SoxProspects News

Cup of Coffee: Heyman, Martin power Greenville; Song has career night

2026-08-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/21 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 1-3 on Thursday. Noah Song tallied a career-high seven strikeouts out of the bullpen in Worcester's shutout loss to Syracuse. Will Turner doubled and homered, while Roman Anthony continued his rehab assignment in Portland's blowout loss to Reading. Luke Heyman (pictured) and Maximus Martin both went deep in Greenville's come-from-behind win over Winston-Salem. Louis Andujar also left the yard in Salem's high-scoring loss to Wilson.

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Syracuse Mets (NYM) 5, Worcester Red Sox 0

Gage Ziehl went four innings and took the loss in his start for Worcester, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits (including one home run), three walks, and two strikeouts. He threw 82 pitches (49 strikes) and generated 10 whiffs. In relief of Ziehl, Noah Song struck out a career-high seven over three frames of one-run ball, while Devin Sweet worked a scoreless eighth inning. Offensively, the WooSox were held to just four hits (all singles) as a team. Brett Harris accounted for two of those knocks. Franklin Arias and Nate Eaton, who each drew a walk, were responsible for the others.

With the loss, Worcester remains 1 1/2 games back of Indianapolis for first place in the International League second-half standings.

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Reading Fightin Phils (PHI) 11, Portland Sea Dogs 1

Hayden Mullins went five innings and took the loss in his start for Portland, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts. He threw 82 pitches (60 strikes) and generated 17 whiffs. Caleb Bolden, Jeremy Wu-Yelland, and Griffin Kilander (making his Double-A debut) combined to surrender nine additional runs out of the bullpen. At the plate, Will Turner led the way by going 2 for 4 with a double and a solo shot, his ninth home run of the season. The Sea Dogs' only other hit was a Yoeilin Cespedes double. Roman Anthony played six innings in left field and went 0 for 3 with a strikeout in the second game of his rehab assignment.

With the loss, Portland now trails Reading by 1 1/2 games for first place in the Eastern League Northeast second-half standings. The two teams have three games remaining in this series.

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Greenville Drive 8, Winston-Salem Dash (CWS) 7

Luke Heyman paced Greenville's lineup, going 3 for 4 with one home run, one RBI, three runs scored, and one walk. Maximus Martin also went deep as part of a 2-for-5 night in which he doubled and drove in three runs. Isaiah Jackson went 2 for 4 with one double, two RBI, and one run scored. Skylar King and Stanley Tucker doubled as well. King scored one run, while Tucker drove in one run, scored another, stole one base, and drew one walk. Owen Hull drew one walk and scored once.

Jason Gilman went 3 1/3 innings in his start for Greenville, allowing three earned runs on four hits, four walks, one hit by pitch, and six strikeouts. He threw 77 pitches (41 strikes) and generated 11 whiffs. Luis Cohen took over in the fourth and gave up three additional runs before making way for Trennor O'Donnell in the seventh. From there, O'Donnell spun three innings of one-run ball to notch his first win of the season at any level.

With the win, Greenville now leads Winston-Salem by a half-game for a spot in the South Atlantic League playoffs.

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Wilson Warbirds (MIL) 11, Salem RidgeYaks 10

Despite scoring nine times over the final three innings, Salem fell just short on Thursday. Franklin Primera went 2 for 4 with one RBI. Starlyn Nunez went 1 for 2 with one RBI, one run scored, and two walks. Andrews Opata and Anderson Fermin each went 1 for 3, with the former scoring three times, stealing one base, and drawing two walks, and the latter recording one RBI and one walk. Colton Coates and D'Angelo Ortiz both doubled for their only hits. Coates added an RBI, two runs, and one walk, while Ortiz drove in two runs and scored another. Louis Andujar clubbed a two-run home run, his 10th of the season. Martin Shelar drew one walk and scored one run.

On the mound, Williams Montero took the loss in his start after allowing three earned runs on three hits, three walks, and two strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings. He threw 48 pitches (26 strikes) and generated six whiffs. While Berny Ortiz gave up one unearned run across 3 1/3 innings of relief, Caden Vire and Nicholas Judice combined to surrender seven earned runs in 1 1/3 innings. Harry Blum, on the other hand, tossed 1 2/3 scoreless frames.

With the loss, Salem now trails Fayetteville by 3 1/2 games for first place in the Carolina League North second-half standings.

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Player of the Day: Luke Heyman ended an 18-game homerless drought on Thursday, going deep for the first time since July 19. The 23-year-old catcher has now hit 17 home runs in 91 games (394 plate appearances) between Salem and Greenville this season. He is currently ranked as the organization's No. 26 prospect.

Photo Credit: Luke Heyman by Kelly O'Connor

Showing off new arsenal, Gage Ziehl is one call away from majors

2026-08-20T14:00:00.000-04:00

Being traded twice in an eight-month span would be tough on anybody. For Gage Ziehl, the timing was all the more difficult. Headed into his second professional season, Ziehl was acquired by the Red Sox in a deal with Chicago on February 1st, a time when most minor leaguers have already reported to training camps around the league. It made for a quite an experience in his welcome to the Boston organization.

"I have been with three organizations now in just over two years of pro ball," Ziehl said. "It has been tough to pack up your whole life and go find another spot and just have to fit in and keep it moving. The whole trade experience here was a bit crazy. I trained in Florida over the offseason and had already shipped my car to Arizona for White Sox camp. I was about to board my connecting flight to Arizona when I got a call asking if I had already booked a flight out. I had already boarded and on the runway when I got a call from the Assistant General Manager from Chicago saying I had been traded. I couldn’t get off the plane by this point. So, I made my flight and shipped my car to Fort Myers and was there the next day. It has been great here with the Red Sox since I got here. The communication has been great since early on. They have been awesome with collaborating on what I have wanted to get better with. I think it has showed so far this year."

After a crazy start to his spring that involved meeting new teammates, coaches, development staff, and a new place to live, Ziehl was assigned to Double-A Portland. There, he got off to a slow start amid some frigid weather before turning it around once things warmed up.

"The first little bit of the year was a little rough for me," Ziehl said. "I was able to hit a smooth spot and had a couple of good outings in a row. Unfortunately, the game before the All-Star break didn’t go my way, but we moved past that and I am excited for the second half. It was nice to have the break to reset a little. It is important to just have a couple of days where you just don’t do much. It was more of a mental and physical reset that I needed."

Ziehl really showed out in the month of June, when he was named the SoxProspect.com Pitcher of the Month after carrying a 1.66 ERA over 2.2 innings pitched. Over that span, the right-hander struck out 23 batters and only walked 3. He held batters to a .192/.241/.308 line over the month as well.

"Gage has done a really good job learning & adapting in his 2nd season," Portland Assistant Pitching Coach Isaiah Page said. "Although he’s moved around teams early in his career, I think that’s helped him learn what works for him & what doesn’t. But also having an open mind about any suggestions we may have as a coaching staff. He’s also incredibly intelligent & an excellent critical thinker. Throughout the first two months of the season, we were able to present Gage with information & suggestions, and he has made the most of it with them. Whether it be some usage changes we’ve done with his arsenal, some mechanical tweaks, or routines throughout his week leading up to his start. He has done a great job being his own coach in the best way."

The good stretch continued into July and August and it ultimately led Ziehl to getting a promotion to Triple-A Worcester. What happened to click for the Miami product that has him one call away from the big leagues?

"I think my strike throwing ability and the ability to throw my six pitches in the zone is something they really liked," Ziehl said. "My newest pitch is my sinker and that is something that I have really wanted to throw. The Yankees did not want me to throw it last year. My arm slot got too high and it was not easy for me to anyway. A lot of my pitches were just a cutting action for me last year. When I went to the White Sox, they told me that my arm slot was getting a little too high. They helped me lower it and I saw some success with that and carried that into the offseason as one of my goals to make my arm a little lower. It would make my fastball play a little better with some VAA. Last year, we canned my fastball eight games into the season. I brought it back this year and it plays well with my sinker to righties, which is something I struggled with last year. I was getting beaten to death by righties. I was able to own lefties last year with my cutter, but now I am able to throw the sinker and fastball to protect my sweeper."

Photo Credit: Gage Ziehl by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Shelar debuts in Salem as Foutch, Walker combine for one-hitter

2026-08-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/20 Cup of Coffee: It was a clean sweep in the system, with all four affiliates boosting their playoff chances with victories on Wednesday. Pitching was a highlight in the low minors. Salem's Christian Foutch (pictured) and Ethan Walker had a combined one-hit shutout victory. A trio of Greenville hurlers fanned 20 batters, highlighted by Brady Tygart striking out 10 in 4 1/3. Justin Gonzales hit his first Portland homer to get things rolling for the Sea Dogs, while Worcester brought in a pair of ringers to help knock off Syracuse in a slugfest.

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Worcester Red Sox 9, Syracuse Mets (NYM) 7

A pair of rehabbing middle infielders helped Worcester pull even in its series in the Salt City. Isiah Kiner-Falefa began his rehab stint batting leadoff and playing second base, going 1 for 3 with a walk and a run scored. Double play partner Trevor Story slotted into the next spot in the lineup and went 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI. Story could join the major league club as soon as Friday. Fellow veteran Romy Gonzalez blasted a three-run homer as part of Worcester's six-run fifth-inning rally. Franklin Arias did not start but did come on in a key spot in the eighth inning, delivering an insurance run with a pinch hit RBI single. Kristian Campbell reached base three times with a single and a pair of walks.

It was a full-staff effort on the mound, as Worcester turned to six pitchers, none for more than two innings. Seth Martinez got tabbed with opening duty, allowing three runs in two frames. Tyler Samaniego got credit for the win despite allowing two runs in his two innings of work. Hobie Harris pitched a perfect ninth for the save, his seventh scoreless outing in his last eight appearances.

The win helped Worcester keep pace with first place Indianapolis, who also was victorious on Wednesday evening. Worcester, Durham, and St. Paul are in a three-way tie for third place in the International League second-half standings. Rochester, winners of five straight, sit a 1/2 game in front of that trio.

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Portland Sea Dogs 6, Reading Fightin Phils (PHI) 4

Three of Portland's six hits left the playing field as the Sea Dogs led from their first at-bat. Justin Gonzales led off the bottom of the first in his second Double-A contest with an opposite field home run. It was the 18th round-tripper of the season for the 19-year-old outfielder and first as a Sea Dog. Later in the first, Henry Godbout ripped a two-run blast. With the lead trimmed to one in the fifth, Tyler McDonough delivered a three-run shot. With 16 on the season, he needs just four more to join Ceddanne Rafaela as the only players with a 20-20 season in the system in the last 10 years.

(Rafaela accomplished the feat twice, in 2022 and 2023. Today's trivia: name the last player to do so before Rafaela. The answer is below the POTD section).

Like Worcester, Portland had a bullpen effort to complete the victory. Steven Brooks got the start for the first time this season, allowing one run on two hits in 2 2/3, striking out five against one walk. Joe Vogatsky went the next 2 1/3 innings to get the win. He gave up one run on four hits, striking out three without walking a batter. Cooper Adams allowed two runs (one earned) in three innings, and Reidis Sena pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.

With the win, Portland moves within a half-game of Reading for the lead in the Eastern League's Northeast Division. With four games remaining in the series, Portland has a golden opportunity to leap into the top of the standings.

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Greenville Drive 5, Winston-Salem Dash (CWS) 1

Forty years after Roger Clemens struck out 20 batters and thirty years after he did it again, a trio of Greenville hurlers channeled the Rocket, combining to fan 20 on Wednesday at Fluor Field. Jake Mayers had his best start as a professional, allowing just one hit over 3 1/3 innings as he struck out seven and walked three. Brady Tygart did not miss a beat in relief, punching out 10 of the 16 batters he faced over 4 1/3. He allowed a run on two hits while walking one on his way to the winning decision. After getting a ground out to close out the eighth inning, Aaron Nixon struck out the side in the ninth to get the Drive to the 20 strikeout milestone.

At the plate, Luke Heyman was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Yophery Rodriguez drove in a pair with a double in the sixth inning, while Jake Schaffner and Antonio Anderson also doubled for the Drive.

Like the Sea Dogs, the win pulls the Drive within a half game of Winston-Salem in the South Division playoff race.

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Salem RidgeYaks 8, Wilson Warbirds (MIL) 0

The excellent pitching in Class A ball continued, as Christian Foutch and Ethan Walker teamed up for a one-hit shutout. Foutch, Boston's fifth-round pick in 2025, cruised through five innings to get his first professional victory. He allowed a single with two outs in the first inning, the last base hit the Warbirds would record. Foutch faced the minimum over the next 4 1/3, with the one walk he allowed quickly erased on a caught stealing. He struck out three and threw 37 of 52 pitches for strikes. Walker followed with four hitless frames, striking out four against two walks. The former Kentucky Wildcat has 63 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings.

Martin Shelar made his professional debut for the RidgeYaks, going 1 for 5 with a single. The ninth-round pick in July's draft, Shelar hit second and played center field. Andrews Opata blasted a three-run homer, his 10th of the season, as part of his four-RBI effort. Josue Brito went 2 for 4 with a double, walk, and pair of runs scored. Kleyver Salazar also had two hits for Salem.

With the win, Salem moves into sole possession of second place in the North Division, remaining 2 1/2 games behind Fayetteville.

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Player of the Day: It has been an up-and-down first professional season for Christian Foutch, but he has been looking to close it out on a high note. With his five shutout innings on Wednesday, he has allowed just three earned runs in 17 innings over his last four starts (1.59 ERA) while striking out 19. In the process, he has lowered his ERA by nearly a run and a half. The five innings also mark a professional high for the righthander, as he now has more innings pitched this season (62 1/3) than he did in three years at the University of Arkansas (56 2/3).

