hits and struck out four batters with no walks. After making two appearances with the Sea Dogs, rehabbing right-hander Tanner Houck had his strikeout stuff working in his first outing of the year in Worcester as he fanned three batters in an inning, walking one. Osvaldo Berrios threw a scoreless inning and Hobie Harris tossed two shutout frames to earn the win out of the bullpen.

Worcester's win combined with a Rochester loss narrowed their deficit to just two games with five remaining. However, Indianapolis, Scranton, and Syracuse all were victorious ahead of them, tightening an already crowded playoff picture.

-----

Player of the Day: Allan Castro had the signature moment in a pitchers' duel where the WooSox scored just two runs on six hits, delivering a walkoff single in the bottom of the tenth. Castro went 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI, raising his slash line to .247/.322/.370 in 115 games on the season. The 23-year-old Castro is playing in his first season at the Triple-A level and the outfielder is ranked No. 34 in the Red Sox system.

Photo Credit: Allan Castro by Kelly O'Connor

Minor Notes: Houck, Contreras rehab as Portland season ends

2026-09-15T14:00:00.000-04:00

The minor league season is in its home stretch. Portland finished up its schedule a day early with Saturday's annual Field of Dreams game (pictured), while Worcester heads into the final week of its 2026 campaign.

-----

Houck, Contreras rehab; Oviedo to join Worcester

A pair of veterans were in action for the final week of festivities at Hadlock Field. Tanner Houck made a big step in his comeback from 2025 Tommy John surgery, making a pair of appearances for the Sea Dogs. The 2024 American League All-Star returned to the mound in the fifth inning of Tuesday's contest. He faced four batters, retiring two, walking two, and allowing one run. He was more effective on Friday, allowing one run on one hit in three innings of relief, striking out four, walking one, and facing just one batter over the minimum. He will pitch for Worcester this week, aiming to return to the major league bullpen for end of the regular season. Willson Contreras, out since August 30th with a hamstring strain, had a tidy two-game visit to Portland. He went 2 for 7 in two contests, as the designated hitter on Friday and then at first base on Saturday. He was activated for Sunday's major league game, going 2 for 3 with a walk in Boston's 4-1 win over Kansas City.

Joining Houck in Worcester will be fellow right-hander Johan Oviedo. Oviedo pitched just once this season for Boston before going on the IL with an elbow strain.

-----

Transactions

The transaction carousel has slowed down as the minor league levels reach their end, but there were still a number of notable moves last week.

Portland activated Yordanny Monegro from the injured list. The 23-year-old righty made two rehab appearances with Greenville on the comeback trail from 2025 Tommy John Surgery. He was officially activated by the Sea Dogs to start on Friday, going three innings, allowing a run on three hits. Currently ranked 24th in the system, Monegro would be a minor league free agent following the season if he is not added to the 40-man roster.
Following the end of the Greenville season, three players were promoted to Portland for its final week:

Outfielder Isaiah Jackson, acquired in the deal that sent Vaughn Grissom to the Angels, was promoted after hitting .243/.340/.465 with 21 homers in 102 games with the Drive. Jackson had been particularly effective down the stretch, hitting .283/.373/.532 in his last 47 Greenville conests. The Arizona State Universityh product went 3 for 13 with Portland, and is ranked 29th in the system.
Griffin Kilander rejoined Portland, having seen two appearances with the Sea Dogs during a mid-August stint. The 2024 16th-round pick posted a 5.42 ERA in 37 appearances across three levels.
Aaron Nixon, who appeared in six games with the Drive after being cut by the Yankees organization, also joined the Sea Dogs. Originally signed by New York as an undrafted free agent, he had missed all of 2025 following Tommy John Surgery

It was tough timing for outfielder Kristian Campbell, who was placed on the injured list with a left foot contusion, putting the end of his season in jeopardy. The 2024 SoxProspects.com Player of the Year had a resurgent second half with the WooSox, hitting .320/.440/.524 since the start of July.

-----

Minor League Playoff Picture

Portland did what it could, winning four out of five in its final series against Binghamton and seven of its last nine overall. However, they needed more help than they got, as Reading won four of six from Erie to finish four games ahead of Portland and 3 1/2 up on Somerset.

Worcester has a serious uphill battle to prevent a full shutout from the playoffs for the minor league system in 2026. The WooSox enter the final week three games back from first place Rochester with six games to play, while also looking up the standings at Indianapolis (1 game out of first), Scranton (2 GB), and Syracuse (2.5 GB). None of the teams ahead of them are playing head-to-head, so a comeback is possible if improbable. The WooSox will host the Durham Bulls at Polar Park, and will welcome aforementioned major leaguers Tanner Houck and Johan Oviedo.

-----

Podcast

This week's edition of the pod had Chris and Ian exchanging their notes from the field from their live looks at Greenville and Portland, respectively. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts.

-----

Players of the Week, September 7-13::

Ronald Rosario, C, Portland Sea Dogs

4 G, 5-12, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R, 2 BB, 2 K, .417/.533/1.250

Rosario had a power burst in the second half of the season that continued to the finish line, as he blasted three home runs in the season's final week. The most dramatic was a two-run pinch-hit blast in Tuesday's win that snapped a 6-6 tie. Since the start of July, Rosario hit .283/.339/.612 with 13 homers in 41 games.

Morgan McSweeney, RHP, Portland Sea Dogs

1 GS, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K

McSweeney, the journeyman right-hander who began the 2026 season in the Chinese Professional Baseball League, turned in a throwback effort in Saturday's Field of Dreams game at Hadlock. McSweeney scattered four hits across seven shutout innings, striking out five, walking one, and needing only 84 pitches in the win over Binghamton. A Hudson, Mass. native who attended Worcester Academy, McSweeney was a 17th-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2019 out of Wake Forest. He pitched in the Baltimore system until 2024, when he bounced from the independent Atlantic League, the Marlins organization, and China before joining the Sea Dogs in August.

