SoxProspects News

Cup of Coffee: Arias powers WooSox win; Eyanson fans ten for Portland

2026-08-01T07:00:00.000-04:00

8/1 Cup of Coffee: The organization earned a split decision to close out the July calendar. Franklin Arias (pictured) led the way in his best game since his promotion to Triple-A to power red-hot Worcester. Devin Futrell cruised to push Greenville's winning streak to five games. Porland and Salem fell despite strong starts from Anthony Eyanson and Sadbiel Delzine. The head-to-head contests between Boston's two DSL squads was paused in the second inning.

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Worcester Red Sox 9, Norfolk Tides (BAL) 6

Nine of the game's 15 runs were scored in the 10th inning as Worcester won for the ninth time in 10 games. Franklin Arias led the way in his best game since last week's promotion from Portland. Arias, who entered the contest 3 for 20 since the promotion, led off the game with a homer, ripped an RBI double in the seventh, and delivered a two-run single to cap the 10th-inning rally. He also drew a walk, his fourth in six games. Andrew Knizner joined Arias with a three-hit effort that included a double and a walk. Kristian Campbell was 2 for 4 in his third straight multi-hit game and sixth in his last seven starts. Campbell is hitting .404/.541/.576 during a 16-game on-base streak. Jason Delay and Tsung-che Cheng had matching lines, both going 2 for 5 with a double.

It was a true bullpen game, with seven pitchers combining to go the 10 innings. Seth Martinez got the first nod, allowing a pair of runs in the first. At 2 1/3 innings, Noah Song had the night's longest outing. He allowed an unearned run on one hit, striking out four and walking one. The trio of Tyler Uberstine, Sam McWilliams, and Angel Bastardo dominated, allowing Worcester's comeback and eventual victory. Uberstine struck out one and allowed one hit in a scoreless 1 1/3. Opposing batters hit just .152/.220/.217 against Uberstine in 14 1/3 July innings as he transitioned to a short relief role. McWilliams struck out four of the six batters he faced in two perfect innings. Bastardo got credit for the win, striking out the side, sandwiching one hit in a scoreless ninth. Bastardo has fanned 16 of the 26 batters he's faced during a five-game scoreless streak. After Worcester exploded for six runs in the top of the 10th, the Tides reached Wyatt Olds for three runs (two earned) in the bottom of the frame, but that was enough for the WooSox to hold on to the win.

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Harrisburg Senators (WAS) 9, Portland Sea Dogs 6

Anthony Eyanson struck out 10 of the 20 batters he faced for the Sea Dogs, but the Senators scored at least one run in every inning from the fifth onward. Eyanson allowed two runs on four hits in those 4 2/3 innings, walking a pair. Along with the 10 punchouts, he had 19 swinging strikes, both new career highs for the 2025 third-round pick. Will Turner delivered a two-run homer in the sixth that knotted the contest at 6-6. Turner also doubled and walked in his 2-for-4 effort. Brooks Brannon was 3 for 5 with a double and two RBI.

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Greenville Drive 8, Asheville Tourists (HOU) 4

The Drive won their fifth straight overall and fourth straight of the series, as over one-third of Greenville's victories this season have come against Asheville. Starter Devin Futrell scattered four hits across six scoreless innings, striking out eight and walking three. The Tourists plated three runs (two earned) in two innings against Trennor O'Donnell, and Joey Gartrell gave up a run in the ninth as he closed out the win. Isaiah Jackson had a pair of hits out of the leadoff spot, including a solo home run in the sixth. That round-tripper was part of back-to-back shots with Hudson White, whose three-run blast was his first of the season. Maximus Martin was 2 for 3 with a walk, RBI, and run scored.

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Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (CWS) 6, Salem RidgeYaks 2

Salem closed out July with the loss despite a solid start by Sadbiel Delzine. In his second RidgeYaks appearance, the 18-year-old righty allowed a run on two hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out five against two walks, and threw 41 of 61 pitches for strikes. Ethan Walker was saddled with the loss as he surrendered three runs in 2 2/3 innings, and Kannapolis added insurance runs in the eighth against Yermain Ruiz. Adonys Guzman drove in both Salem runs, delivering a solo homer in the fifth as part of a 2-for-4 effort. Henry Godbout returned to game action for the first time since May 30th. Feared out for the season when surgery was needed for a broken left hand after he was hit by a pitch, Godbout started a rehab stint Friday. He got the start at shortstop and was 1 for 3 with a walk.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 2, DSL Red Sox Red 0 (suspended, 2nd)

A thunderstorm paused Friday's inter-organizational bout in the second inning. Isaac Velazquez was responsible for the scoring in the early going with a two-run homer, his seventh of the year. The teams will meet Saturday to pick up where they left off.