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Trivia Answer: Keury De La Cruz had 20 homers and 20 steals in 2012 between Greenville and Salem.

Photo Credit: Christian Foutch by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Anthony begins rehab assignment; Gonzales makes Double-A debut

2026-08-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/19 Cup of Coffee: All eyes were on the Sea Dogs on Tuesday night, as Roman Anthony returned to the baseball field after missing more than three months with a wrist injury and No. 2 prospect Justin Gonzales made his Double-A debut. Both players delivered on the hype, as Anthony homered and Gonzales collected two hits. However, it was Franklin Primera (pictured) and the RidgeYaks who stole the show as Primera drove in seven runs in a 21-run outburst for Salem.

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Syracuse Mets (NYM) 5, Worcester Red Sox 1

Jedixson Paez made his second start at the Triple-A level, taking a step back after an impressive performance in his WooSox debut last Thursday. Paez struck out five Mets hitters while walking just one batter but he was tagged for three runs on four hits in four innings pitched. Patrick Halligan followed him with three strong innings out of the bullpen, surrendering one run on two hits while fanning three batters. John Brebbia struck out the side in one inning of relief but he gave up a run on a hit and a walk. The WooSox bats recorded just two hits in a quiet night at the plate, scoring their only run on an RBI double off the bat of Allan Castro in the seventh inning. Castro's double scored Romy Gonzalez, who was 1 for 3 on the night.

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Portland Sea Dogs 7, Reading Fightin Phils (PHI) 5

The Sea Dogs put on a show in arguably the most highly-anticipated game of the year at Hadlock Field. Making his debut with the Sea Dogs, Justin Gonzales rapped a single up the middle in his first at bat and went 2 for 5 with a run scored in his first game with Portland. Making his first appearance in a rehab assignment with Portland, Roman Anthony reached base in all four of his plate appearances as he went 2 for 2 with a pair of walks and blasted a two-run homer in the fifth inning. After a promotion from Greenville last week, Henry Godbout recorded his first home run with the Sea Dogs in a 1-for-4 night. Jack Winnay went 2 for 3 with a walk, two runs scored, and an RBI single in the first inning. Brooks Brannon went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI.

Left-hander Dalton Rogers was impressive on the mound, striking out eight batters while allowing two runs in 5 1/3 innings of work. Rogers' strong start lowered his ERA to 5.59 in 66 innings with the Sea Dogs this season. Tyler Davis pitched 2 2/3 frames out of the bullpen, giving up one run on two hits while striking out two batters. Erik Rivera walked three batters and allowed two runs in an inning. This is a pivotal series for the Sea Dogs' postseason aspirations as they currently trail Reading by 1.5 games in the second-half standings for the Eastern League Northeast.

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Winston-Salem Dash (CWS) 7, Greenville Drive 4

The Drive climbed back into the game after falling behind 7-0 but they were unable to complete the comeback. Ronny Hernandez blasted a two-run homer in the seventh inning, his 13th of the season, as part of a 1-for-4 game. The Drive scored two more in the eighth inning on an RBI double for Yophery Rodriguez and an RBI groundout for Antonio Anderson. First-rounder Jake Schaffner went 2 for 4 with a walk while his college teammate Owen Hull was 1 for 3 with two walks. Maximus Martin went 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.

Marcus Phillips continued his shaky professional debut season, dropping to 0-7 and raising his ERA to 6.71 after surrendering three runs (two earned) in two innings to start the game. Joey Gartrell worked three innings out of the bullpen, giving up two runs and striking out two batters. Matt McShane struck out three batters and allowed two runs in two frames. Adam Bates pitched two shutout innings of relief, striking out two batters. Greenville is now 4.5 games behind Bowling Green as they fight for a postseason berth.

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Salem RidgeYaks 21, Wilson Warbirds (MIL) 4

Salem turned in a mammoth offensive performance in their series opener against Wilson, posting 21 runs on 23 hits. Fresh off being named the SoxProspects.com Player of the Week, Franklin Primera had a monster game to continue his hot streak, driving in seven runs on a homer and two doubles while going 3 for 6. Starlyn Nunez also had an exceptional game for the RidgeYaks, going 3 for 5 with his 12th home run of the season and driving in five runs. Kleyver Salazar went 2 for 3 with a home run, a walk, and three RBI. First baseman Adonys Guzman reached base six times, going 3 for 3 with three walks, three runs, and two RBI. Andrews Opata went 3 for 4 with three runs scored and stole his 46th base of the season.

Cole Tolbert drew the start for Salem and tossed the first three innings of the game, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks. Nicolas De La Cruz pitched in for two innings of relief, allowing a run on three hits and two walks. Yermain Ruiz was excellent out of the bullpen, striking out five batters without allowing a hit or run, and Wuilliams Rodriguez finished the game with a scoreless inning. Salem is now 2.5 games behind Fayetteville and tied with Wilson in the postseason chase.

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DSL LAD Bautista 14, DSL Red Sox Blue 10

The Blue squad's bats got off to a fast start, scoring five runs in the second inning and jumping out to a 7-1 lead in the third, but they were unable to hang onto their early lead. Enmanuel Figuereo and Miguel Welch each drove in a pair of runs in the second inning on a triple and a home run, respectively. Welch was 1 for 4 with a walk and the home run was his third of the season. Catcher Santiago Yanes went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI. Starting pitcher Christopher Silvestre worked 1 2/3 innings and surrendered one run on three hits and three walks. Erickson Ettien pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out a batter and walking two. Isael Fis struck out two batters and allowed a run in two solid innings of relief.

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DSL Orioles Black 11, DSL Red Sox Red 3

The Red Sox Red were in control until the Orioles Black rallied for nine runs in the bottom of the sixth to run away with the game. Anthony Herrera started on the mound and tossed 1 2/3 innings without allowing a hit, walking one batter and striking out two. Oscar Vaamonde struck out four batters and gave up two unearned runs in two innings pitched. Leonel Figuera pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings before turning the ball over to Robert Moreno and Alexander Heredia, who combined for nine runs in an inning of work. Jhonny Osta was the only hitter on the Red team to record multiple hits, going 2 for 3 with a run scored. Diomer Hidalgo went 1 for 2 with a walk and drove in a run.

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Player of the Day: Catcher Franklin Primera was the standout performer in a blowout win for the RidgeYaks as he went 3 for 6 with a home run, two doubles, four runs scored, and seven RBI. Primera has been red-hot lately and his huge game pushed his season line to .342/.479/.553 in 32 games with Salem. One of the breakout stars in the Red Sox system this season, Primera has shot up the SoxProspects.com rankings and now lands as Boston's No. 3 prospect.

Photo Credit: Franklin Primera by Kelly O'Connor

Minor Notes: Primera on fire, Olds gets call

2026-08-18T15:07:35.381-04:00

The minor league seasons are fully into their stretch run, with just three weeks to go for the Class A teams. Late-season injuries, promotions, and debuts have led to some roster reshuffling.

Wyatt Olds called up

The Red Sox selected the contract of right-hander Wyatt Olds from Worcester on Monday, and the 27-year-old made his major league debut that evening. Olds has had an up-and-down season with Worcester and throughout his professional career. Drafted in the seventh round of the 2021 draft out of Oklahoma, Olds worked as a starter initially before a full conversion to a bullpen role in 2024. Olds had been particularly effective during a 15 appearances stretch from May 22 through July 8 in which he allowed just 1 earned run in 16 1/3 innings, striking out 24 while walking only seven, but had struggled some in the last month. Olds has always posted big strikeout totals, with 489 in 389 minor league innings. His control has wobbled at times, with 256 walks and a whopping 78 hit batsmen in his professional career. Olds pairs a fastball that touches 98 with a slider, while occasionally mixing in a show-me change-up. Right-handers hit just .170/.308/.283 off of Olds during his time with Worcester.

Olds was able to slide into an open slot in the 40-man roster. He would have been Rule 5 eligible in the offseason. His major league debut on Monday came exactly five years to the date from his professional debut.

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Rivas completes Rutschman trade

The deadline blockbuster that brought Adley Rutschman to Boston from the Orioles was completed on Wednesday when the Red Sox sent shortstop Harold Rivas as the Player to be Named Later. Rivas was originally signed out of Venezuela in January 2025 to a $950,000 bonus. Coming off of a strong .258/.393/.384 debut in the DSL, Rivas was named a SoxProspects.com Pre-Season All-Star. He hit .241/.343/.429 with six homers in 46 games Fort Myers in his stateside debut. Rivas was ranked 10th in the system at the time of the trade.

Rutshman himself was also activated from the injured list, making his Boston debut on August 11th. To make room for him, Jake Rogers--also acquired in the Rutschman trade--was designated for assignment. Rogers was claimed by the Tigers and set an MLB record by playing for four different teams in just a 21-day span.

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Other transactions

Right-handed pitcher Jedixson Paez was promoted from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester. In swingman/piggyback duty with the Sea Dogs, Paez had a 4.41 ERA, 56 strikeouts, and only five walks in 49 innings. He made his WooSox debut on Thursday, giving up just two hits in 3 1/3 shutout innings.
Three major leaguers were placed on the injured list. Right-handed relievers Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten both went down with right elbow inflammation, while Masataka Yoshida will be out after straining his left hamstring.
Greg Weissert rejoined the major league club following Whitlock's injury. He had been optioned to Worcester five days prior and had not pitched in a game.
Mickey Gasper was recalled to take Yoshida's spot. He had been on a tear since being optioned to Worcester at the start of July, hitting .386/.477/.625 with 17 walks and only 12 striketous in 109 plate appearances across 26 games.
Raymond Burgos was called up in Slaten's place. The 6-foot-5 lefty did yeoman's work during Sunday's contest in Pittsburg, pitching on both sides of the 2:34 rain delay. He ended up throwing four innings, allowing one run on two hits. He was optioned back to Worcester after the game.
Seth Martinez was designated for assignment, cleared waivers and was outrighted back to Worcester. He appeared in one major league game for the Red Sox, allowing one run.
The team signed veteran right-handed pitcher Morgan McSweeney to a minor league deal and assigned him to Portland. McSweeney, who had previously pitched in the Orioles and Marlins systems, had most recently been with the Rakuten Monkeys of the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

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Story, Anthony assigned to rehab stints

Trevor Story began a rehab assignment with Worcester on Sunday, getting the start at shortstop and going 1 for 2 with a run scored before being replaced by Tsung-Che Cheng in the fifth. Story will play at least two games for the WooSox in their series in Syracuse, and could be activated by the Red Sox by Friday. Story has been out since May 16 with a sports hernia that required surgery.

Roman Anthony, out since May 5th after tearing a tendon in his right ring finger, will begin his rehab in Portland this week. The 22-year-old outfielder appeared in just 30 games before going on the shelf. Provided there are no setbacks, the timing of the assignment would have him back in the majors by the end of Labor Day weekend at the latest.

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Podcast

Chris and Ian stopped by the old podcast studio this weekend. At the top of the agenda were the August ranking updates, the resurgence of Kristian Campbell, and a whole lotta mailbag questions. Check it out here or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Playoffs?

After a relatively disastrous first half in which almost all affiliates were at or near the bottom of the standings, each of the four full-season squads is in a fight for a playoff berth:

In the jumbled International League standings, Worcester is in a three-way tie for third place, just 1 1/2 games behind Indianapolis. St. Paul sits a 1/2-game ahead of the WooSox, Durham, and Scranton. The winner will play Memphis in the International League Championship. Worcester is tied for the lead in the vestigial division standings.
Portland is 2 1/2 games behind first-place Reading in the Eastern League Northeast Division. The two teams begin a six-game series on Tuesday at Hadlock Field with Roman Anthony as a ringer.
Despite being 4 1/2 games behind first-place Bowling Green, Greenville is only a 1/2-game out of the playoff spat for the South Atlantic League's South Division. Because Bowling Green was the first half champion, the second-half winner would get the playoff nod. Greenville will open its six-game set with Winston-Salem, who currently holds that playoff slot, on Tuesday.
A two-game skid has dropped Salem into third place in the Carolina League North Standings. Salem begins a six-game series with second place Wilson on Tuesday, and then has a seven-game set with first place Fayetteville next week, so it will have plenty of opportunity to make up the 2 1/2 game deficit.

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Player of the Week: August 10 - August 17

Franklin Primera, C, Salem Red Sox

6 G, 9-19, 6 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR, 5 BB, 1 K, .474/.600/.790

While this is the Player of the Week section, it is necessary to acknowledge how scorching hot Franklin Primera has been. Since July 11, he has appeared in 23 games, hitting .410/.549/.654. He has reached base safely in every start. Primera's official on-base streak came to an end on Wednesday when he struck out in his only plate appearance when he entered as a pinch hitter, but even then he managed to reach base, racing to first on a wild pitch after strike three. Among all minor leaguers with at least 250 plate appearances, Primera ranks first in batting average (.379), and on-base percentage (.511), while placing eighth in slugging (.611). For those of you who prefer advanced stats, his .519 wOBA is more than 40 points higher than anyone else in affiliated baseball. Unsurprisingly, Primera was named Carolina League Player of the Week for his effort.

Hobie Harris, RHP, Worcester Red Sox

2 App, 4 1/3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, .177/.177/.177

Harris, 14 years Primera's senior, had a dominant week out of the Worcester bullpen. He pitched in two games, combining for 4 1/3 shutout frames. Most notably was Wednesday's bullpen game in which he entered with a 1-0 deficit in the third inning and fired three scoreless innings, enabling the WooSox comeback. After missing much of the 2026 season with an injury, Harris has allowed five earned runs in 14 innings across nine appearances. The right-hander appeared in 16 major league games out of the Washington Nationals bullpen in 2023.