Photo Credit: 2026 Portland Sea Dogs Field of Dreams Day, Morgan McSweeney both by Kelly O'Connor

Podcast Ep. #429: Portland and Greenville Live Looks

2026-09-14T08:38:30.236-04:00

Ian and Chris have been out at the fields to close the season and they got on the horn to discuss what they've seen from the Greenville Drive and Portland Sea Dogs in the closing weeks of the season. Listen in on the latest reports from those two squads!

4:32 Listener Email: The benefits of scouting in-person

9:52 Greenville reports on: Jake Schaffner, Owen Hull, Carlos Gutierrez, Gerardo Rodriguez, Luke Heyman, Ronny Hernandez, Nazzan Zanetello, Antonio Anderson, Maximus Martin, Yophery Rodriguez, Marcus Phillips, Jacob Mayers, Brady Tygart, Jason Gilman, Dylan Brown, Barrett Morgan

51:13 Portland reports on: Brooks Brannon, Johanfran Garcia, Justin Gonzales, Henry Godbout, Mason White, Yoeilin Cespedes, Tanner Houck, Yordanny Monegro, Devin Futrell, Jeremy Wu-Yelland, Max Carlson

Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to SoxProspects on Patreon for the details.

A special thank you to The Ludlow Thieves for our intro/outro song, All the Money. Check them out on YouTube and Spotify.

Got something to say? We love talking about what you want to hear about. Make sure to email us at podcast@soxprospects.com.

Twitter

@SPChrisHatfield

@IanCundall

@MikeAndrewsSP

@SoxProspects

Listen Links

Cup of Coffee: It's Worcester's show from here

2026-09-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/14 Cup of Coffee: It was a disappointing end to the 2026 season for Portland, as the rain that pounded the Northeast on Sunday was enough to wash out the season finale, ending the Sea Dogs' season prematurely. However, Worcester was able to get its contest in and finished its penultimate series in style, as Allan Castro (pictured) was 3 for 5 with two home runs, including the go-ahead blast in the top of the ninth. He hit two of Worcester's four home runs, as Tsu-Che Cheng and Vinnie Capra each left the yard, as well. The win kept Worcester on the periphery of the playoff race with six games to go, all of which are at home against Durham.

-----

Worcester Red Sox 8, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 7

The WooSox scored a pair each in the second and third, but the hosts retook the lead with a four-run sixth. However, Allan Castro played the hero, knocking a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to snag victory from the jaws of defeat. That capped off a 3-for-5 performance for the 23-year-old, two of which left the yard, as he also hit a big fly in the seventh. The top of the lineup did plenty of damage, as Franklin Arias, hitting in the No. 2 hole, as well as leadoff hitter Vinny Capra, had two hits, including a homer for Capra, joining three-hitter Castro's explosion. Tsu-Che Cheng also went yard, with a two-run shot to get the scoring started in the first. Gage Ziehl gave his team length, pitching 5 2/3 innings, as he allowed four runs on five hits. He did not walk an IronPig, but struck out eight of them. Sam McWilliams was credited with the win and he completed the contest, with two clean innings that featured a pair of strikeouts.

Rochester is alone atop the International League standings with six games to go. Worcester sits three back, with Indianapolis, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Syracuse between them.

-----

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) vs. Portland Sea Dogs, Cancelled (Weather)

Saturday night's 1-0 victory ended up being the swan song for Portland's season, as the wet weather rolling through the Northeast was enough to wash out Sunday's contest. The Sea Dogs finished the 2026 season at 71-65.

-----

Player of the Day: Even though there was only one game, Allan Castro's performance would be player of the day almost every time. The 23-year-old, ranked No. 34 in the system, knocked two home runs, driving in the tying and go-ahead runs in the ninth with his second big fly, as part of a 3-for-5 day. They were his 11th and 12th homers of the season, as he raised his OPS to .687.

Photo Credit: Allan Castro by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: McSweeney sparkles for Portland as Turner goes yard; Ward knocks 3 hits

2026-09-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/13 Cup of Coffee: It was the final Saturday of the regular season for Portland, as the Sea Dogs close out their season on Sunday, and they made it count, with a pitchers' duel at Hadlock Field. Will Turner (pictured) put his team in front with a solo home run in the first and it was more than enough for Morgan McSweeney, as the local product shoved through seven shutout innings, retiring the last 11 hitters he faced in 2026. It was a bit of a different flavor for Worcester, as the WooSox had a staff day against Lehigh Valley, with plenty more runs scored. Allan Castro and Braiden Ward, who went 3 for 5, both went yard for Worcester, as it attempted to stay in the playoff hunt and extend its season beyond next weekend.

-----

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 7, Worcester Red Sox 5

Worcester also got a solo home run in the first inning, as Allan Castro left the yard with two outs in the frame, but Lehigh Valley scored one in the bottom half and added three more in the following inning, setting a different tone than Portland's pitchers' duel. Worcester got three back in the top of the fourth, but the IronPigs weren't going to go down quietly, responding with two more in the bottom half. The bulk of the home side's runs went on Michael Sansone's tab, as he allowed six runs across 3 2/3 innings of work. He walked four and allowed five hits, two of which were home runs. He also struck out three. Patrick Halligan finished the fourth and didn't allow a run in the fifth, with just a walk on his ledger. However, John Brebbia surrendered a solo homer in the sixth. Hobie Harris finished the game with 1 1/3 clean frames. Braiden Ward also drilled a big fly as part of his three-hit effort, doing so as part of Worcester's three-run fourth. Tsung-Che Cheng was 2 for 3 with a walk.

Worcester falls to three games out of first place in the International League with seven games to go. The Red Sox need to leap Indianapolis, Syracuse, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre just to pull even with first-place Rochester.

-----

Portland Sea Dogs 1, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 0

It was a low-scoring game in Portland, as a solo home run by Will Turner to begin the bottom of the first held up. Morgan McSweeney was sparkling, as the surrendered just four hits and walked one over seven strong innings, facing just three over the minimum. He also struck out five and was highly efficient, throwing 84 pitches. McSweeney retired the last 11 hitters he faced and didn't allow a hit after the third. Steven Brooks handled the eighth and struck out the side, then followed it up with a clean ninth, finishing the contest with a punchout. Both offenses were stymied, as the two squads combined for just nine hits, though Ahbram Liendo had two knocks. Willson Contreras was 0 for 3 with a strikeout as he continued his rehab assignment in Maine.