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Player of the Day: Franklin Arias finds himself back in this familiar spot, though for the first time as a member of the Worcester squad. The system's top prospect drove in four runs in the WooSox victory. With his organization-leading 21 homers, Arias is now hitting .312/.401/.581 across two levels on the season. He ranks second in the system in RBI (58) and hits (96), while continuing to plays strong defense up the middle. Friday marked his first start since his promotion at second base, a position he started to see more time at as the season progressed in Portland.

Photo Credit: Franklin Arias by Kelly O'Connor

Jack Winnay making strides with increased bat speed

2026-07-31T14:00:00.000-04:00

The resurgence in the Sox farm system this season has been fueled by a number of breakout performances. Much of the attention has gone to prospects in the system's top 10, including Anthony Eyanson, Franklin Primera, and Sadbiel Delzine. Some other notable improvements and breakouts have flown under the radar, and among the most notable has been Jack Winnay (pictured).

Winnay was selected in the 13th round of the 2025 MLB Draft by Boston out of Wake Forest. A native of Newton and former graduate of Belmont Hill High School, the 23-year-old has noted it has been "a dream come true" playing for his hometown team.

"It is a pretty surreal feeling," Winnay said of playing in the Red Sox organization. "I truly do feel pretty blessed every time I get to put that jersey on. I always look at myself in the mirror and think how cool that is. I am so grateful for it because I watched a million Red Sox games growing up. I have been to Fenway for World Series games. It has been everything I thought it would be and more."

When the Massachusetts native was drafted last summer, his calling card was his above-average raw power and solid contact skills he displayed while in college. He picked up right where he left off after the draft and showed a similar approach in Salem last year.

Winnay was assigned to Greenville out of spring training, and initially struggled with the adjustment. He finished April with a .644 OPS and only one home run over 21 games due to a few offseason changes that took some getting used to.

"The biggest change for Jack has been his increase in bat speed," Red Sox Director of Hitting Development Jason Ochart noted. "As an amateur at Wake Forest, Jack showed a really strong combo of bat-to-ball skills, swing decisions, and ball flight. The missing piece was the bat speed, and that was the major focus for him this offseason. Oftentimes, when hitters increase their bat speed or make swing changes in the offseason, there is an adjustment period once they get into games. I credit his slow start to him recalibrating to hitting with a faster swing. For context, his hardest hit ball last year was 106 mph and this year he’s hit the ball over 110 mph."

The slow start did not linger into May, as Winnay has not posted an OPS under .900 in a month since and has hit 14 home runs since. He also drew more walks than he did strike out in May and June, which is a positive sign the plate approach is coming along in pro ball.

"A lot of people falsely assume that increasing bat speed will ultimately come at the expense of things like swing decisions or bat-to-ball skills," Ochart said. "However, that is not usually the case. Jack has improved his bat speed while maintaining or improving those aspects of his game that were already very strong. His strong zone contact rates and chase rates have stayed steady year over year while competing at a higher level. He is still driving the ball in the air at a really high clip. On top of that, Jack is a hitting rat. He is a student of the game, and he works really hard on his approach. He’s really learning how to control his ABs, attack certain pitches, and develop his game plan against each opposing pitcher. I’ve often found these types of hitters to transition well as they move up levels, as opposing pitchers and catchers are more deliberate about game planning and the chess match between hitter and pitcher is more important."

With the success shown so far in 2026 that has seen him rise up the prospect rankings, Winnay has found himself in Double-A in his first full professional season. Now being only two phone calls away from the majors, what does the future look like as we go forward?

"Jack is a very professional hitter with a really well-rounded set of skills," Ochart added. "He’s going to give you quality at-bats, walk at a high rate, and put balls in play. He also pulls the ball in the air very often, which is an offensive superpower, especially as a right-handed hitter at Fenway Park. There is a high offensive bar to clear to play a corner spot in the big leagues, and we believe Jack can get there if he keeps improving his bat speed and doing damage. The org is really excited about his development and his performance this season."

Photo Credit: Jack Winnay by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Rodriguez has seven hits in doubleheader; Holobetz makes Triple-A debut

2026-07-31T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/31 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 6-1 on a busy Thursday. John Holobetz struck out six over 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his Triple-A debut for Worcester. Ahbram Liendo came through with a home run and a walk-off single for Portland. Yophery Rodriguez (pictured) tallied seven hits as Greenville poured on 22 runs in a doubleheader sweep of Asheville. Brady Tygart had a solid night on the mound for Salem.

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Worcester Red Sox 3, Norfolk Tides (BAL) 1

John Holobetz impressed and picked up the win in his Triple-A debut. The righty went 5 2/3 innings in his first start for Worcester, allowing only one earned run on four hits (including one home run), no walks, and six strikeouts. He threw 71 pitches (55 strikes) and generated 12 whiffs. Eduardo Rivera, Hobie Harris, and Tommy Kahnle combined for six additional strikeouts across 3 1/3 scoreless frames of relief. At the plate, Kristian Campbell stayed hot, going 2 for 3 with one RBI, one run scored, and one walk. Nate Eaton and Vinny Capra each drove in a run as well. Andrew Knizner doubled, scored once, and drew one walk. Braiden Ward scored one run and stole his 47th base of the season. Franklin Arias singled and drew two walks.