Photo Credit: Wyatt Olds by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Welch drives in two runs, steals two bases in DSL action

2026-08-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/18 Cup of Coffee: Boston's DSL affiliates went 0-2 on Monday, the penultimate day of the 2026 Dominican Summer League regular season. Despite the losses, Freyerso Vasquez, Miguel Welch, Enmanuel Figuereo, Jhonny Osta, Axell Herrera, and Geomaikel Martinez stood out offensively.

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DSL Braves 5, DSL Red Sox Blue 4

Three players accounted for all seven of the Blue squad's hits in this one. Freyerso Vasquez led the way, going 3 for 4 with one double, one run scored, and one stolen base. Miguel Welch and Enmanuel Figuereo each went 2 for 4. Welch drove in two runs, scored once, and stole two bases. Figuereo scored one run and stole one base. On the mound, Allan Griman went three innings in his start, allowing two earned runs on four hits, three walks, and two strikeouts. Carlos Falcon and Angel Lopez combined for four strikeouts over 1 1/3 scoreless frames of relief.

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DSL Athletics 8, DSL Red Sox Red 4

Three players put together multi-hit games for the Red squad. Jhonny Osta and Axell Herrera each went 2 for 4. Osta doubled and scored one run, while Herrera drove in one run. Geomaikel Martinez doubled and pushed across one run as part of a 2-for-5 day. Wilneyker Bruce had two RBI. Diomar Hidalgo doubled and scored one run. Adrian Valdez drew three walks, scoring once. On the mound, Isaac Brujan took the loss in his start, allowing one earned run on two hits, no walks, and one strikeout over 1 2/3 innings. Dani Richar and Wascar Berroa combined for two scoreless frames out of the bullpen.

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Player of the Day: Miguel Welch gets the nod for his all-around productive day at the plate and on the basepaths. The 18-year-old infielder is putting the finishing touches on a solid second season in the Dominican Summer League, as he is batting .293/.418/.391 with five doubles, three triples, two home runs, 19 RBI, 48 runs scored, 33 stolen bases, 38 walks, and 25 strikeouts in 52 games (214 plate appearances) for the Blue squad. He originally signed for $10,000 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic last January.

Cup of Coffee: Gonzales hits two home runs; Story begins rehab assignment

2026-08-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/17 Cup of Coffee: Trevor Story got off to a good start on his rehab assignment, with Isiah Kiner-Falefa due to join him with the WooSox on Wednesday. Elsewhere, Roman Anthony is slated to begin a rehab stint with Portland on Tuesday. Two home runs from Justin Gonzales (pictured) led Greenville to a big win, while Kleyver Salazar stayed hot for Portland.

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Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 9, Worcester Red Sox 6

Home runs from Mikey Romero and Jason Delay were not enough as the WooSox dropped their third in a row. Delay finished a double short of the cycle as he went 3 for 4 with three runs scored. Romero went 1 for 4 with the two-run shot, and Trevor Story went 1 for 2 with a run scored while playing four innings at shortstop in his first rehab appearance. The Bisons were all over John Holobetz as he surrendered six runs over 2 2/3 frames. Seth Martinez struck out two over two scoreless innings in his first game since being optioned, and catcher Nathan Hickey fired two scoreless innings in his 12th pitching appearance of the year.

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Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 8, Portland Sea Dogs 6

Portland's pitching continued to struggle as Binghamton took five of six games. Portland took advantage of their opportunities, turning four hits into six runs. Jack Winnay went 2 for 4 with a solo home run, Henry Godbout went 1 for 4 with a two-run single, and Will Turner went 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI single. Fresh off the injured list, Reidis Sena allowed one run while recording the first two outs of the game. The bullpen took over from there, with Morgan McSweeney allowing four runs over his 2 1/3 frames. He has now allowed nine runs over his first 4 1/3 innings with the organization. Caleb Bolden was the best pitcher on the day, striking out five over three innings of shutout ball.

Portland is 3-7 in its last 10 games, and is now 2.5 games behind Reading for a playoff spot.

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Greenville Drive 10, Hub City Spartanburgers (TEX) 5

The Drive doubled up the Spartanburgers to earn a series split. Two home runs from Justin Gonzales led the way offensively, as he went 3 for 4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Yophery Rodriguez also went deep, launching his 14th of the season. Catcher Gerardo Rodriguez was on base five times as he went 3 for 3 with two walks, and Owen Hull got his first extra-base hit since August 4 as he went 2 for 5 with an RBI double. Matt Duffy was cruising through three innings, but left after pitching to one batter in the fourth with an apparent injury. He allowed one run over his three innings. Alex Bouchard was thrust into action and picked up the win despite allowing three runs over four frames.

Despite the win, Greenville is the furthest affiliate out of a playoff spot, sitting 4.5 games back.

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Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL) 8, Salem RidgeYaks 5

Delmarva took the series, scoring seven or more runs for the third time in four games. Jose Bello absorbed most of the damage on Sunday, as he gave up six runs on eight hits and five walks over four innings. The five walks is a new career high. After winning the July Player of the Month award, Kleyver Salazar is putting together a solid August as well. He went 2 for 5 with a two-run home run to raise his August slash line to .275/.388/.500. Josue Brito went 2 for 4 with an RBI double and an outfield assist, while Franklin Primera went 1 for 3 with two walks.

The RidgeYaks are 24-23 in the second half, which puts them 2.5 games behind Fayetteville.

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Player of the Day: Two home runs off the bat of Justin Gonzales helped the Drive secure the only win of the day. The 19-year-old is up to 17 home runs and a .854 OPS for the Drive. Since the 4th of July, Gonzales is batting .327/.447/.582 over 98 at-bats. Now the second-ranked prospect in the system, he received a rare start at first base on Sunday. He mainly plays right field, but he has experience at first base going back to his time in the DSL. He is on track for his third straight SoxProspects.com All-Star selection, and his big night was rewarded with a promotion to Portland.

Photo Credit: Justin Gonzales by Kelly O'Connor

Podcast Ep. #427: Rankings Update and an E-mail Landslide

2026-08-16T21:50:35.555-04:00

We say we want to talk about what you want to hear about and we mean it, so this episode features Ian and Chris answering a veritable cornucopia of questions from you, our listeners! But first, the book closes on the Adley Rutschman trade with Harold Rivas being named as the PTBNL, the MLB team injury carousel starts turning as three players hit the IL while three others near their return, Ian checks in with some thoughts from Worcester on Kristian Campbell and others, and the guys discuss what their respective August rankings updates say about the strength of the farm system.

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.

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Cup of Coffee: Brutal losses all around despite four-hit day for Romy Gonzalez

2026-08-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/16 Cup of Coffee: It was a tough day on the farm, as all four full-season affiliates, each of which are trying to get into playoff position, fell on Saturday, doing so in difficult fashion. Worcester left the winning run on second in the ninth and lost in extras, while Salem got the tying run to the plate and Greenville had the go-ahead run at-bat in the game's final frame and were unable to cash in. Desput that, there were some big performances, including four hits from Romy Gonzalez (pictured) and back-to-back home runs by Wills Maginnis and Franklin Primera in Salem to set up a comeback bid in the ninth.

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Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 7, Worcester Red Sox 5 (10 Innings)

The Red Sox tied the proceedings in the eighth and could have walked off with the win, but stranded Franklin Arias at second base in the ninth. Buffalo scored two in the 10th and then held off a comeback attempt. Romy Gonzalez led the way offensively with a 4-for-6 afternoon, including three RBI, while Nate Eaton and Mikey Romero each had a pair of knocks. Blake Wehunt was on the mound and surrendered four htis and two walks, resulting in three runs. He only struck out one Bison. Shining in relief were Tyler Samaniego and Sam McWilliams, each of whom worked around a hit to pitch a clean inning.

Worcester is tied with Durham for the International League East lead, one game behind Indianapolis for the second-half league lead. Memphis has already secured a place in the International League Championship Series.

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Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 14, Portland Sea Dogs 2

It was a laugher in Portland, as the Rumble Ponies scored five in the third and kept on going, adding four in the sixth and two each in the eighth and ninth, while the Sea Dogs did all their damage in the bottom of the fourth, recording just four knocks on the evening. All of their four hits were singles, including an RBI by Ahbram Liendo. The other Portland tally came in on a productive out. Most of the Binghamton damage was on the tabs of Michael Sansone (four innings) and Jeremy Wu-Yelland (1 2/3 innings), as they each surrendered five runs, all of which were earned. Sansone did record six strikeouts, but allowed a pair of home runs. Nelly Taylor, who came in to record the final out, was the only Portland pitcher to not allow a run.

The Sea Dogs are tied with Somerset in the Eastern League Northeast, two games behind Reading. Hartford won the first half title and are assured of a playoff spot.

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Hub City Spartanburgers (TEX) 4, Greenville Drive 2

The squads battled a nearly two-hour rain delay after the end of the third inning, but Greenville left the tying run on first base and were unable to complete a comeback bid. Justin Gonzalez put in a solid performance out of the leadoff spot, going 2 for 4 with a walk and an RBI. Carlos Gutierrez also put in a multi-hit outing, but each of Greenville's seven hits were singles. Dylan Brown was effective on the mound prior to the rain delay, with one hit and two walks as part of three shutout innings, but the weather ended his night early. Shea Sprague was less fortunate, as all four runs came in on his watch, as he allowed seven hits and walked two more.

Bowling Green is starting to run away with the South Atlantic League's South Division, with a four-and-a-half game cushion. However, the Hor Rods won the first half, meaning Greenville is just a half-game back of Winston-Salem for a playoff spot.

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Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL) 7, Salem Red Sox 3

The Shorebirds scored the game's first seven runs, heading into the eighth inning with a 7-0 advantage. Salem got very close to closing the gap, as the tying run got to the plate with two down in the ninth, but the Red Sox would get no closer than four runs down. D'Angelo Ortiz and Anderson Fermin were catalysts at the bottom of the lineup, with two hits each, while Wills Maginnis and Franklin Primera had back-to-back home runs in the eighth. The first man out of the bullpen was Barrett Morgan and surrendered only an unearned run in his two innings of work, with just a hit and a walk on his ledger.

Salem is third in the Carolina League's North Division, two-and-a-half games behind the leader, Fayetteville. The Red Sox are also competing with Wilson, which is ahead on points percentage, for the second half crown.

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DSL Pirates Gold 9, DSL Red Sox Blue 8

The sixth was the big frame for Blue, as they tallied all of their runs in the inning to take a three-run lead. However, the Pirates tied the game up in the bottom half and walked off with the win in the seventh. Maikol Tovar tripled as part of a three-hit day, but that was the team's only extra-base hit. Harry Canedo was the only arm to record multiple outs that didn't allow a run, doing so over 1 2/3 innings. He got the second-most outs on the day, trailing only starter Juan Verdus, who surrendered four runs on four hits over 2 1/3 frames.

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DSL Red Sox Red 8, DSL Dodgers Mega 7

While eight runs wasn't enough for Blue, it was enough for Red as the other DSL squad staved off the winless day with a one-run victory, overcoming three errors to walk off with a win. Jhonny Osta was a home run short of the cycle, going 3 for 4 with four RBI in the process, while also working a walk. Seven of the nine hitters found at least one in the hit column, including two for Geomaikel Martinez. The bulk of the pitching was done by Angel Roa, who contributed four frames out of the bullpen, though he did allow three runs. Leonel Figuera contributed 2 1/3 no-hit innings, as well.

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Player of the Day: It's been a tough season for Romy Gonzalez, who had shoulder surgery in March and missed a majority of the season, getting activated from the injured list in late June. He was sent down earlier in August after hitting to a sub-.600 OPS in the big leagues, but has fared well in getting his swing back in the minors, with a .261 batting average, though he hadn't found much pop as of yet. However, the infielder pounded out four singles and three RBI on Saturday in a losing effort for Worcester. Getting Gonzalez right could potentially prove to be a key to contending for the big club, as there are just over two weeks until rosters expand.

Photo Credit: Romy Gonzalez by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Futrell, Winnay power Portland; Campbell, Jackson stay hot

2026-08-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/15 Cup of Coffee: All but one of Boston's full-season affiliates were victorious on Friday. Kristian Campbell extended his hitting streak to six games in Worcester's loss to Buffalo. Devin Futrell and Jack Winnay (pictured) powered Portland to a win over Binghamton. Isaiah Jackson homered in his third straight game as Greenville defeated Hub City. Andruw Musett went deep in Salem's win over Delmarva.

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Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 6, Worcester Red Sox 2

Gage Ziehl took the loss in his start for Worcester after allowing three earned runs on six hits (including one home run), one walk, and five strikeouts over five innings. He threw 75 pitches (50 strikes) and generated six whiffs. In relief of Ziehl, Angel Bastardo and John Brebbia combined to surrender three runs across three innings, while Raymond Burgos struck out two and put up a zero in the ninth.

Braiden Ward accounted for a third of his side's hits, going 2 for 4 with one run scored and two stolen bases, giving him 53 on the season. Nate Eaton, who stole one base, and Romy Gonzalez each drove in a run. Kristian Campbell doubled for his only hit, drew one walk, and threw out a runner at second base. Tsung-Che Cheng drew one walk and scored one run.

With the loss, Worcester remains a half-game back of Indianapolis for first place in the International League second-half standings.

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Portland Sea Dogs 10, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 3

Jack Winnay paced Portland's lineup, going 3 for 5 with one double, one home run, two RBI, and two runs scored. Brooks Brannon, Miguel Bleis, and Yoeilin Cespedes all went 2 for 5. Brannon doubled and scored one run. Bleis doubled, drove in one run, and scored twice. Cespedes drove in one run, scored once, and stole one base. Tyler McDonough and Nelly Taylor also homered, with the former crushing a solo shot and the latter a two-run blast. Taylor drew a bases-loaded walk to give him three RBI on the night. Henry Godbout picked up his first Double-A hit, adding a run and a stolen base. Nate Baez, who had one RBI, and Max Ferguson, who scored one run, combined for five walks.