-----

Player of the Day: Morgan McSweeney closed out his 2026 in style with unquestionably his best start of an abbreviated season, as he joined Portland in mid-August. Saturday night was the first time he pitched more than five innings and had yet to complete an outing without allowing a run. In Portland's penultimate contest of the season, the Hudson, Massachusetts native struck out five over seven shutout innings and did so with great efficiency, as he faced three over the minimum and threw just 84 pitches, including 57 for strikes, to average 12 deliveries to the plate per frame. While he had thrown just 17 1/3 innings heading into the evening, he lowered his ERA by more than two full runs with the outing.

Photo Credit: Will Turner by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Houck, Contreras shine in rehab efforts; Godbout keeps rolling

2026-09-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/12 Cup of Coffee: White the major league team was losing its third straight, there was encouraging news out of Maine about some coming reinforcements. Willson Contreras had a good night as he kicked off his rehab assignment while Tanner Houck cruised through three innings in his second appearance back with the Sea Dogs. They teamed with Henry Godbout (pictured) to lead Portland's victory. John Holobetz turned in another solid Triple-A start, but the WooSox fell in Lehigh Valley.

-----

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 4, Worcester Red Sox 1

A strong effort by John Holobetz went for naught as the WooSox missed a chance to move up in the International League playoff chase. All four Lehigh Valley runs came via solo homer. Holobetz cruised for five scoreless frames before the IronPigs reached him for a leadoff shot in the sixth. He finished with one run allowed on four hits in 5 1/3, striking out seven against one walk. Seth Martinez surrendered three blasts, one in the sixth and two in the seventh, suffering the loss. Devin Sweet threw a scoreless eighth inning, striking out one. The lone Worcester run came in the fifth, when Nate Baez plated Max Ferguson with a double. It was the first start for Franklin Arias since August 18 that he did not record a hit.

The loss keeps Worcester two games out of first place in the second half standings. Scranton defeated first-place Rochester to move into a tie for first place, while victories by Indianapolis and Syracuse moved those teams one and 1 1/2 games out, respectively.

-----

Portland Sea Dogs 8, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 4

All eyes were on Portland on Friday night, with two notable rehabbers and a returning top prospect. Yordanny Monegro was officially activated from the injured list after two rehab appearances with Greenville. In his first Sea Dogs appearance since last summer's Tommy John Surgery, Monegro went three innings, allowing three hits and one run coming on a solo homer. He walked two, struck out one, and threw 41 pitches, 21 for strikes. He turned the ball over to a rehabbing Tanner Houck in the fourth. Houck, who walked two of the four batters he faced in Tuesday's outing, was much more effective his second time out. The 2024 American League All-Star allowed one run on just one hit in three innings, fanning four against one walk. Max Carlson followed with two innings, surrendering one run on a homer by old friend Eddinson Paulino. He struck out four without issuing a walk. Cooper Adams closed out the win, allowing one run in the ninth.

Willson Contreras joined Houck on a rehab stint, batting third and getting the start as the designated hitter. Contreras was 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Henry Godbout had his sixth consecutive multi-hit game with a 2-for-5 effort that included a double and a stolen base. Brooks Brannon and Will Turner both had two-run homers as part of Portland's seven-run second inning. Ronald Rosario also went deep, adding an insurance run with a solo shot in the fifth.

-----

Player of the Day: Henry Godbout is on a tear to close the Eastern League season. In his last six games, the 22-year-old is 15 for 26 with three doubles, three homers, six runs scored, and six RBI. A 2025 second-round pick out of the University of Virginia, Godbout is hitting .291/.402/.530 in his first full professional season and .311/.351/.622 in 22 games since his promotion to Portland. He is currently ranked fifth in the system.

Photo Credit: Henry Godbout by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: McDonough clubs 20th homer of season; White finishes triple shy of cycle

2026-09-11T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/11 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 2-0 on Thursday. Tyler McDonough hit his 20th home run of the season, while Blake Wehunt struck out four over six quality innings in Worcester's win over Lehigh Valley. Elsewhere, Mason White (pictured) nearly hit for the cycle, while three others also homered in Portland's win over Binghamton.

-----

Worcester Red Sox 7, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 4

Franklin Arias and Tyler McDonough accounted for half of Worcester's eight hits. Arias went 2 for 4 with two RBI, one run scored, one stolen base, and one walk. McDonough went 2 for 4 with his 20th home run of the season overall, two RBI, and two runs scored. Nathan Hickey also drove in two runs, adding a run and a walk. Braiden Ward drew two walks, scored one run, and stole his 57th base of the year, tying him with David Hamilton for the Red Sox' Triple-A organizational record.

Blake Wehunt went six innings and picked up the win in his start for Worcester, allowing two earned runs on two hits (including one home run), three walks, and four strikeouts. He threw 85 pitches (50 strikes) and generated 12 whiffs. Tyler Samaniego struck out three across two scoreless frames of relief, while Osvaldo Berrios gave up two runs in the ninth before closing things out.

With the victory, Worcester remains two games back of Rochester for first place in the International League second-half standings.

-----

Portland Sea Dogs 14, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 6

A six-run eighth inning for Portland turned this one into a laugher. Mason White finished a triple shy of the cycle, going 3 for 3 with one double, one home run, one RBI, four runs scored, one stolen base, and two walks. Ronald Rosario went 2 for 4 with his 15th home run of the season, three RBI, and two runs scored. Ahbram Liendo clubbed a grand slam, while Caden Rose added a three-run homer. Brooks Brannon and Johanfran Garcia both doubled and scored a run, with the latter driving in another. Isaiah Jackson scored one run, stole one base, and drew two walks.