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Portland Sea Dogs 5, Harrisburg Senators (WAS) 4

Ahbram Liendo played hero for Portland by delivering a walk-off single to score Max Ferguson in the ninth inning. He went 3 for 4 with his sixth home run of the season, two RBI, and two runs scored. Tyler McDonough also homered and drove in two runs as part of a 2-for-4 night. Will Turner drew two walks and scored one run. On the mound, Dalton Rogers went 3 1/3 innings in his start, allowing three earned runs on five hits (including one home run), five walks, and two strikeouts. In relief of Rogers, Caleb Bolden spun 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball, while Tyler Davis tossed two scoreless frames to pick up his first Double-A win.

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Greenville Drive 16, Asheville Tourists (HOU) 12 (Game 1)

Yophery Rodriguez put together the first five-hit game of his professional career to begin Thursday's doubleheader. He went 5 for 5 with one double, one RBI, and two runs scored. Four other members of Greenville's lineup enjoyed multi-hit performances. Justin Gonzales went 3 for 4 with two RBI, two runs scored, and one walk. Enddy Azocar and Luke Heyman each went 3 for 5, with the former driving in two runs and scoring three times, and the latter doubling, recording two RBI, and scoring once. Nazzan Zanetello doubled, homered, drove in two runs, scored three times, and drew one walk in a 2-for-4 effort. Ronny Hernandez and Maximus Martin also doubled, combining for four RBI. Isaiah Jackson and Stanley Tucker combined for three RBI and four runs.

Jacob Mayers got the start and went just two-thirds of an inning in his High-A debut, allowing one earned run on no hits, four walks, and two strikeouts. Calvin Bickerstaff, PJ Labriola, and Steven Brooks combined to surrender 11 additional runs over 5 2/3 total innings of relief. Matt McShane recorded the final two outs of the seventh to end it.

Greenville Drive 6, Asheville Tourists (HOU) 1 (Game 2)

Marcus Phillips was effectively wild in his start for Greenville. The righty allowed one earned run on no hits, six walks, one hit by pitch, and five strikeouts over four innings. He threw 66 pitches (35 strikes) and generated 10 whiffs. Griffin Kilander earned the win with three scoreless, one-hit frames of relief. Offensively, Yophery Rodriguez picked up where he left off by going 2 for 4 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run scored. Gerardo Rodriguez also went 2 for 4 with one double and one run scored. Azocar and Jackson each went 2 for 3, with the former doubling, scoring one run, and drawing one walk, and the latter doubling, driving in three runs, scoring twice, and drawing one walk. Antonio Anderson had one RBI.

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Salem RidgeYaks 6, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (CWS) 2

Brady Tygart put together a solid start for Salem, allowing only one earned run on four hits, two walks, one hit by pitch, and four strikeouts over five innings. He threw 66 pitches (42 strikes) and generated seven whiffs. Caden Vire gave up an additional run in his 1 1/3 innings of relief, while Luis Cohen closed things out with 2 2/3 scoreless, no-hit frames to secure the save. At the plate, Skylar King stood out, going 3 for 5 with one RBI, one run scored, and one stolen base. Andrews Opata went 1 for 4 with his eighth home run of the season, one RBI, and two runs scored. Adonys Guzman and Louis Andujar each went 2 for 4, with the former doubling and driving in two runs. Ilan Fernandez doubled, scored twice, and drew two walks.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 3, DSL Astros Orange 2

Freyerso Vasquez led the way offensively for the Blue squad, going 2 for 4 with a go-ahead RBI double, one run, and one stolen base. Luis Aular and Maikol Tovar each drove in one run, with the former scoring once and the latter walking once. Garielvin Silverio scored one run and drew one walk. Dilan Mata stole one base and drew two walks. On the mound, Emanuel Jimenez went 3 2/3 innings in his start, allowing two earned runs on one hit, five walks, and four strikeouts. Carlos Falcon picked up the win out of the bullpen by striking out five over 3 1/3 scoreless frames.

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DSL Rays 11, DSL Red Sox Red 3

Isaac Brujan took the loss in his start for the Red squad after allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits, three walks, and one strikeout over three innings. Isael Fis retired the only three batters he faced in a scoreless top of the ninth. At the plate, Joskairo Ramirez went 2 for 5 with one double and one run scored. Gustavo Antunez drove in one run and drew one walk. Geomaikel Martinez and Axell Herrera also scored runs.