Devin Futrell got the start and picked up his first Double-A win after allowing two earned runs on five hits, no walks, one hit by pitch, and eight strikeouts over five solid innings. He threw 87 pitches (59 strikes) and generated 11 whiffs. In relief of Futrell, Cooper Adams struck out two across 2 2/3 innings of one-run ball. Tyler Davis then tossed 1 1/3 scoreless frames to end it.

With the win, which snaps a three-game losing streak, Portland moves to within two games of Reading for first place in the Eastern League Northeast second-half standings.

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Greenville Drive 8, Hub City Spartanburgers (TEX) 3

Isaiah Jackson stayed hot at the plate for Greenville, going 2 for 4 with his 18th home run of the season, two RBI, and two runs scored. Gerardo Rodriguez, who scored once, and Stanley Tucker, who scored once and stole one base, each drove in two runs as well. Justin Gonzales went 1 for 4 with one RBI, one run scored, and two stolen bases. Carlos Gutierrez scored once and stole one base. Maximus Martin drove in one run and scored another.

Jason Gilman went four innings in his start, allowing two earned runs on three hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts. He threw 71 pitches (42 strikes) and generated 15 whiffs. Luis Cohen followed by striking out four and giving up just one unearned run over three innings of relief to secure the winning decision. Calvin Bickerstaff then closed things out with two scoreless frames.

With the win, Greenville remains a half-game back of Winston-Salem in the second-half standings for a spot in the South Atlantic League playoffs.

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Salem RidgeYaks 9, Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL) 3

Kleyver Salazar and Anderson Fermin accounted for half of Salem's hits. Salazar went 2 for 4 with one double, one RBI, and one run scored. Fermin went 2 for 4 with one RBI and one run scored. Andruw Musett crushed a three-run home run for his only hit of the night. Andrews Opata and Skylar King both had one RBI, two runs, and one walk, with the former adding a triple. Franklin Primera doubled in one run and drew one walk. Wills Maginnis went 1 for 3 with his first professional RBI and stolen base. He also scored twice and drew two walks.

Leighton Finley went four innings in his start, allowing one earned run on five hits, four walks, and three strikeouts. He threw 85 pitches (50 strikes) and generated 10 whiffs. In relief of Finley, Nicolas De La Cruz picked up the win despite giving up two runs in 2 2/3 innings. Wuilliams Rodriguez followed with 2 1/3 scoreless frames to wrap things up.

With the win, Salem remains 1 1/2 games behind Fayetteville for first place in the Carolina League North second-half standings.

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DSL Brewers Blue 11, DSL Red Sox Blue 7

Miguel Welch led the way offensively for the Blue squad, going 3 for 4 with one double, two runs scored, one stolen base, and one walk. Eber Miranda also had three hits. Isaac Velasquez went 2 for 3 with one RBI, one run scored, and one walk. Santiago Yanes doubled, drove in one run, and scored another. Freyerso Vasquez recorded two RBI. On the mound, Jesus Lopez got the start and tossed a scoreless first inning. Of the four relievers that followed, only Angel Lopez kept the opposition off the board, as he fired 1 2/3 scoreless frames.

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Player of the Day: Like Franklin Arias the night before, Jack Winnay finished a triple shy of the cycle on Friday. The 23-year-old corner infielder has held his own since moving up to Portland in late June and is now batting .276/.370/.448 with eight doubles, five home runs, 13 RBI, 22 runs scored, 17 walks, and 33 strikeouts in 38 games (154 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs this season. He is currently ranked as the organization's No. 20 prospect.

Photo Credit: Jack Winnay by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Arias finishes triple shy of cycle, Paez strikes out five in Triple-A debut

2026-08-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/14 Cup of Coffee: As the big club snapped a five-game losing streak in Toronto, only one of Boston's affiliates was victorious on Thursday. Franklin Arias (pictured), Kristian Campbell, and Jedixson Paez led Worcester to a blowout win over Buffalo. Johanfran Garcia and Miguel Bleis both homered in Portland's loss to Binghamton. Ronny Hernandez went deep in Greenville's loss to Hub City. Andruw Musett recorded two doubles in Salem's loss to Delmarva.

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Worcester Red Sox 10, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 3

Franklin Arias finished a triple shy of the cycle in his latest strong showing for Worcester. He went 3 for 5 with one double, his fourth Triple-A home run, two RBI, and three runs scored out of the leadoff spot. Batting behind him, Nate Eaton went 1 for 4 with a two-run blast for his ninth Triple-A homer of the year. Mickey Gasper and Kristian Campbell both went 2 for 3 with two doubles, one RBI, one run scored, and one walk. Nathan Hickey tripled, drove in three runs, and scored another as part of a 2-for-4 night at the plate. Romy Gonzalez collected one RBI, while Allan Castro, Brett Harris, and Vinny Capra each scored one run. Castro stole one base and drew one walk as well.

On the mound, Jedixson Paez got the start for Worcester and went 3 1/3 scoreless innings in his Triple-A debut, scattering two hits and one walk while striking out five. He threw 60 pitches (40 strikes) and generated 10 whiffs. Patrick Halligan was responsible for the next 3 2/3 innings and allowed just one earned run to notch his first career win at the Triple-A level. Devin Sweet worked a scoreless eighth inning, while the aforementioned Hickey gave up a two-run homer in the ninth before closing it out.

With a second straight win, Worcester remains a half-game back of Indianapolis for first place in the International League second-half standings.

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Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 6, Portland Sea Dogs 2

Hayden Mullins took the loss in his start for Portland after allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits, four walks, and eight strikeouts over five innings. He threw 84 pitches (50 strikes) and generated eight whiffs. In relief of Mullins, Caleb Bolden was tagged for three unearned runs in the seventh inning, while Max Carlson struck out three across two scoreless frames.

At the plate, both of Portland's runs came by way of solo shots from Johanfran Garcia and Miguel Bleis. Garcia and Bleis each went 1 for 4 on the night, with the former clubbing his 14th home run of the season and the latter crushing his 12th home run of the season. Brooks Brannon went 3 for 4 with three doubles. Mason White also doubled for his only hit.

With a third straight loss, Portland now trails Reading by three games for first place in the Eastern League Northeast second-half standings.

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Hub City Spartanburgers (TEX) 6, Greenville Drive 3

Jacob Mayers took the loss in his start for Greenville after allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits, four walks, and three strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings. He threw 64 pitches (37 strikes) and generated 10 whiffs. In relief of Mayers, Brady Tygart surrendered four earned runs in the sixth inning, while Griffin Kilander struck out three across 2 1/3 scoreless frames.

Offensively, Ronny Hernandez stood out by going 2 for 5 with his 12th home run of the season, two RBI, and one run scored. Yophery Rodriguez went 2 for 4 with a pair of singles. Stanley Tucker drew one walk and stole one base. Gerardo Rodriguez scored one run and drew one walk after taking over defensively for starting catcher Luke Heyman in the sixth inning. Owen Hull drew two walks and scored one run.

Even with a second straight loss, Greenville remains only a half-game back of Winston-Salem in the second-half standings for a spot in the South Atlantic League playoffs.

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Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL) 7, Salem RidgeYaks 3

Williams Montero lasted just an inning in his start for Salem, surrendering five earned runs on three hits (including one home run), two walks, and one strikeout. Only 20 of his 40 pitches landed for strikes. Harry Blum gave up two more runs in the second inning, while Berny Ortiz and Caden Vire combined for 4 1/3 scoreless frames of relief.

Andruw Musett led the way offensively by going 2 for 3 with two doubles, three RBI, and one walk. Starlyn Nunez went 1 for 2 with one double, two runs scored, and one walk. Kleyver Salazar tripled for the first time this season with his only hit of the night. A pair of 2026 draftees (11th-rounder Wills Maginnis and 16th-rounder Colton Coates) picked up their first professional hits.

With the loss, Salem now trails Fayetteville by 1 1/2 games for first place in the Carolina League North second-half standings.

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DSL Royals Fortuna 6, DSL Red Sox Blue 3

Emanuel Jimenez went three innings in his start for the Blue squad, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. Carlos Falcon struck out three more over two scoreless frames of relief, while Michael Manjarres took the loss after getting tagged for three runs in the sixth. At the plate, Esterlin Casanova went 2 for 3 with one run scored and one walk. Eber Miranda also had two hits and scored one run. Enmanuel Figuereo doubled and scored one run. Anderson Gonzalez and Dilan Mata each drove in one run, with the former drawing two walks and the latter walking once.

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DSL Tampa Bay 13, DSL Red Sox Red 2

Anthony Herrera took the loss in his start for the Red squad after allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits (including one home run), three walks, and one strikeout over 3 2/3 innings. Of the five relievers that followed, Wascar Berroa was the only one to not give up any additional runs. On the flip side, Lester Suarez went 3 for 4 with one double and one run scored. Axell Herrera doubled and drove in one run as part of a 2-for-3 day. Diomar Hidalgo drew one walk and stole one base.

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Player of the Day: Franklin Arias gets the nod for recording his fourth three-hit game since moving up to Worcester last month. In 15 games for the WooSox overall, the 20-year-old infielder is batting .313/.384/.563 with four doubles, four home runs, 17 RBI, 11 runs scored, seven walks, and 14 strikeouts over 73 plate appearances. He is currently ranked as the organization's No. 1 prospect and a top-three prospect in the sport by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline.

Photo Credit: Franklin Arias by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Streaking Primera powers RidgeYaks

2026-08-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/13 Cup of Coffee: It was a busy Wednesday down on the farm, with extra baseball for the stateside cohort and one of the DSL teams in action during that circuit's usual off day. Franklin Primera (pictured) had another monster effort to lead Salem, ripping four hits. Greenville split its de facto doubleheader following Tuesday's rain interruption. Worcester snapped its first string of consecutive losses in nearly a month with a come-from-behind win, while Portland could not overcome an early deficit.

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Worcester Red Sox 2, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 1

All four of Worcester's hits were doubles as the WooSox clawed back for the win in Wednesday's matinee at Polar Park. Jason Delay delivered the key hit, an RBI double in the seventh that snapped a 1-1 tie. Mickey Gasper had a two-bagger in his follow-up to Tuesday's four-hit effort, while Kristian Campbell and Braiden Ward had a double apiece. Franklin Arias was held to a rare hitless afternoon, but he did draw a pair of walks. A quintet of hurlers scattered eight hits to hold the Bisons at bay. Jason Brebbia got the first call, allowing a run on three hits in two innings. Hobie Harris was outstanding in relief, giving up one hit in three shutout innings. He struck out four without walking a batter. All four outs recorded by Tyler Samaniego came via the strikeout, sandwiching three base hits in 1 1/3 frames. Wyatt Olds earned the win with his 1 2/3 shutout innings, and Angel Bastardo fired a scoreless ninth for the save. Bastrdo did walk one batter, the first free pass he'd issued since June 26.

With the win, Worcester passes Scranton to move into second place in the International League second half standings, sitting a half-game behind Indianapolis.

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Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 13, Portland Sea Dogs 5

The Sea Dogs fell into an early 8-0 hole that they were not able to dig out of. Yoeilin Cespedes snapped a 1-for-25 skid to start his Double-A career by going 2 for 4 with homer. Nelly Taylor also went deep, connecting on a three-run shot in the fifth. Max Ferguson reached base three times, going 2 for 3 with a walk and a double. Starter Jeremy Wu-Yelland suffered the loss, surrendering five runs in 1 1/3 innings. It was a tough introduction to the Sox system for right-handed hurler Morgan McSweeney as he gave up five scores in two frames.

The loss keeps Portland two games behind Reading in the Northeast Division race.

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Greenville Drive 7, Hub City Spartanburgers (TEX) 6 (Completion of suspended game)

Tuesday's contest is Spartanburg was halted in the third inning after Greenville had jumped out to an early 5-0 lead. The Drive netted a pair of consequential insurance runs after play resumed, allowing them to withstand a six-run sixth-inning rally. Every member of the Drive lineup recorded at least one hit. Antonio Anderson led the way, going 2 for 4 with two doubles and a walk. Carlos Guttierez doubled and walked as part of his two-hit effort, while Isaiah Jackson had a three-run homer before rain on Tuesday. Jake Schaffner and Owen Hull had two hits apiece, with Schaffner also drawing a free pass.

Alex Bouchard pitched two shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out two without issuing a walk. Adam Bates took over when play resumed Wednesday, cruising through his first three scoreless innings but running into trouble in the sixth. All four batters he faced in the frame reached base, and all four came on to score. Joey Gartrell allowed three inherited runners to score and then two of his own, but he settled in and pitched a scoreless seventh, getting credit for the win. Two scoreless innings by Matt McShane secured the save.

Hub City Spartanburgers 3, Greenville Drive 2

In stark contrast to the completed game, Greenville could find only two hits in the regularly scheduled contest. Isaiah Jackson did go deep once again, this time delivering a solo shot in the second inning. Gerardo Rodriguez had the Drive's other hit. Marcus Phillips went the first four innings, allowing a run on three hits, striking out six against three walks. Brandon Neely returned from the injured list to throw two innings, giving up one run on two hits. Aaron Nixon, signed as a minor league free agent on Tuesday after being released by the Yankees, took the loss in his Greenville debut. Nixon recorded two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but a bounding ground ball to second with a man on third scored the game-winning run.

Despite a second-half record of 22-22, Greenville sits only a half game behind Winston-Salem (CWS) for a playoff spot.

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Salem RidgeYaks 10, Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL) 3

Franklin Primera powered Salem with a four-hit effort on Wednesday night. Primera's four hits included a run-scoring knock that was generously scored a triple, the first of his professional career. The effort extends his hitting streak to 10 games and his on-base streak to 19. Andrews Opata was 2 for 4 with a three-run homer in the seventh that blew the contest wide open. Colton Coates is still searching for his first professional hit, but he walked twice and scored both times in the win. Christian Foutch allowed one run on just one hit in his four innings of work, striking out five and walking four. Nicholas Judice returned to the mound from 2025 Tommy John surgery, making his first appearance since May 20 of last season. Judice got credit for the win, allowing two runs on four hits in 1 2/3 innings, striking out two without issuing a walk. Ethan Walker was dominant over the final 3 1/3 to get the save. He allowed just one hit, striking out four while walking one.