Devin Futrell went 3 2/3 innings in his final start of the season for Portland, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits (including one home run), no walks, and five strikeouts. He threw 65 pitches (40 strikes) and generated 13 whiffs. Tyler Davis and Caleb Bolden combined for eight additional strikeouts over the next 4 1/3 innings in which only one unearned run was given up. Erik Rivera surrendered two runs in the ninth but held on to end it.

-----

Player of the Day: Mason White gets the nod for reaching base in all five of his plate appearances on Thursday night. The 22-year-old infielder is now batting .218/.336/.396 with four doubles, one triple, four home runs, 13 RBI, 18 runs scored, two stolen bases, 18 walks, and 38 strikeouts in 31 games (122 plate appearances) since being promoted to Portland in late July. He is currently ranked as the organization's No. 27 prospect.

Photo Credit: Mason White by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Scorching Arias reaches base four times in WooSox win

2026-09-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/10 Cup of Coffee: It's been a sterling home stretch of the 2026 for shortstops Franklin Arias and Henry Godbout, who both again turned in multiple hit games on Wednesday night. Arias powered Worcester to the win to jump a pair of teams in the playoff hunt. Godbout supported another strong Hayden Mullins outing, but the Sea Dogs' loss officially knocked them from contention.

-----

Worcester Red Sox 8, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 3

The WooSox pounded out 14 hits as they make their push in the International League playoff race. Franklin Arias was once again the headline, reaching base four times as he went 2 for 3 with a double, two walks, and a run scored. In six September contests, Arias is 14 for 27. Vinny Capra was 3 for 5 with a pair of runs scored, including one on a solo homer in the ninth. Allan Castro also had a three-hit effort, swiping his 20th base of the year. Tyler McDonough and Mikey Romero had two hits apiece.

On the mound, Jedixson Paez returned to the WooSox with 3 1/3 scoreless innings. He scattered four hits, struck out four, and walked one. Noah Song fired 2 2/3 hitless frames to get credit for the win, walking one against three strikeouts. Angel Bastardo closed out the win with a hitless ninth.

Worcester's win moves them to fourth place in the second half standings, just two games back of first-place co-holders Rochester and Scranton.

-----

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 5, Portland Sea Dogs 2

Hayden Mullins turned in a strong start, but a late Binghamton rally ended Portland's playoff hopes. Mullins went six innings, allowing a run on five hits, striking out five, and walking two. It was the sixth consecutive start in which Mullins allowed one earned run or fewer. The Rumble Ponies reached Aaron Nixon for four runs in the seventh, handing him the loss. Griffin Kilander had a strong showing in his Sea Dogs debut, striking out four and allowing one hit in two scoreless innings. Henry Godbout had his fifth consecutive multi-hit effort, going 2 for 4. Isaiah Jackson doubled, drove in a run, and stole a base in his first Portland start.

The loss, combined with a win from the first-place Reading Fightin Phils, eliminated Portland from playoff contention.

-----

Player of the Day: Franklin Arias opened the 2026 season on a tear, and its finish is arguably even more impressive. Were it not for a an out while pinch hitting two weeks ago, the 20-year-old would be riding a 14-game hitting streak. During that stretch he is slashing .411/460/.536 with seven doubles, 11 runs scored, and only three strikeouts across 63 plate appearances. His on-base percentage for the season has ticked back above .400, sitting at .403 between his time at Worcester and Portland. The stretch puts an exclamation point on a season in which Arias has established himself as a consensus top-five prospect in the game.

Photo Credit: Franklin Arias by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Houck begins rehab assignment, Garcia doubles twice for Sea Dogs

2026-09-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/9 Cup of Coffee: The minor league season is beginning to wind down, as Greenville and Salem's seasons ended on Sunday and the Sea Dogs enter their last week of the season. With only two Red Sox affiliates still active, the WooSox were walked off in their series opener in Lehigh Valley while the Sea Dogs came away with a win on the night of Tanner Houck's return to the mound.

-----

Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 5, Worcester Red Sox 4 (10 innings)

Top prospect Franklin Arias drove in the first two runs of the game for the WooSox, hitting a sacrifice fly in the first inning and floating an RBI single to right field in the fifth. Arias was 1 for 3 on the night and is now hitting .328 in 33 games since his promotion to Worcester. Mikey Romero also recorded an RBI single in the fifth inning as part of a 3-for-5 game. Allan Castro walked three times and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the tenth. Braiden Ward went 3 for 5 and scored two runs.

It was a bullpen game for the WooSox, as Devin Sweet pitched a scoreless inning to open the game. Seth Martinez followed him with two impressive innings, striking out four batters while allowing a hit and a walk. Patrick Halligan worked two scoreless frames before allowing the first run of the game to score for the IronPigs in the sixth, pitching three innings of one-run ball on the night. Hobie Harris walked three batters and allowed two runs (one earned) in an inning. Sam McWilliams struck out three batters in two shutout innings to send the game into extra innings, where Osvaldo Berrios took over and allowed two runs to score on a walkoff single for IronPigs designated hitter Carter Kieboom.

The loss drops the WooSox into fifth place in the International League standings, three games behind first-place Rochester.

-----

Portland Sea Dogs 8, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 6

Dalton Rogers started for the Sea Dogs, missing plenty of bats as he struck out six hitters but he allowed five runs (two earned) and walked three hitters in four innings. However, the story of the night was the return of Tanner Houck, who underwent Tommy John Surgery last August. Houck showed some rust in his first game back, as he walked two batters and threw only eight of his 20 pitches for strikes. The 2024 All Star is expected to make one more appearance in Portland before jumping up to Worcester next week. Joe Vogatsky was excellent out of the bullpen as he struck out five batters without allowing a baserunner in 2 2/3 innings. Jeremy Wu-Yelland and Steven Brooks each threw a scoreless inning to close out the game.

The Sea Dogs bats got off to a quick start, scoring three runs in the first inning on an RBI double for Johanfran Garcia (pictured) and a two-run homer for Will Turner. Garcia went 2 for 4 on the night, adding another RBI double in the third inning. After losing the lead in the middle innings, in no small part due to three errors, Portland pulled ahead for good on a pinch-hit two-run homer for Ronald Rosario in the eighth. Fresh off being named the SoxProspects.com Player of the Week, Henry Godbout continued his recent tear as he went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Justin Gonzales was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored, snapping an 0-for-23 skid.