Fayetteville also won on Wednesday, which keeps Salem a half-game back in the Carolina League North.

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DSL Red Sox Red 6, DSL Orioles Orange 5

A dramatic bases-clearing double by Gustavo Antunez in the seventh (final) inning gave the Red squad the come-from-behind victory. Antunez finished the afternoon 2 for 4. Axel Herrera was on base three times, going 2 for 3 with a walk, RBI, and run scored. Isaac Brujan submitted a strong start, giving up just two hits across four shutout innings, striking out one while walking three. Jose Alexandro picked up the win in relief.

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Player of the Day: After a relatively slow start in his introduction to the Carolina League, Franklin Primera has been one of the hottest prospects in the minors. During his 19-game on-base streak, the 19-year-old backstop is 29 for 67 (.433) with 12 walks, 10 RBI, and 19 runs scored. His OBP and slugging average with the RidgeYaks are both inching toward the .500 mark, with a slash line since the June promotion of .340/.471/.495.

Photo Credit: Franklin Primera by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Gasper reaches base five times, Brannon homers for Sea Dogs

2026-08-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/12 Cup of Coffee: It was a tough night in the Red Sox system, as none of Boston's affiliates came through with a win on Tuesday. Mickey Gasper (pictured) had a big game for the WooSox but John Holobetz was hit hard on the mound. Brooks Brannon homered as the Sea Dogs lost in a rout to Binghamton and Franklin Primera reached base three times for Salem. The Southeastern Red Sox affiliates had some rainy weather on Tuesday, as the Drive game was suspended in the third inning and a scheduled doubleheader for the DSL Blue team turned into a single rain-shortened game.

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Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 9, Worcester Red Sox 6

After falling behind 8-0 early, the WooSox clawed their way back into the game but were unable to complete the comeback. Mikey Romero drove in the WooSox' first run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth and then two more with a single in the ninth in a 1-for-4 game. Mickey Gasper had a huge game, reaching base in all five of his plate appearances and scoring two runs. Franklin Arias was 2 for 5 and scored two runs, pushing his line to .298/.359/.509 in 13 games in Triple-A. Romy Gonzalez was 2 for 5 with a double.

John Holobetz made his third start with the WooSox and had his shakiest game yet, allowing three runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings. Holobetz, who recently jumped to No. 9 in the SoxProspects.com rankings, now has a 2.77 ERA with 10 strikeouts through 13 innings in Worcester. Eduardo Rivera had a rough game out of the bullpen, allowing five runs (two earned) in 2/3 of an inning. Devin Sweet worked two shutout frames and Noah Song allowed one run in three strong innings of relief.

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Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 16, Portland Sea Dogs 4

The Sea Dogs pitching staff was rocked for 16 runs in their series opener against Binghamton. Starting pitcher Dalton Rogers was hit hard as he allowed seven runs on four hits and five walks in 4 2/3 frames. Cooper Adams was the first man out of the bullpen and he gave up seven runs (four earned) in 1 1/3 innings. Tyler Davis allowed two runs on four hits in two innings, striking out three hitters. Infielder Ahbram Liendo was the only Sea Dog to record a scoreless inning on the mound.

While the Rumble Ponies put up a monster performance, it was a relatively quiet night for the Sea Dogs bats. Nate Baez drove in Portland's first two runs of the game with RBI singles in the fifth and seventh innings as part of a 3-for-4 day. Brooks Brannon went 2 for 4 and crushed a two-run blast in the eighth inning, his 19th of the season. Jack Winnay went 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored.

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Greenville Drive 5, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 0 (suspended in 3rd inning)

The Drive got off to a fast start before their game was suspended in the third inning due to rain, scoring five runs in the first inning. Luke Heyman started the scoring with a two-run single and Isaiah Jackson came through later in the inning with a three-run homer, his 16th of the season. Alex Bouchard threw the first two innings of the game, striking out two batters and allowing just a hit.

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Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL) 3, Salem RidgeYaks 2

Salem was walked off in the first game of their series in Delmarva, as Shorebirds catcher Miguel Rodriguez drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. The RidgeYaks scraped a pair of runs across the plate on an RBI single for Skylar King in the second inning and an RBI single for Louis Andujar in the sixth. Catcher Franklin Primera went 2 for 3 with a walk. Cole Tolbert tossed the first three innings of the game and allowed two runs, struggling with his control and command as he surrendered three walks and four hits. Cam Padgett and Wuilliams Rodriguez each threw a pair of scoreless innings out of the bullpen before Yermain Ruiz allowed the winning run to score in the ninth.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 10, DSL LAD Mega 10 (7 innings)

The Blue team's lineup had a strong performance before the game was called due to rain in the seventh inning. Second baseman Luis Aular drove in three runs and hit his first triple of the season in a 2-for-4 game. Esterlin Casanova reached base in all four of his plate appearances, going 2 for 2 with a double and two walks, scoring a run and driving in two. Catcher Santiago Yanes went 1 for 3 with a walk, driving in two runs and scoring twice. Harry Canedo started on the mound and allowed two runs in an inning. Erickson Ettien tossed 2 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, allowing a run on two hits and two walks.

DSL LAD Mega @ DSL Red Sox Blue (canceled)

The second game of the Blue team and LAD Mega's doubleheader was canceled due to continued rain in the forecast.

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DSL Royals Fortuna 9, DSL Red Sox Red 6

The Red team's day started with a bang, as they scored four runs in the first inning, highlighted by a two-run triple off the bat of Geomaikel Martinez. However, they were unable to hang onto a late lead against Royals Fortuna. Martinez was 2 for 4 in the game with two runs scored and two RBI. Jhonny Osta had 2 triples of his own, going 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI. Wilneyker Bruce went 2 for 4. Oscar Vaamonde walked three batters and allowed a pair of runs in two innings to start the game. He was followed by Robert Moreno, who surrendered four runs in three innings, and Alexander Heredia, who gave up three runs (one earned) in an inning.

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Player of the Day: Mickey Gasper had an excellent game for the WooSox on Tuesday night, going 4 for 4 with a double, a walk, and two runs scored. The 30-year-old catcher struggled in a taste of the major leagues earlier this season but he has been a star for Worcester this season as Gasper's big performance raised his season line to .337/.451/.560 in 50 games with the WooSox.

Photo Credit: Mickey Gasper by Kelly O'Connor

Minor Notes: Brand new rankings; Godbout and Ziehl climb the ladder

2026-08-11T12:00:00.000-04:00

With the season on the home stretch, the major league squad and all four full-season affiliates remain in the playoff hunt. The post-deadline shuffle in the rankings and affiliate rosters made for another busy week on the farm. This week's notes will cover those new rankings, significant promotion activity, and some key injury updates.

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New rankings

August is always the busiest month for updates to the rankings as new draftees sign while other members of the organization come and go at the trade deadline. This year was even more hectic due to the quantity (and quality) of prospects traded in late July. Franklin Arias held steady as the system's top prospect, but behind him there were massive changes. With Jake Bennett graduating and Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, and Enddy Azocar all traded to the Orioles, that made room for four new players in the top 10. 2026 draftees Jake Schaffner and Owen Hull debuted at six and eight, respectively. Slotting behind them are John Holobetz (pictured, right) at nine and Harold Rivas at 10. Two other notable risers were Blake Wehunt from 17 to 11 and Angel Bastardo from 24 to 17.

New podcast

The Adley Rutschman trade was the biggest story of the trade deadline, and Ian and Mike discussed that as well as every other move the Red Sox made. They also discussed the latest injury news and recent minor league transactions.

Promotions

Several players were on the move last week, highlighted by the system's fourth-ranked prospect.

Chase Ford of Milb Central was the first to report that shortstop Henry Godbout was getting promoted to Double-A Portland. He missed almost two months due to hand surgery, but he went 3 for 14 in a five-game rehab stint with Salem that started on July 31. Rather than activate him in Greenville, the Red Sox are pushing him up to Portland, where he will split duties with Mason White. 2026 first-round pick Jake Schaffner has taken over as the full-time shortstop in Greenville.
Worcester added Gage Ziehl from Portland. Ziehl made his presence felt right away, winning the SoxProspects.com Player of the Week award below.
Portland added Devin Futrell and Steven Brooks from Greenville. This is Futrell's second promotion, as he had a quick stint in Salem to begin the year. His ERA is 3.96 with 100 strikeouts in 88 2/3 innings across three levels. Brooks has the best strikeout rate in the system for pitchers with over 40 innings. But his WHIP in Greenville was 1.51, as he had a high walk rate as well.
Greenville got reinforcements with the additions of Jason Gilman, Brady Tygart, and Luis Cohen from Salem. Gilman just debuted at 60th in the last rankings update after posting a 2.91 ERA with the RidgeYaks.
Salem has several additions to the roster, with Berny Ortiz (pictured, left), Yander Bonaci, and Josue Brito coming up from the FCL. Additionally, 11th-rounder Wills Maginnis and 16th-rounder Colton Coates are getting added to the roster. Ortiz and Brito rank 50th and 58th, respectively.

Major league roster shuffle

With the Red Sox in the midst of playing 16 games in 16 days, they have needed several roster moves to keep the team fresh. Raymond Burgos was an unsung hero over the weekend against the Athletics. After being called up on Friday, he saved the bullpen by finishing the final three innings of the 13-1 victory. He then was the cleanup man for three more innings during Saturday's 7-3 loss. He got optioned so that Boston could add a fresh arm, Seth Martinez, to the roster. Boston also optioned Greg Weissert and Romy Gonzalez to Worcester.

Brebbia signed to minor league deal

36-year-old John Brebbia, who was born in Boston, was signed to a minor league contract last week. The reliever was released by the Rockies Triple-A affiliate earlier in the week. Brebbia has pitched in parts of nine seasons in the majors, sporting an ERA of 4.12.

Injury updates

It was a mixed bag of injury news this week, though several players are trending in the right direction. Minor league fans should pay close attention to when these names will be rehabbing with an affiliate.

It was a quick rehab stint for Rutschman as he went 1 for 5 with two walks between Saturday and Sunday with the WooSox. He has already joined the big league team, and reports are that he will get activated on Tuesday. He was behind the plate on Saturday and threw out the only would-be base stealer.
Roman Anthony is now hitting off a machine that throws with high velocity. If all goes well, he will progress to batting practice on the field and then the Trajekt machine before going on a rehab assignment.
Reports last week were that Garrett Crochet began throwing up to 60 feet. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy noted this week that it is unlikely Crochet can get ramped back up to a starter's workload this season. But he did not rule out using Crochet out of the bullpen.
The most unfortunate news was the announcement that Triston Casas underwent left wrist surgery. Casas has not played in an MLB game since last May, and there is no timetable for recovery from this new injury.
On the minor league front, Salem transferred Dalvinson Reyes to the 60-day injured list, Portland placed Reidis Sena on the seven-day injured list, and Worcester added Sam McWilliams to the seven-day injured list with a right forearm strain.

Six players released

With new draftees being added to the Domestic Reserve List, the Red Sox had to release a few players. Joe La Sorsa, who last appeared in a game on June 28 with Worcester, got released. Salem also released Ilan Fernandez. The lanky infielder signed out of Venezuela in January 2024, and he had an OPS of .743 over 200 at-bats in Salem. In Worcester, catcher Andrew Knizner exercised his opt-out on Friday. This coincided with the Red Sox trading for both Rutschman and Jake Rogers at the deadline. On Monday, Matt Fraizer, PJ Labriola, and Jay Allmer got released from Portland, Greenville, and Salem, respectively.

Where are they now?

Rule 5 pick Ryan Watson was claimed off waivers by the Angels. That effectively ends the 28-year-old's tenure with Boston. He posted an ERA of 4.53 over 55 2/3 innings this season.
After signing with the Mariners in the offseason, Rob Refsnyder got released. He hit .140/.211/.254 with four home runs over 129 plate appearances. There are unconfirmed reports that he has chosen to retire.
The news on recently traded Connelly Early was distressing as the left-hander was shut down from his rehab after feeling forearm tightness.
Wikelman Gonzalez, one of the players traded in December 2024 for Crochet, got designated for assignment by the White Sox. After a promising cup of coffee in the big leagues in 2025, Gonzales has struggled with both injuries and ineffectiveness in 2026. His ERA in Triple-A this year was 6.57 over 24 2/3 innings. He will get a new opportunity with the Marlins after they claimed him off waivers.

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Players of the Week August 3-August 9

Antonio Anderson, 1B/3B, Greenville Drive

4 G, 13 AB, 8 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 BB, 2 K, 7 R, 6 RBI, .615/.706/1.231

This is Anderson's second Player of the Week award in the last seven weeks. The 21-year-old has quietly put together a strong bounce-back season after struggling in 2024 and 2025. The former third-round pick in 2023 has fallen out of the site's top-60, but over his last 35 games he is hitting .371/.443/.661 with seven home runs. He had nine home runs total over his last two seasons. Portland's infield is crowded so it is unlikely that the Red Sox would move Anderson up at this time, but he figures to be a key piece of the Greenville lineup for the Drive's playoff push.

Gage Ziehl, RHP, Worcester Red Sox

1 GS, 1-0, 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K

Ziehl did not miss a beat in his Triple-A debut, striking out eight over 5 2/3 scoreless frames. The Statcast data on Ziehl was fascinating, as the 23-year-old threw seven different pitch types over his 79 pitches. 33 percent of his pitches were a sweeper that graded very highly on the models. He mixed in a sinker, four-seamer, and a cutter that all sat in the low-90s. Advanced pitchability of a wide-ranging arsenal has helped Ziehl post a 4.05 ERA over 86 2/3 innings with 104 strikeouts between Portland and Worcester. His ceiling will depend on how his fastballs develop, but for now the right-hander is enjoying great success in the upper minors. His ERA is just 2.87 over his last 53 1/3 innings, and he was the SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Month in June.

Photo Credit: John Holobetz and Berny Ortiz by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Silverio records first professional multi-homer game in DSL

2026-08-11T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/11 Cup of Coffee: Boston's Dominican Summer League affiliates went 1-1 on Monday. Most notably, top 2026 international signee Garielvin Silverio homered twice in the same game for the first time as a pro.

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DSL Padres Gold 13, DSL Red Sox Blue 4

On an otherwise quiet day for the Blue squad's lineup, Garielvin Silverio stood out by going 2 for 4 with two home runs, four RBI, and two runs scored. Miguel Welch and Eber Miranda each scored a run as well. On the mound, Allan Griman took the loss in his start after allowing five runs (four earned) on two hits, four walks, and no strikeouts over 1 1/3 innings. Maikol Tovar, who started the game at first base, was credited with 1 2/3 scoreless frames of relief.

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DSL Red Sox Red 6, DSL Astros Blue 4

A four-run seventh inning lifted the Red squad to a comeback victory. Axell Herrera led the way with a double, three RBI, and a stolen base. Jhonny Osta and Wilneyker Bruce each had two hits, with the former driving in one run and scoring another. Geomaikel Martinez and Lester Suarez combined to score four runs and draw five walks. Anderber Urbina scored a run as well. On the flip side, Steven Garcia was tagged for four earned runs on one hit, four walks, and one strikeout over one-plus innings in his start. Ranci Castillo, Yariel Valdez, and Wascar Berroa (who was credited with the win) combined for six scoreless frames of relief the rest of the way.

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Player of the Day: Garielvin Silverio gets the nod for recording the first multi-homer game of his young professional career on Monday. The 17-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic has come to life at the plate over his last three games, going 6 for 12 (.500) with three home runs and nine RBI. His five home runs and 30 RBI on the season are tied for the second-most among Red Sox Dominican Summer Leaguers. He is currently ranked as the organization's No. 30 prospect after receiving the highest signing bonus ($1.4 million) in Boston's 2026 international free-agent class.

Cup of Coffee: White launches two home runs; Campbell reaches base four times

2026-08-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/10 Cup of Coffee: With four weeks left in the regular season for Low-A and High-A, five weeks for Double-A, and six weeks for Triple-A, all four affiliates are in the playoff hunt. Kristian Campbell continued his hot hitting for Worcester, while Mason White (pictured) powered Portland to victory.

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Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 7, Worcester Red Sox 6

The IronPigs plated five runs in the top of the ninth to stun the WooSox. Three hits, a walk, and two throwing errors by Wyatt Olds helped Lehigh Valley take the lead. Blake Wehunt got the start and allowed one run over the first 3 1/3 innings, and Osvaldo Berrios followed with 2 2/3 frames of one-run ball. Making his second rehab appearance, Adley Rutschman went 0 for 3 with a strikeout as the designated hitter. Reports are that he is on track to be activated by Tuesday. Kristian Campbell went 3 for 3 with a double and a walk as he batted .316/.391/.579 over the five-game series. Nate Eaton went 2 for 3 with two RBI, and Vinny Capra went 2 for 4.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has a half-game lead over both Worcester and Durham in the East division's playoff race.

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Portland Sea Dogs 9, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) 6

Three home runs, including two from Mason White, helped the Sea Dogs split the series. White opened the scoring with a solo shot in the second, and he later added a three-run blast in the fifth. He also added a single and a walk. Will Turner hit a three-run home run that extended the lead to four, and Max Ferguson went 1 for 3 with a triple and a walk. Starter Jedixson Paez struck out four and allowed two runs over three innings. The hold went to Joe Vogatsky who posted two scoreless frames, and Max Carlson kept New Hampshire off the board while recording a six-out save.

Portland is one game behind Reading for first place in the Northeast division.

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Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 15, Greenville Drive 12 (12 innings)

The two teams combined for 27 runs on 30 hits and 16 walks in back-and-forth affair that ended in Greenville's third straight loss. It was the Drive's fifth time scoring 10 or more runs in their last 11 games. They somehow managed to score 12 runs despite posting only two extra-base hits. A two-run home run from Antonio Anderson tied the game in the bottom of the 11th as the 21-year-old finished 1 for 4 with a walk and three runs scored. Ronny Hernandez went 4 for 5 with three RBI, and Luke Heyman went 2 for 4 with a double, three walks, and three RBI. It was a rough day on the mound for Greenville, starting with Matt Duffy failing to get out of the first inning. He was tagged with three runs while walking three and allowing two hits. Griffin Kilander posted 3 1/3 scoreless frames, but the Renegades got to Trennor O'Donnell for eight runs (five earned) over four innings.

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Fayetteville Woodpeckers (HOU) @ Salem RidgeYaks, PPD (rain)

Sunday's game was postponed, and it will be made up on a date to be determined later. Salem remains in first place, a half-game ahead of Fayetteville, in the second-half standings.

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Player of the Day: Mason White went 3 for 4 with two home runs and four RBI in a big win for Portland. It was the second and third long balls for White in his 16 games with the Sea Dogs. The 22-year-old got off to a slow start in Double-A, posting a line of .200/.310/.343 while striking out in 40 percent of his plate appearances over the first 11 games. In the five games he played against New Hampshire, he hit .316/.409/.632. The former fourth-round pick finished second all-time in home runs at the University of Arizona, and he found that power stroke again on Sunday.

Photo Credit: Mason White by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Romero goes 6 for 6, Portland gets shut out

2026-08-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/9 Cup of Coffee: Extreme results were the name of the game on Saturday, as Worcester and Portland were on opposite sides of shutouts in which the winning team scored double-digits, while in the Dominican Republic, the DSL squads struggled to generate offense and took a pair of losses. In Worcester, Mikey Romero (pictured) was a perfect 6 for 6 at the plate and was the first member of the WooSox to accomplish this feat. Louis Andujar paced Salem in its win with a 3-for-4 performance, including a double.

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Worcester Red Sox 19, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 0

The Red Sox stepped to the plate eight times and scored in seven of them, pounding out 19 hits and surrendering just three of their own in a blowout on Saturday afternoon. Each of the nine starters recorded at least one hit, including rehabber Adley Rutschman, making his organizational debut after being traded from Baltimore on Monday. The backstop walked twice and added a double, driving in two runs. However, Mikey Romero was the headliner, going a perfect 6 for 6, finishing a triple short of the cycle, as he also had a pair of RBI. Romy Gonzalez and Allan Castro also registered three hits and Kristian Campbell also went yard as part of a three-RBI afternoon.

The start went to Gage Ziehl, who had plenty of run support, scattering two hits across his 5 2/3 shutout frames. He also struck out eight and did not walk a batter. The other hit was on Devin Sweet's ledger, who also surrendered a walk across 1 1/3 innings. Tyler Samaniego handled the eighth and Nathan Hickey made his 10th appearance of the season to close out the contest.

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New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) 14, Portland Sea Dogs 0

The blowout-shutouts giveth, the blowout-shutouts taketh away. The Sea Dogs kept it close for a while, as they trailed by just two after four, but a five-run fifth inning kicked off a 12-run flurry over the Fisher Cats' final four at-bats to pull away and then some. Ronald Rosario had the only extra-base hit, a double in the second. Six of those runs were on Michael Sansone's tab, as he surrendered nine hits over five innings. He walked one and struck out three.

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Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 8, Greenville Drive 2

Hudson Valley got some work done early, with a 5-0 lead after the top of the third, then added three more between the eighth and ninth to beat the Drive big. Yophery Rodriguez and Stanley Tucker each had two hits, but the only Drive runs came home on wild pitches. Dylan Brown had the start and while he struck out nine in five innings, he also allowed five runs on nine hits. Shea Sprague relieved him and contributed 2 2/3 frames, surrendering two runs, just one of which was earned.

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Salem RidgeYaks 6, Fayetteville Woodpeckers (HOU) 2

Salem got its scoring out of the way early, with its six runs all crossing the plate before the end of the fourth inning. Louis Andujar led the way offensively, with a 3-for-4 day. He scored two runs and drove in another. His double was also the only extra-base hit for the RidgeYaks. Leighton Finley had plenty of traffic on the bases, as he allowed seven hits across his five-inning start, but only two runs came across the plate. Nicholas De La Cruz (1 2/3 innings) and Henry Blum (1 inning) didn't allow a hit to finish the game, but the former arm walked three and the latter issued another free pass, dealing with plenty of traffic.

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DSL Braves 4, DSL Red Sox Blue 2

Miguel Welch had three hits, but the rest of his team had just two as Blue dropped Saturday's contest. The Red Sox did not record any extra-base hits, though they out-hit their opponents. However, the Braves worked 10 walks. Rinangel Mayora got the start, but was able to get just two outs and allowed three runs. However, Juan Verdus had the bulk of the pitching, contributing three shutout innings.

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DSL Brewers Blue 5, DSL Red Sox Red 0

The bats were cold all over the Dominican Republic, as Red fared even worse than Blue, with just two singles in a shutout loss. Control eluded Yeider Pineda, as he didn't allow a hit, but walked three and allowed a run in his two-inning start. Radinsson Lopez, who pitched an inning, was the only arm to not have a run charged to their record.

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Player of the Day: There's only one choice when there's a 6-for-6 day. Step right up, Mikey Romero and take your prize. After hitting a home run on Friday, the No. 22 prospect in the system out-did himself with a perfect day at the plate, finishing a triple short of the cycle and scoring four runs in the process. It's just a 25 at-bat sample, but Romero is hitting .400/.500/.760 so far in August.

Photo Credit: Mikey Romero by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Fermin walks off Salem; Anderson, Schaffner shine for Drive

2026-08-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/8 Cup of Coffee: As former top prospect Payton Tolle struck out 14 on a major-league mound, it was a big night for the next wave of prospects down on the farm. Current top prospect Franklin Arias delivered the go-ahead hit as the surging WooSox moved within 1/2 game of first place. Devin Futrell had a solid debut in Portland's victory, while Anderson Fermin was the catalyst in Salem's win. Greenville was the only stateside team to fall on Friday, despite a combined seven hits from Antonio Anderson (pictured) and Jake Schaffner. The DSL Teams continued to go in opposite directions: Team Blue won their fifth straight while their Red counterparts lost for the fifth time in a row.

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

The WooSox continued their excellent stretch, winning for the 14th time in 16 games. Franklin Arias delivered the key hit, a two-run double in the fifth inning that snapped a 2-2 tie. The knock extended Arias' hitting streak to nine games. Mikey Romero was 2 for 4 with a homer, his first since July 17th. Mickey Gasper also collected a pair of hits, while Braiden Ward had a single, a hit-by-pitch, and his 51st stolen base of the year. Alec Gamboa got the opening nod in the bullpen game, surrendering a pair of runs on four hits in two innings. Noah Song was outstanding in his 3 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and striking out three without issuing a walk. Hobie Harris gave up one run in 1 2/3 innings, and Angel Bastardo finished things up with two frames, striking out three and allowing one run on a solo homer. The run snapped a stretch of six straight scoreless outings by Bastardo. He has not walked a batter in his last 11 appearances.

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Portland Sea Dogs 7, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 4

A six-run rally in the seventh powered Portland as Devin Futrell made his Double-A debut. Futrell went five innings, surrendering four runs on eight hits, striking out five, and walking one. Patrick Halligan and Jeremy Wu-Yelland fired two scoreless innings apiece out of the bullpen. Halligan allowed just one hit in his two frames to earn the win, while Wu-Yelland fanned four in the save. A three-run homer off the bat of Miguel Bleis highlighted the Portland comeback. Bleis delivered his 11th homer of the year while going 2 for 4 on the evening. Brooks Brannon also went deep as part of a two-hit effort. Nate Baez went 3 for 5 with a run scored and two RBI, and Johanfran Garcia had two singles and a walk to raise his average to .296.

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Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 9, Greenville Drive 3

Greenville had 13 hits and six walks but went just 2 for 16 with runners in scoring position. Jason Gilman made his Greenville debut, sliding into the slot previously occupied by Devin Futrell. Gilman allowed three runs on three hits in five innings, striking out seven and walking two. Antonio Anderson led the way at the plate, going 4 for 5 with a double, RBI, and run scored. First-round pick Jake Schaffner had a big night as he went 3 for 6 with a double and a pair of stolen bases. Justin Gonzales celebrated his move up to the number two position in the SoxProspects.com rankings by going 2 for 5 with a double. Owen Hull failed to get a base hit for the first time in five professional starts, but he did draw two walks and steal a base.

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Salem RidgeYaks 4, Fayetteville Woodpeckers (HOU) 3

Salem prevailed on a literal walk-off on Friday night. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, Anderson Fermin worked a free pass that plated pinch runner Givian Sirvania to send the Salem Memorial faithful home happy. Fermin drove in three of Salem's four runs, as he also had RBI singles in the second and sixth innings. Louis Andujar was 2 for 3 with a double and a pair of walks. Kleyver Salazar was held hitless but drew two walks and started the ninth-inning rally when he was hit by a pitch. Sadbiel Delzine was excellent on the mound, giving up two hits in 3 2/3 scoreless innings. He struck out five, walked one, and threw 40 of 57 pitches for strikes. Jose Bello got credit for the win in a piggyback role, going 5 1/3 innings and giving up three runs on three hits.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 10, DSL Braves 2

Team Blue pounded out 13 hits in the seven-inning contest to deliver their fifth straight win. Top international free agent Garielvin Silverio led the way, going 3 for 4 with a home run, double, two runs scored, and three RBI. The big afternoon snapped a 3-for-32 skid for Silverio. Miguel Welch, Freyerso Vasquez, and Isaac Velasquez each had two-hit efforts that included a double apiece. After Harry Canedo retired the game's first two batters, Jesus Lopez came in from the bullpen to go 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits to get credit for the win.