Portland moves into a tie with Rumble Ponies for third place in the Northeast Division. First place Reading also fell, so the Sea Dogs move to 3 1/2 games out with five to play.

-----

Player of the Day: Johanfran Garcia had a great performance in an exciting win for the Sea Dogs, ripping a pair of RBI doubles. The 21-year-old Garcia is having a great season in Portland, as he is now hitting .289/.345/.502 with 12 doubles and 18 home runs. Garcia is ranked No. 37 in September's SoxProspects.com rankings update and he is Rule 5 eligible in the offseason.

Photo Credit: Johanfran Garcia by Kelly O'Connor

Minor Notes: Houck set to begin rehab assignment; Godbout's power surge continues

2026-09-08T12:00:00.000-04:00

The minor league season continues to wind down as the playoff chances dwindle for the affiliates. Portland fans will be treated to two appearances by Tanner Houck (pictured, right) next week, while Jedixson Paez had a start to forget in his first action with Boston.

-----

Season ends for Greenville and Salem

Despite being in the playoff race for much of the second half, both Greenville and Salem fell short of the postseason. Their last game was on September 6. Leighton Finley was rewarded with a start for Greenville after tossing 96 innings with the RidgeYaks. He struck out seven over 4 2/3 shutout innings in the finale for Greenville. The season-end rosters for both squads are posted to our 2026 Season-End Rosters page.

Playoff chances in the upper minors

With Portland entering its last week of play, they need to essentially win-out and get some help. They are in fourth place and 4.5 games behind Reading. Worcester has a better shot, as they are just two games back with two weeks to play.

Houck set to begin rehab assignment

For the first time in 14 months, Tanner Houck is going to be on the mound. Tim Healey of the Boston Globe reported that the right-hander will throw about 20 pitches with Portland on Tuesday, then 40-45 with Portland on Friday. He will then move up to Worcester, as Portland's season will likely be over by Sunday.

Harris claimed by the Giants; Paez roughed up in first appearance

The Red Sox designated Brett Harris for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for right-hander Jedixson Paez. Harris was later claimed by the San Francisco Giants and optioned to Triple-A. It was a short stint in the organization for Harris who was acquired from the Athletics in July.

Paez was tagged for eight runs on 10 hits in his start against Seattle. He was then optioned to Worcester with Raymond Burgos coming back up.

Injury updates

Two key members of the major league roster went down with injuries that are not feared to be long-term. Ceddanne Rafaela got placed on the 10-day injured list with a sore right quad, while Tyron Guerrero went on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. The Red Sox recalled Nate Eaton from Worcester to help with the outfield depth, while Wyatt Olds got called up to fill out the bullpen.
Eduardo Rivera got placed on the 60-day injured list with a lumbar strain. He had last pitched on August 11.
The Sea Dogs placed Reidis Sena on the injured list with an undisclosed injury. He left the game after pitching to just one batter in his last appearance. With just one week left in Portland's schedule, there is a good chance his season is over.

Other transactions

There was some minor shuffling between Worcester and Portland, with Michael Sansone moving from the Sea Dogs to the WooSox and Max Carlson going the other way. Carlson made his presence felt right away, going 2-0 last week out of the bullpen for Portland.

Where are they now?

It was really tough news on Hunter Dobbins as the right-hander had to undergo elbow surgery. Though not quite a full Tommy John surgery, which would have been his second, it is still a major UCL injury for Dobbins. The surgery also repaired his flexor tendon.
This was inevitable when he got traded inside the division, but Anthony Eyanson made his first appearance against his old team (Portland) last week. Eyanson struck out eight over six innings of one-run ball. He has an ERA of 2.00 over 27 innings with Chesapeake.
Thomas Pannone, who spend much of 2022 with the Worcester Red Sox, threw the fifth perfect game in the history of the International League. The Nashville Sounds right-hander needed just 94 pitches as he struck out eight in Monday's gem. The last three pitchers to do so all spent time with the Red Sox: Tomo Ohka threw one with Pawtucket in 2000, Bronson Arroyo repeated the feat with the PawSox in 2003, and Justin Germano tossed one with Columbus in 2011, a year before he joined the Sox.

-----

Players of the Week August 31-September 6

Henry Godbout, SS, Portland Sea Dogs

5 G, 22 AB, 10 H, 5 R, 1 2B, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 1 SB, .455/.455/1.045

Godbout has been on a torrid pace over the last three weeks, and his four home runs against Chesapeake continued his recent power surge. Over his last 15 games he is batting .339/.394/.780 with eight home runs in 59 at-bats. His 25 percent strikeout rate over that time is a bit high for someone with his elite contact skills, but he is trading some swing-and-miss for an impressive amount of power. The bat speed he added has paid dividends in 2026, and he continues to be a candidate to climb the rankings for anyone who buys into this power output.

Hayden Mullins, LHP, Portland Sea Dogs

1 G, 0-0, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K

It was a dominant start for the 2025 Portland Sea Dogs Pitcher of the Year. After making a spot start in Worcester on July 8, Mullins (pictured, left) has been tremendous in Portland. He has made nine starts in Double-A since that one start for the WooSox, and he has posted an ERA of 2.08 over 39 innings with 54 strikeouts to 16 walks. The 25-year-old is the 23rd-ranked prospect in the system, and he is second to just Dylan Brown in strikeouts on the farm. Walks continue to be an issue for Mullins, but he has lowered his walk rate in this recent strong stretch.

Photo Credit: Tanner Houck and Hayden Mullins by Kelly O'Connor

Podcast Ep. #428: New month, new rankings

2026-09-07T21:22:25.536-04:00

Chris and Mike got together to discuss the newest #SP60, but not after first recapping the last few weeks in the organization, including the reintegration of Roman Anthony and Trevor Story, the change in focus following the Yankees series, Jedixson Paez's MLB debut and the return of Yordanny Monegro. Plus, another crop of listener emails!

Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to SoxProspects on Patreon for the details.

A special thank you to The Ludlow Thieves for our intro/outro song, All the Money. Check them out on YouTube and Spotify.

Got something to say? We love talking about what you want to hear about. Make sure to email us at podcast@soxprospects.com.

Twitter

@SPChrisHatfield

@IanCundall

@MikeAndrewsSP

@SoxProspects

Listen Links

Cup of Coffee: Godbout homers again; season comes to an end for Greenville and Salem

2026-09-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/7 Cup of Coffee: A heartbreaking loss for Worcester did not help the playoff picture despite strong games from Kristian Campbell and Franklin Arias. Henry Godbout hit his fourth home run of the week, and Leighton Finley had a strong showing in Greenville's season finale.

-----

Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 8, Worcester Red Sox 7

Seven runs in the seventh doomed the WooSox as they lost a pivotal game to Buffalo. Starter Gage Ziehl cruised through five innings, needing just 56 pitches as he left in line for the win. But the Bisons got to Angel Bastardo for five runs and then Tyler Samaniego for two runs to take the lead. The heart of Worcester's offense did its part, led by Kristian Campbell who went 3 for 4 with a double, walk, and two RBI. Both Franklin Arias and Romy Gonzalez went 3 for 5, with Arias notching an RBI double while Gonzalez had two run-scoring singles.

Worcester is now in fourth place and two games out of a playoff spot with two weeks to play.

-----

Portland Sea Dogs 9, Chesapeake Baysox (BAL) 7

The Sea Dogs launched four home runs as they kept their slim playoff hopes alive. One of the long balls came off the bat of Henry Godbout, who hit four in five games in the series. He finished 3 for 5 as he raised his OPS over 200 points in the trip to Chesapeake. Tyler McDonough also had a strong series, and he capped it with a 2-for-5 game that included a home run and a double. The other home runs were a two-run shot by Will Turner, and a solo blast by Max Ferguson. It was a bullpen game for Portland, with opener Caleb Bolden allowing two runs over the first two frames. The win went to Max Carlson as he struck out four over three innings of one-run ball, and Tyler Davis recorded a seven-out save.

Entering the final week, Portland is going to need to leapfrog three teams. They are playing one of the teams (Binghamton), but Rochester is currently 4.5 games up with only six to play.

-----

Bowling Green Hot Rods (TB) 4, Greenville Drive 3

Leighton Finley made a good first impression in the season finale for the Drive. Getting a cup of coffee in Greenville after posting strong strikeout numbers in Salem, Finley struck out seven and walked three over 4 2/3 shutout innings. The Hot Rods got to Trennor O'Donnell for four runs in the eighth to steal the win. 2026 draftees Jake Schaffner and Owen Hull led the way offensively. Schaffner went 2 for 5 with a double, while Hull went 1 for 2 with a walk and a two-run single. Former second-round pick Nazzan Zanetello ended the season on a high note, going 2 for 4 with a steal and a run scored.

-----

Hill City Howlers (CLE) 10, Salem RidgeYaks 7

Salem also ended its season on a tough note, giving up 14 hits in a loss to Hill City. Starter Berny Ortiz struggled through three innings as he allowed three runs on four hits and three walks. The most effective pitcher of the day was Yander Bonaci who shut the Howlers out over the final two frames. The struggles on the mound overshadowed some strong offensive performances. Andrews Opata made his one hit count, launching a solo home run to open the scoring for Salem. Kleyver Salazar ended his breakout season by going 3 for 5 with two doubles, while Colton Coates went 3 for 5 with a double and two RBI.

-----

Player of the Day: For the second time this week, Henry Godbout is the Player of the Day. The system's fifth-ranked prospect is making a strong case that he belongs in the discussion on top-100 prospect lists. The 22-year-old shortstop now has 15 home runs in only 58 games this season, and the power tool was one of his big question marks when he was drafted. He has made significant bat speed gains since being drafted in 2025, and that is helping him post a .924 OPS this year. He has been scorching hot of late, with eight of his home runs coming in the last 15 games.

Photo Credit: Henry Godbout by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Comebacks abound, Campbell homers

2026-09-06T14:06:48.842-04:00

9/6 Cup of Coffee: It was a big day for comebacks across the system, as Worcester and Salem each scored three in the eighth to take the lead, while Portland doubled up the two squads in the penultimate frame, adding six to take the lead. Greenville got it done a bit earlier, as its big inning came in the sixth, with a four-run inning. Kristian Campbell (pictured) had a huge day for Worcester, going 3 for 4 with a two-run homer in the eighth. He was joined in the three-hit club by Tyler McDonough and Ronny Hernandez, the latter of whom was perfect on the day. Barrett Morgan also threw four shutout innings.

-----

Worcester Red Sox 4, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 2

Worcester had some theatrics on Saturday night, as the WooSox went from down 2-1 to up 4-2 in the top of the eighth with a three-run frame, including a two-run homer by Kristian Campbell, who was 3 for 4. He and Anthony Siegler accounted for five of their team’s eight hits. It was a strong start for Michael Sansone, who struggled with control, walking four over five innings, but got results, as he allowed just one run. Devin Sweet pitched a clean eighth, while Sam McWilliams recorded his first save for Worcester this season, working around a hit with two strikeouts in the ninth.

The win pulled Worcester into third place in the International League playoff hunt, keeping pace two games behind Rochester.

-----

Portland Sea Dogs 6, Cheseapeake BaySox (BAL) 4

The Sea Dogs left it to the end, putting up a six-spot in the top of the eighth, after Cheseapeake scored four between the first and second. Portland got a good performance out of leadoff man Tyler McDonough, who was 3 for 4 with two RBI. Will Turner added a pair of singles, as well, while Ronald Rosario knocked a two-run homer. Alex Bouchard ate innings for Portland, contributing five frames, but allowed four runs on four hits. He also walked a hitter, but did strike out three. Steven Brooks (2 1/3 innings) and Erik Rivera (1 2/3 innings finished the game with just one hit allowed.