Despite the win, a victory by the DSL Royals Fortuna club pushes Team Blue to the brink of elimination, sitting nine games out of first place with nine left to play.

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DSL Brewers Blue 5, DSL Red Sox Red 4

The Red squad has not been able to match Team Blue's late-season success, dropping their fifth straight. Eliezer Alfonzo led the way at the plate, going 2 for 2 with a double, walk, and RBI. Dawvris Brito added an RBI double, while Joskairo Ramirez ripped his 14th two-bagger of the season. Anthony Herrera got bulk duty on the mound, going 2 1/3 innings and allowing two runs on one hit and getting saddled with the losing decision.

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Player of the Day: Though his team failed to capitalize, Antonio Anderson continued his stretch of excellent play with a 4-for-5 Friday night effort. After a brutal 1-for-30 stretch to open the season, Anderson has hit .326/.410/.544 over 53 games since April 24th. He has been even better since taking over as Greenville's regular third baseman in mid-June, posting a .381/.449/.664 slash line with 10 doubles and six homers in his last 32 games.

Photo Credit: Antonio Anderson by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Mayers, Tygart shut down Renegades

2026-08-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/7 Cup of Coffee: It was an even split of the system's six contests on Thursday. Jacob Mayers and Brady Tygart (pictured) were outstanding on the mound in Greenville's win, while Vinny Capra led the way in Worcester's blowout. The Sea Dogs squandered a solid Hayden Mullins start, while Salem fell in the RidgeYak debut of Berny Ortiz. The DSL squads also split, with Team Blue picking up the win to keep their slim postseason hopes alive.

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

The WooSox are on a roll to make their parent club proud, cruising in Thursday's matinee to win their seventh of their last eight games and 13th out of 15. Vinny Capra led the way at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a two-run homer in the sixth. He added a single and a walk, scoring three runs. Franklin Arias ripped a 105 mph single to extend his hitting streak to eight games, while Kristian Campbell ran his on-base streak to 20 with an RBI double. Nathan Hickey was 3 for 4 with an RBI, while Allan Castro doubled, scored twice, and drove in two as part of his 2-for-4 afternoon.

Eduardo Rivera got the start, allowing a run on two hits in 3 2/3 innings, striking out two against two walks. Seth Martinez got credit for the victory in relief. Martinez allowed one run in 2 1/3 innings. Osvaldo Berrios fired a scoreless seventh inning, while the only blemish against Wyatt Olds in his two innings of work was a two-run homer by old friend Tommy Pham.

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New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) 5, Portland Sea Dogs 2

The Sea Dogs were limited to three hits by a quintet of Fisher Cat hurlers. Portland starter Hayden Mullins went 4 2/3 innings, surrendering a run on five hits. He walked two and struck out eight. Cooper Adams took the loss, surrendering four runs in the sixth. Tyler Davis kept things close with 2 1/3 innings of shutout relief, but the Sea Dogs could not rally. Ronald Rosario reached base three times, going 1 for 2 with a pair of walks, while Johanfran Garcia doubled for the Sea Dogs' lone extra-base hit.

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Greenville Drive 4, Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 2

Recent reinforcements keyed the Drive victory at Fluor Field. Jacob Mayers turned in a solid outing in his second Greenville start, allowing two runs on four hits in four innings, striking out four and walking two. Brady Tygart was dominant in relief in his first appearance of the year with the Drive, firing five shutout innings to earn the win. Tygart allowed just three baserunners across those five frames, coming on a single, a walk, and a hit batsman. He struck out three. Tygart had made his Greenville debut in September 2025, but had missed the first two months of 2026 following pectoral surgery and worked his way back with nine appearances in Salem.

Carlos Guttierez also made his Drive debut just three days after being acquired in the deal that sent Marcelo Mayer to San Francisco. Guttierez got the start in left field, batting fifth, and legged out a double and scored a run in the win. Top draftees Jake Schaffner and Owen Hull both had a single and an RBI. It wasn't just the new folks contributing as Drive mainstay Ronny Hernandez joined the fun, going 2 for 4 with a run driven in.

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Fayetteville Woodpeckers (HOU) 10, Salem Red Sox 9

Salem mounted several rallies in this back-and-forth affair, but was doomed by a six-run rally in the seventh. Anderson Fermin scored three runs as he went 1 for 3 with a pair of walks. Henry Godbout singled and was twice hit by a pitch. He has reached base in 11 of 19 plate appearances during his rehab stint with the RidgeYaks. Berny Ortiz made his Carolina League debut, getting the start and allowing three runs (two earned) in three innings. He struck out one and walked one. Yander Bonaci also made his first appearance in full-season ball, but his was a rougher go of it. He retired only one of the seven batters he faced, allowing three hits, walking one, and hitting two batters. Five of those six baserunners came on to score. Wuilliams Rodriguez struck out one in two perfect innings of relief.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 2, DSL Astros Orange 1

The suddenly resurgent Team Blue has now won eight of their last 10, going from 11-24 to 19-26, moving from last place to fourth in the DSL North Division. Emanuel Jimenez was excellent in his start, scattering four hits across five scoreless innings. He struck out six against one walk. Carlos Falcon went the final two innings, surrendering one run on one hit and striking out a pair to record the save. Freyerso Vasquez and Krishan Ulacio both doubled, with Ulacio adding a walk and an RBI.

The late-season rally has likely come too late to affect Team Blue's playoff chances: they sit nine games behind the Royals Fortuna with 10 contests remaining.

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DSL CLE Mendoza 11, DSL Red Sox Red 9

In contrast to the crisp DSL Blue pitchers' duel, the Red squad produced 22 baserunners but fell despite an early 6-0 lead. Geomaikel Martinez led the way at the plate, blasting a second-inning solo homer and adding one of Team Red's seven doubles. Dawvris Brito tripled as part of his 2-for-5 effort. Anderber Urbina doubled, walked, drove in two, and scored two.

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Player of the Day: It was not technically the High-A debut of Brady Tygart, but Thursday's strong performance in a piggyback role likely marks his full-time assignment to the level. After making one start with the Drive to close the 2025 season, Tygart missed the start of 2026 with a pectoral injury that required surgery. He worked his way back with two outings in the FCL and nine with Salem before again donning the Drive gear. In his last four appearances, the 2024 12th-round pick has allowed just three runs in 19 innings as opponents have hit .156/.257/.219.

Photo Credit: Brady Tygart by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: McDonough homers twice in 9th; Arias keeps rolling

2026-08-06T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/6 Cup of Coffee: It was a night of blowouts in the system, with all four games decided by at least seven runs. Boston's affiliates came out on top in three of those four contests. Franklin Arias and company made things easy for John Holobetz in his Polar Park debut. Tyler McDonough (pictured) led a ninth-inning romp to turn Portland's victory into a laugher, while an Avinson Pinto grand slam propelled Salem. Greenville was the only team on the wrong side of its rout, snapping an eight-game winning streak.

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Worcester Red Sox 10, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 1

Franklin Arias and the WooSox keep cruising. Arias extended his hitting streak to seven games as Worcester won for the 12th time in its last 14 contests. Arias wasted little time extending the streak, ripping a base hit in the first inning. He added another single and a two-run homer to finish 3 for 4 on the evening, scoring and driving in three apiece. The home run was his system-leading 22nd of the season and third since his promotion from Portland. Nate Eaton was 2 for 4 with a double, triple, and four RBI, while Mickey Gasper led off the seventh inning with a homer.

John Holobetz fired four shutout innings in his introduction to Polar Park, scattering five hits and striking out two without issuing a walk. He's allowed one run in 10 innings in his two Triple-A outings. Hobie Harris struck out three in two perfect innings of relief to get credit for the win. The IronPigs ended the shutout bid as Tayler Samaniego allowed a run in the seventh before Devin Sweet came on to close out the victory with two scoreless frames.

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Portland Sea Dogs 15, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) 4

This was a closer contest than the final score indicated, as Portland blew things open with an eight-run eighth inning. Tyler McDonough led off the frame with a solo homer to open the lead to 8-4, then blasted a three-run shot to bookend the rally. McDonough finished 3 for 5 with a walk and five runs driven in. Matt Frazier also had five RBI and chipped in a pair of doubles as part of his 4-for-5 afternoon. Will Turner added a solo homer and a pair of walks, while Ahbram Liendo was 2 for 4 with a walk, steal, and two runs scored. Dalton Rogers got the start, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. Max Carlson was credited with the win in relief after surrendering one run in three frames. Jedixson Paez came in to pitch the final 1 1/3 on just three days of rest after his Saturday start. Paez allowed one base hit and struck out three of the five batters he faced to record the save.

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Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 11, Greenville Drive 4

The Drive fell into an early deficit, and any hopes of a late rally were dashed when the game was called due to rain after seven innings. Marcus Phillips is still searching for his first professional win, as he allowed six runs (five earned) in 3 1/3 innings. He did show solid control in the outing, walking only one batter and throwing 44 of 66 pitches for strikes. Phillips struck out four. Gerardo Rodriguez led the way at the plate with two hits, a walk, and a run scored.

The loss ends Greenville's winning streak at eight games, and its advantage in the South Atlantic League playoff chase falls to just one game.

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Salem RidgeYaks 10, Fayetteville Woodpeckers (HOU) 3

After allowing two runs in the top of the first, Salem responded with an immediate six-run rally and did not look back. Avinson Pinto blasted a grand slam that gave the RidgeYaks a lead they would not relinquish. It was Pinto's fifth homer of the season and the first slam of his professional career. It didn't come easy for Franklin Primera, but he reached base four times in the win. He singled once and was hit with three pitches. Ilan Fernandez drove in a pair as part of his 2-for-4 evening, while Starlyn Nunez and Louis Andujar had two hits apiece.

Christian Foutch settled in nicely after surrendering those two runs in the first. He finished four frames having allowed just those two scores. Foutch struck out six and walked three. Caden Vire struck out two and allowed one hit in 1 1/3 to record the victory. Vire took the long road to his first professional win, as he was making just his 26th appearance since being drafted in the 12th round of the 2021 draft by Milwaukee. The 6-foot-6 lefty was a minor league Rule 5 pick of the Red Sox in December after missing the entire 2025 season following Tommy John Surgery. Luis Cohen allowed a run on one hit in three innings, striking out four and walking one, and Jay Allmer recorded the final two outs for Salem.

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Player of the Day: On a Wednesday with several strong candidates, including perpetual nominee Franklin Arias, the nod goes to Tyler McDonough. McDonough managed the rare feat of homering twice in the same inning as Portland blew open its victory in Manchester. The veteran utilityman has 14 homers between Portland and Worcester, more than doubling his previous career best mark. The 2021 third-round pick is one of only three members for the Red Sox draft class who remain in the organization, joining Nathan Hickey and Wyatt Olds.

Photo Credit: Tyler McDonough by Kelly O'Connor

Podcast Ep. #426: Breaking Down The Adley Rutschman Trade

2026-08-05T10:58:09.636-04:00

Ian Cundall and Mike Andrews are back to talk about all the moves the Red Sox made at the Trade Deadline. They start off with their general thoughts before diving into each specific move and then talk about the injury news and whether or not we could see Franklin Arias this season. Then, to end the show, they go through the latest minor league transactions.

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.

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Cup of Coffee: Hull hits first home run for Drive; Arias collects three hits

2026-08-05T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/5 Cup of Coffee: It was a memorable night for 2026 second-rounder Owen Hull, as he hit the first home run of his professional career in a slugfest win for the Drive. Franklin Arias and Allan Castro each recorded three-hit games in a loss for the WooSox, while Miguel Bleis had a big game in a loss for the Sea Dogs. Salem put up ten runs in their series opener, with Kleyver Salazar continuing his recent hot streak. Miguel Welch led the DSL Blue team to a win while the DSL Red team was shut out.

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

Franklin Arias can breathe a sigh of relief as the trade deadline has passed and he remains a part of the Red Sox organization. In Tuesday night's game, Arias continued his strong start since being promoted to Worcester as he went 3 for 5 to bump his batting average to .286 through eight games. Allan Castro also put together a big game for the WooSox, going 3 for 4 with a walk and an RBI single in the fifth. Kristian Campbell was 1 for 3 with a walk and drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Andrew Knizner went 2 for 5, driving in a run and scoring a run.

Blake Wehunt's third start with Worcester was his shakiest yet, as he surrendered three runs on seven hits in three innings. Osvaldo Berrios allowed two runs in two innings of relief and Noah Song gave up one run in two innings of his own. Angel Bastardo was lights out, as he struck out two batters in a perfect inning. Bastardo has now pitched to a 2.30 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings since the start of June. Sam McWilliams walked three batters and allowed four runs in an inning.

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New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) 6, Portland Sea Dogs 4

After falling behind early, the Sea Dogs bats were able to climb back into the game but were unable to complete their comeback despite an impressive game for Miguel Bleis. The 22-year-old center fielder collected an RBI single in the fourth and a solo home run in the ninth in a 3-for-4 night. Johanfran Garcia also homered for the Sea Dogs, blasting a solo shot to left in the fourth inning, his 13th of the season. Playing in his second game at the Double-A level, Yoeilin Cespedes went 0 for 4 and drove in a run on a groundout.

It was a bullpen game for the Sea Dogs, who sent lefty Jeremy Wu-Yelland to the mound for the first two innings of the game. Wu-Yelland struck out a batter and did not allow a baserunner before turning the ball over to Caleb Bolden, who promptly allowed the Fisher Cats to score four runs in his first inning of work. Joe Vogatsky also struggled in relief, walking four batters and allowing two runs to score in 2 2/3 innings. Patrick Halligan struck out each of the four batters that he faced.