Portland picked up a game on first-place Reading and now sits 4 1/2 games back. Somerset and Binghamton, tied for second place in the Northeast Division, both won to stay two games ahead of the Sea Dogs.

-----

Greenville Drive 5, Bowling Green Hot Rods (TB) 1

It was a four-run sixth that proved the difference for Greenville, as all six of the game’s runs were scored in an inning-and-a-half span. That big frame started the scoring as Ronny Hernandez led the way with a perfect 3 for 3, including a solo while run, while adding a walk. He wasn’t the only Drive hitter to go yard, as Isaiah Jackson and Givian Sirvania also knocked big flies. Barrett Morgan was on the mound and he contributed four shutout innings, scattering just a hit, with two free passes against a trio of strikeouts. Griffin Kilander finished the contest with 2 1/3 no-run frames of his own, allowing two hits, adding four strikeouts.

-----

Salem RidgeYaks 6, Hill City Howlers (CLE) 5

Salem got its work done early, scoring a pair in the bottom of the first, adding a trio more in the bottom of the eighth, to take a win on Saturday, holding off a comeback from the Howlers in the ninth, as they loaded the bases, but Yermain Ruiz came out of the bullpen and induced a fly out to end the contest. Franklin Primera and Louis Andujar each had a pair of hits, including Primera’s fifth home run of the year. Adonys Guzman also went yard. Sadbiel Delzine allowed just an unearned run across his four innings of work, striking out six. Jose Bello also contributed nine outs, but walked four and allowed four more hits, resulting in three runs.

-----

Player of the Day: It’s been a trying couple of seasons for Kristian Campbell, but he’s started to get back on track. While he’s cooled down from his red-hot July, he’s still been a solid presence in the Worcester lineup and has been looking more like the ballplayer that earned a $60 million contract just under 18 months ago, as his added bat speed helped him knock his eighth home run of the season.

Photo Credit: Kristian Campbell by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Capra, Arias power WooSox sweep; Salazar powers RidgeYaks

2026-09-05T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/5 Cup of Coffee: It was a full day of action down on the farm, with all four full-season teams in action and Worcester getting some extra baseball. The WooSox got a de facto sweep, as Vinny Capra homered in the 10th inning of the restart of Thursday's suspended contest before Franklin Arias and John Holobetz slaughtered the Bisons in the regularly scheduled game. Salem was also victorious on Friday, led by another big night from Kleyver Salazar (pictured). Greenville saw its postseason hopes dashed in an extra-inning walk-off loss, while Portland fell in Eastern League action.

-----

Worcester Red Sox 6, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 4 (Game 1)

On Thursday night, Buffalo had just staged a comeback to send the contest to extra innings when the skies fully opened. Shortly after the restart on Friday, Vinny Capra blasted a three-run bomb in the 10th to give Worcester the win. It was the third hit of the game for Capra, who was also hit by a pitch and stole a base. Romy Gonzalez was 4 for 5 with an RBI, while Mikey Romero doubled and drove in a run as part of a 3-for-5 effort. Franklin Arias finished with a pair of hits. Blake Wehunt had gone six innings, allowing one run on seven hits, earning a no decision. The Capra homer made a winner of Hobie Harris, who had surrendered the tying run in the ninth on Thursday. Seth Martinez allowed the automatic runner to score on a base hit in the 10th but struck out a pair to secure the save.

Worcester Red Sox 10, Buffalo Bisons 0 (Game 2)

Because the suspended game was already to the 10th inning when it resumed, the regularly scheduled contest was to go the full nine innings. Buffalo likely would've preferred to see the night end earlier, as its pitching staff was battered for 19 hits while John Holobetz spun a gem on the mound. Holobetz, staked to a lead before throwing a pitch, cruised through six shutout innings, scattering three hits, all singles. He struck out four and walked three. Tyler Samaniego, Patrick Halligan, and Osvaldo Berrios threw a scoreless inning apiece to complete the shutout.

Arias had a monster day at the plate, going 4 for 6 with two doubles, a run scored, and an RBI. It was the third consecutive multi-hit effort for Arias, who reached 50 extra-base hits on the year. Nathan Hickey blasted a three-run homer in the fourth inning as part of his 3-for-4 evening that also included a walk. Braiden Ward also went deep in the fourth with a two-run shot. Capra added another two hits after his heroics in the opener, and Tsung-Che Cheng was 3 for 5 with two runs scored.

The sweep now has Worcester just two games out of the playoffs, as a Rochester and Syracuse split of their doubleheader allowed the WooSox to leapfrog the Mets and pick up a half game on the Red Wings. Seven teams are within 2 1/2 games in a jumbled playoff picture.

-----

Cheseapeake BaySox (BAL) 3, Portland Sea Dogs 1

Portland squandered several chances on Friday, going just 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Henry Godbout was the bright spot in the Sea Dogs lineup, going 3 for 4 with an RBI and a stolen base. Ahbram Liendo scored the lone Portland run as part of his 1-for-3 evening. Starter Morgan McSweeney suffered the loss, allowing two runs on six hits in four innings, striking out four and walking one. Jeremy Wu-Yelland gave up one unearned run in two innings of relief, matching McSweeney's four punchouts and one walk. Joe Vogatsky closed things out with two shutout frames.

Despite a loss by first-place Reading, Portland's playoff hopes are dimming. The Sea Dogs remain in fourth place in the Eastern League's Northeast Division, 5 1/2 games back with eight to play.

-----

Bowling Green Hot Rods (TB) 3, Greenville Drive 2

Greenville entered Friday's contest needing a sweep of its final three games as well as three straight losses by Winston-Salem to make it to the South Atlantic League playoffs. Neither came to be, with a walk-off loss officially eliminating the Drive from postseason contention. Leadoff man and first-round pick Jake Schaffner did his part, going 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored. Schaffner extended his hitting streak to seven games. Fellow North Carolina product Owen Hull extended his career-opening on-base streak to 23 games with a third-inning single. Yordanny Monegro went two innings in his second appearance since returning from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander allowed two runs on two hits, striking out four and walking one. Shea Sprague was excellent in a bulk role, firing five shutout frames, scattering five hits, and striking out seven without walking a batter. Aaron Nixon went two scoreless innings during regulation, but the Hot Rods reached in in the 10th for a walk-off single that plated the automatic runner.

-----

Salem RidgeYaks 11, Hill City Howlers (CLE) 4

Kleyver Salazar led the way as Salem made its way into the final weekend of the season. Salazar kicked off the rout with an RBI single and then came in to score on a three-run homer by Josue Brito in Salem's five-run third inning. Salazar finished 4 for 4 with three runs scored and two RBI. Adonys Guzman also went deep for the RidgeYaks, his 11th of the season and eighth since joining Salem. Undrafted free agent Cam Padgett made his sixth appearance and first start for Salem, scattering four hits across 3 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out five against one walk. Carson Revay went the next 1 2/3, allowing a run on two hits. Nicolas De La Cruz got credit for the victory, his seventh of the year, allowing one run in 2 1/3 hitless innings. He struck out four and walked one.

-----

Player of the Day: Salem scored five in the third, three in the fifth, and three more in the sixth in its blowout win, and Kleyver Salazar scored a run in each of those rallies. Salazar has put up an outstanding year in his second tour with Salem while flying somewhat under the radar. Friday's four-hit effort brings his season production up to .288/.400/.471. He's been particularly good since mid-June, posting a .347/.461/.563 slash with 33 walks against 34 strikeouts in 47 games. The younger brother of former Red Sox prospect and current Cardinals farmhand Johnfrank Salazar, Kleyver made his way into the top 50 of the newly released SoxProspects.com rankings.

Photo Credit: Kleyver Salazar by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Godbout homers twice as Portland bests Eyanson, Chesapeake

2026-09-04T07:00:00.000-04:00

9/4 Cup of Coffee: Excluding Worcester's suspended contest against Buffalo, Boston's affiliates went 1-2 in three tightly contested games on Thursday. Henry Godbout (pictured) homered twice in Portland's win over Chesapeake. Ronny Hernandez, Nazzan Zanetello, and Givian Sirvania all went deep as Greenville fell to Bowling Green. Cole Tolbert worked 5 1/3 scoreless innings as Salem was shut out by Hill City.

-----

Worcester Red Sox 3, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 3 (Suspended in 10th inning)

This game was suspended in the top of the 10th inning due to rain. It will resume at 5:05 p.m. ET Friday evening and be followed by Friday's regularly scheduled nine-inning contest.

Before the skies opened, Blake Wehunt put together a solid start for Worcester, allowing only one earned run on seven hits, one walk, and six strikeouts over six quality innings. He threw 84 pitches (62 strikes) and generated eight whiffs. In relief of Wehunt, Angel Bastardo tossed a scoreless bottom of the seventh, while John Brebbia and Hobie Harris each gave up a run in their respective innings of work.

On the flip side, Romy Gonzalez led the way offensively, going 4 for 5 with one RBI. Mikey Romero went 3 for 5 with one double, one RBI, and one run scored. Franklin Arias and Vinny Capra each had two hits, with the former driving in one run and the latter scoring once and stealing one base. Braiden Ward doubled, scored once, and drew one walk.

With no result on Thursday, Worcester still trails Rochester by three games for first place in the International League second-half standings.

-----

Portland Sea Dogs 5, Chesapeake Baysox (BAL) 4

Devin Futrell had an interesting start for Portland, allowing four earned runs on 13 hits (including one home run), no walks, and six strikeouts over six innings. He threw 79 pitches (60 strikes) and generated 10 whiffs. Max Carlson (who picked up the win) and Caleb Bolden (who picked up the save) combined for three scoreless frames of relief.

Henry Godbout was the star at the plate for Portland, going 3 for 4 with one double, two home runs, two RBI, and two runs scored. Brooks Brannon and Max Ferguson each went 2 for 4 with a solo home run. Brannon's 21st big fly of the season came off old friend Anthony Eyanson. Tyler McDonough doubled and scored one run as part of a 2-for-5 night.

With the win, Portland remains 5 1/2 games back of Reading for first place in the Eastern League Northeast second-half standings.

-----

Bowling Green Hot Rods (TB) 7, Greenville Drive 6

Dylan Brown went 5 1/3 innings in his start for Greenville, allowing three earned runs on eight hits, no walks, and eight strikeouts. He threw 82 pitches (57 strikes) and generated 17 whiffs. In relief of Brown, Luis Cohen and Matt McShane (who took the loss after giving up a walk-off home run) combined to surrender an additional four runs (three earned) across 2 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. At the plate, Ronny Hernandez stood out by going 2 for 4 with his 14th homer of the season, one RBI, and two runs scored. Nazzan Zanetello and Givian Sirvania each crushed a two-run shot as well. Stanley Tucker doubled, scored one run, and stole one base. Skylar King also doubled in one run, scoring Antonio Anderson.

Following Thursday's loss, Greenville now trails Winston-Salem by 2 1/2 games for first place in the South Atlantic League South second-half standings with only three games left to play.

-----

Hill City Howlers (CLE) 1, Salem RidgeYaks 0

Cole Tolbert tossed a career-high 5 1/3 scoreless innings in his start for Salem, scattering four hits, no walks, and one hit-by-pitch. He threw 63 pitches (48 strikes) and generated nine whiffs. Nicholas Judice followed out of the bullpen with 1 2/3 additional scoreless frames, while Wuilliams Rodriguez took the loss after giving up a go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning. Offensively, Franklin Primera went 2 for 4 with a pair of singles. Martin Shelar doubled for his only hit. Starlyn Nunez stole his 21st base of the year.

-----

Player of the Day: Henry Godbout gets the nod for putting together the first multi-homer game of his professional career. The 22-year-old infielder has now homered seven times in 17 games (75 plate appearances) since being promoted to Portland on August 11, bringing his season total up to 14. He is currently ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the organization.

Photo Credit: Henry Godbout by Kelly O'Connor