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Greenville Drive 12, Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 6

The Greenville bats were out on full display on Tuesday night, with Owen Hull powering the Drive to an early lead with a three-run bomb to center field in the third inning. Hull also doubled as part of a 2-for-5 game and is now 7 for 15 through his first three games in professional baseball. Justin Gonzales had a monster game of his own out of the leadoff slot, going 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles and 4 RBI. Antonio Anderson reached base in all four of his plate appearances, going 2 for 2 with two walks and a solo home run in the seventh inning. Ronny Hernandez was 0 for 1 but walked three times and scored three runs.

Alex Bouchard had his best stuff working on Tuesday night as he struck out seven hitters, allowing just a run on two hits and a walk, in 3 2/3 innings. Griffin Kilander and Trennor O'Donnell each struggled in relief, as Kilander allowed two runs in 1 1/3 innings and O'Donnell allowed three runs in 2 2/3 innings. Steven Brooks closed the game with a scoreless 1 1/3 innings, striking out a batter.

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Salem RidgeYaks 10, Fayetteville Woodpeckers (HOU) 4

The RidgeYaks got off to a fast start in the first inning and never looked back, scoring three runs on an RBI single by Kleyver Salazar and a two-run blast off the bat of Louis Andujar. Salazar, fresh off being named the SoxProspects.com Player of the Month in July, drove in another run with a double in the fifth and went 2 for 4 on the night. Starlyn Nunez drove in a pair of runs, coming on a single in the fifth and a bases-loaded walk in the eighth, as he went 1 for 3 with two walks. Avinson Pinto was 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the sixth. Andrews Opata went 2 for 3 with a walk, an RBI, and his 42nd stolen base of the season. Playing in the third game of his rehab assignment with the RidgeYaks, Henry Godbout walked three times and went 1 for 2.

Cole Tolbert drew the start for Salem and allowed three runs on three hits and a walk in 3 1/3 frames. Yermain Ruiz tossed three strong innings of relief, allowing just one unearned run and striking out three batters to earn his third win of the season. Harry Blum finished the game with 2 2/3 shutout innings of relief, striking out two Fayetteville hitters.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 8, DSL Rays 6

Second baseman Miguel Welch was star of the show in a rare DSL night game, leading off the game with a home run and going 2 for 3 with two walks and two runs scored. Isaac Velasquez smashed his eighth home run of the season and went 1 for 2. Esterlin Casanova went 1 for 2, walking twice, scoring twice, and driving in a run. The Blue team's pitching staff struggled mightily with their control, walking 14 batters in the game, but still were able to come away with the win. Christopher Silvestre walked three batters in two scoreless innings and Erickson Ettien walked five batters in 2 2/3 scoreless innings to start the game. Jesus Martinez walked the bases loaded in a scoreless inning of relief.

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DSL Royals Fortuna 5, DSL Red Sox Red 0

It was a quiet afternoon for the Red team's lineup, as they recorded just three singles on the day. Those hits came off the bats of Wilneyker Bruce, Gustavo Antunez, and Stiven De La Cruz. Starting pitcher Oscar Vaamonde threw the first three innings of the game, surrendering two runs on two hits and two walks. Radinsson Lopez followed Vaamonde with 1 2/3 innings of relief, in which he allowed two runs on a hit and two walks. Robert Moreno fanned four hitters in 2 1/3 innings, allowing a run on three hits and two walks.

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Player of the Day: Amidst the excitement of Hull's first professional home run, Antonio Anderson quietly stole the show with a huge performance on Tuesday night. Anderson went 2 for 2 with a home run, two walks, three runs scored, and two RBI. A third-round pick in 2023, Anderson has had a solid year in Greenville, posting a .271/.365/.454 line and his homer on Tuesday night was his seventh of the season.

Photo Credit: Antonio Anderson by Kelly O'Connor

Minor Notes: Red Sox trade three top prospects for Rutschman

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

Coming off their best month in franchise history, the Red Sox have surged into a wild card spot and the third-best record in the American League. Boston's remarkable turnaround positioned the team as solid buyers entering Monday's trade deadline and the Red Sox delivered with their most active deadline in the Craig Breslow era. In non-deadline news over the past week, Boston's first two picks in the 2026 draft made their professional debuts and Yoeilin Cespedes was promoted to Portland.

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Red Sox add Rutschman in busy trade deadline

The Red Sox made one of the biggest splashes in the league at the trade deadline, solidifying their catching room with three-time All-Star Adley Rutschman and veteran Jake Rogers. The Red Sox sent a haul to Baltimore in return, shipping out three top-ten prospects in Anthony Eyanson (No. 2), Kyson Witherspoon (No. 3), and Enddy Azocar (No. 6), along with catcher Carlos Narvaez and a player to be named later. Eyanson and Witherspoon, the crown jewels of Boston's 2025 draft class, were the top two pitching prospects in the Red Sox system. Eyanson has been phenomenal in his first professional season, posting a 1.32 ERA with 94 strikeouts through 68 1/3 innings in Greenville and Portland. Witherspoon, Boston's first-round selection a year ago, has had mixed results with a 4.78 ERA through 75 1/3 frames in Greenville but he has improved recently after a shaky start to the season. Azocar was in the midst of a breakout season between Salem and Greenville, slashing .286/.341/.540 with 18 home runs and 11 stolen bases. Azocar has five-tool potential and is likely to stick in center field long-term.

In a surprising swap, the Red Sox sent infielder Marcelo Mayer to San Francisco in exchange for left-handed reliever Erik Miller and minor league outfielder Carlos Gutierrez. Mayer, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft, ranked at or near the top of the Red Sox system from the time he was drafted until he graduated from the SoxProspects.com rankings last year. The 23-year-old Mayer had struggled at the plate through 114 games at the major league level over the last two years, hitting at a .223/.278/.346 clip. In return, the Red Sox will add an exciting left-handed reliever to their bullpen. Miller has a 2.76 ERA with 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings and he throws his fastball 96.9 mph on average but he has struggled with his control, walking 6.1 batters per nine innings. Gutierrez is a 21-year-old outfielder with a strong hit tool and good speed. He hit .271/.385/.441 with 9 home runs and 26 stolen bases in High-A Eugene this season.

The Red Sox also added some outfield depth, acquiring Eli White and dealing right-handed pitcher Tyler Uberstine to Atlanta. White has hit a meager .233/.285/.406 in 69 games with the Braves this season but he will bring strong defense and speed off the bench. Uberstine ranks No. 19 in the system and he has delivered a 2.81 ERA in 32 innings with the WooSox this season. Uberstine was on the 40-man roster and made his MLB debut earlier in the season, working 2 2/3 strong innings of relief against the Padres back in April.

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Schaffner and Hull make professional debuts

The Red Sox' top two picks in the 2026 draft and former roommates at North Carolina, Jake Schaffner and Owen Hull, reached another milestone together as they made their professional debuts in Greenville on Saturday. Both hitters are off to strong starts through their first two games with the Drive. Schaffner is 3 for 8 with two walks and he ripped a go-ahead triple in Greenville's win on Sunday. Hull has gone 5 for 10 with two doubles, a walk, and four RBI. Schaffner and Hull are the first players in Boston's 2026 draft class to make their professional debuts.

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July Players of the Month

The SoxProspects.com Players of the Month were released on Monday. Salem catcher Kleyver Salazar received the Player of the Month honors and Anthony Eyanson was awarded Pitcher of the Month, ending his time in the Red Sox organization in style.

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Additional transactions

The wave of promotions across the Red Sox organization slowed down over the past week but Yoeilin Cespedes did receive the call from Greenville to Portland. Cespedes made his Sea Dogs debut on Sunday and went 1 for 5 with a two-run single. Cespedes has jumped from 34th to 14th in the SoxProspects.com rankings this season and was hitting .249/.310/.477 with 18 home runs in Greenville.
The Red Sox completed their trade for Jahmai Jones, sending Jojo Ingrassia to Detroit as the player to be named later. Ingrassia, a 14th-round pick in 2023, pitched to a 3.27 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 44 innings with the Drive this season.
Henry Godbout began a rehab assignment with Salem as he recovers from hand surgery following a hit-by-pitch in June.

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Where are they now?

Two years after the Red Sox sent him to the Angels as part of a deadline trade for relief pitcher Luis Garcia, hard-throwing reliever Ryan Zeferjahn found himself on the move again on Monday. However, this time around, Zeferjahn is viewed as an impact bullpen addition for the Cubs rather than a relatively unheralded piece of a four-prospect package. Zeferjahn has a 3.66 ERA in 51 2/3 innings for the Angels this season and he has electric swing-and-miss stuff, featuring a strikeout rate in the 97th percentile in MLB.

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Players of the Week July 27-August 2

Enddy Azocar, OF, Greenville Drive

5 G, 25 AB, 14 H, 3 2B, 3 HR, 1 BB, 10 R, 10 RBI, 560/.577/1.040

Eyanson was not the only player to win a SoxProspects.com award on his way to Baltimore, as Enddy Azocar also ends his time in the Red Sox organization on a high note. Azocar recorded a remarkable 14 hits through five games and slugged his way to three homers and three doubles. His strong week continued a recent power surge, as Azocar has now hit 12 home runs through 46 games in Greenville. The 19-year-old Azocar was signed out of Venezuela for $40,000 in 2024.

Dylan Brown, LHP, Greenville Drive

1 GS, 1-0, 6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K

Dylan Brown turned in a dominant performance against Asheville on Saturday, fanning nine batters and allowing two runs (one earned) in 6 1/3 innings. An eighth-rounder out of Old Dominion last year, Brown has been impressive in his first professional season. In 60 2/3 innings since a promotion to Greenville, Brown has a 3.86 ERA and has struck out 81 hitters while walking 21.

Photo Credit: Anthony Eyanson and Enddy Azocar by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Griman, Perez combine to throw no-hitter in DSL

2026-08-04T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/4 Cup of Coffee: On an otherwise busy trade deadline day, Boston's Dominican Summer League affiliates went 1-1 on Monday. Most notably, Allan Griman and Leosmar Perez combined to throw a seven-inning no-hitter for the Blue squad.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 1, DSL Braves 0

Allan Griman picked up his first win of the season in the best start of his professional career to date. Over five scoreless, no-hit innings, he scattered three walks and struck out eight of the 16 batters he faced. Leosmar Perez followed with three strikeouts across two scoreless, no-hit frames of his own to secure his first save as a pro. Offensively, Enmanuel Figuereo accounted for the Blue squad's only hit, going 1 for 3 with a single. Esterlin Casanova drove in the game's lone run when he grounded into a force out that scored Garielvin Silverio from third in the sixth inning.

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DSL Tampa Bay 6, DSL Red Sox Red 5

Steven Garcia went four innings in his start for the Red squad, allowing two earned runs on three hits (including one home run), one walk, and two strikeouts. Dani Richar was tagged for four additional runs over 1 1/3 innings of relief and was charged with the loss as a result. At the plate, Joskairo Ramirez and Jhonny Osta each went 2 for 3. Ramirez drove in one run, scored another, stole one base, and drew one walk. Osta doubled and scored one run. Lester Suarez went 1 for 3 with one double, two RBI, and one walk.

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Player of the Day: Allan Griman gets the nod for his strong performance on the mound. In his last four starts for the Blue squad dating back to July 13, the 19-year-old righty has posted a 0.60 ERA with 23 strikeouts to six walks over 15 innings. He is in his second professional season after signing with Boston for $10,000 as an international free agent out of Venezuela last May.

July Players of the Month: Kleyver Salazar and Anthony Eyanson

2026-08-03T12:00:00.000-04:00

The fourth full month of the minor league season is complete. With that, it is time to present the SoxProspects.com Players of the Month for July to catcher Kleyver Salazar (pictured, left) and right-hander Anthony Eyanson (pictured, bottom right). While Salazar is unranked, Eyanson is currently ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the organization behind only Franklin Arias.

Salazar is a SoxProspects.com Player of the Month honoree for the first time after an exceptional July with Salem. In 17 games for the RidgeYaks, the right-handed hitting 20-year-old batted .386/.507/.632 with five doubles, three home runs, 17 RBI, 12 runs scored, one stolen base, 14 walks, and 13 strikeouts over 71 plate appearances. His best stretch came from July 11-23, when he notched three three-hit games during a six-game hitting streak.

For the season, his second at Salem, Salazar is slashing .272/.383/.448 with 18 doubles, a career-high nine home runs and 50 RBI, 40 runs scored, five stolen bases, 46 walks, and 53 strikeouts through 73 games (311 plate appearances). Defensively, the 2024 international signee out of Venezuela has made 43 starts behind the plate, throwing out 26 of 112 would-be base stealers. He has also made three starts at first base and 26 starts at designated hitter.

Eyanson, meanwhile, is a SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Month honoree for the second time in his first full professional season. The 21-year-old righty turned in a strong July for Portland, posting a 2.04 ERA with 30 strikeouts to seven walks over four outings (three starts) spanning 17 2/3 innings while holding opponents to a .161 batting average. He capped off the month with a career-best 10-strikeout performance against Harrisburg on July 31.

Overall, Eyanson -- the 87th overall pick in the 2025 draft out of Louisiana State -- has pitched to a 1.32 ERA with 94 strikeouts to 26 walks through 16 outings (15 starts) and 68 1/3 innings between Greenville and Portland this season. Opposing hitters are slashing .152/.241/.235 in 257 plate appearances against him. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound hurler features a 95-98 mph fastball, an 86-89 mph slider, an 80-83 mph curveball, and an 87-89 mph changeup.

Photo Credit: Kleyver Salazar and Anthony Eyanson by Kelly O'Connor