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Player of the Day: Between Games 1 and 2 of Greenville's doubleheader on Thursday, Yophery Rodriguez went 7 for 9 with three doubles, three RBI, and three runs scored. The 20-year-old outfielder is now batting .245/.319/.458 with 20 doubles, 13 home runs, 37 RBI, 47 runs scored, one stolen base, 28 walks, and 76 strikeouts in 75 games (313 plate appearances) for the Drive this season. He is currently ranked as the organization's No. 43 prospect.

Photo Credit: Yophery Rodriguez by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Azocar, Gonzles support Witherspoon in Greenville rout

2026-07-30T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/30 Cup of Coffee: The tag team of Justin Gonzales and Enddy Azocar (pictured) continues to wreak havoc at the top of the Greenville lineup. On Wednesday, both homered in a blowout victory in support of Kyson Witherspoon. Blake Wehunt turned in a strong effort to lead Worcester to victory. Salem earned a split of its doubleheader as Franklin Primera returned to action, while Portland dropped its fourth straight.

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Worcester Red Sox 6, Norfolk Tides (BAL) 2

A solid start by Blake Wehunt was backed by an 11-hit offensive attack. Wehunt earned his first Triple-A victory in his second Worcester start allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits across five innings. He struck out four, walked two and threw 46 of his 70 pitches for strikes. Tyler Samaniego allowed just one hit in 1 1/3 scoreless, followed by 1 2/3 perfect frames by Angel Bastardo. Bastardo struck out three, and now how fanned 20 without walking a batter in eight July outings. Wyatt Olds pitched a hitless ninth, walking and striking out two apiece.

Vinny Capra led the way at the plate with a double and a two-run homer. A day after Kristian Campbell saw his hitting streak snapped at eight games, he got back on track with a two-hit effort. Mikey Romero doubled and scored twice as part of a 2-for-5 evening, while Brett Harris added a two-run blast. Franklin Arias had his first single in a WooSox uniform, going 1 for 4 on the night.

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Harrisburg Senators (WAS) 9, Portland Sea Dogs 6

A five-run ninth-inning comeback doomed the Sea Dogs in Wednesday's back-and-forth contest. Max Carlson had opener duty, going the first three innings. He allowed a run on two hits, walking one while striking out six. The Senators reached Joe Vogatsky for three runs (two earned) in two innings before Patrick Halligan fired three shutout frames as the Sea Dogs re-took the lead. Erik Rivera was saddled with the loss after surrendering the ninth-inning rally. At the plate, Mason White had his first multi-hit game since his promotion from Greenville, going 2 for 4 with a walk and a pair of RBI. Ronald Rosario was 2 for 4 with a walk, double, and run scored. Matt Frazier also doubled as part of a two-hit effort.

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Greenville Drive 13, Asheville Tourists (HOU) 1

This one was all Greenville from the time when Justin Gonzales, the game's second batter, blasted a home run in the first inning. It was the third straight game with a homer and 15th on the season for Gonzales, who also drew a pair of walks. Enddy Azocar had a monster night out of the leadoff spot. The 19-year-old outfielder was 4 for 6 with four RBI, the final one coming on a cherry-on-top solo homer in the ninth. It was Azocar's eighth home run of the month and his 16th of the year across two levels. Maximus Martin had his first homer since being activated from his rehab stint, and Antonio Anderson chipped in with a pair of doubles. Ronny Hernandez reached base four times, going 2 for 3 with two walks, two RBI, and two runs scored.

The offensive explosion was more than enough support for 2025 first-round pick Kyson Witherspoon. Witherspoon scattered four hits across 5 1/3 innings, only allowing one run on a third-inning solo homer. He struck out five, walked one, and after something of a shaky first six weeks has settled down with a 3.31 ERA in his last 10 starts. Alex Bouchard got the rare save in a 12-run victory, allowing just two hits while firing 3 2/3 scoreless frames.

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Salem RidgeYaks 7, Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (CWS) 2 (Game 1)

Salem came out firing in the doubeheader opener, as Louis Andujar blasted a two-run homer to cap a three-run first inning. Kleyver Salazar continued his excellent July with a double, RBI, and pair of walks, raising his slash line on the month to .440/.556/.720. Starlyn Nunez doubled and homered out of the leadoff spot. Perhaps the most positive news of the night was the appearance of Franklin Primera, who returned the the RidgeYaks lineup as the designated hitter. Primera had left Saturday's game after a swing hit his hand while he was catching. Starter Christian Foutch went four innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits. He struck out five and walked three. Cole Tolbert went the final three innings to pick up the victory, giving up one run on two hits.

Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 1, Salem RidgeYaks 0 (Game 2)

The nightcap was a pure pitchers' duel, with the two teams combining for just five hits in the seven-inning affair. Jason Gilman was the tough-luck losing pitcher. He went the (shortened) distance, getting a six-inning complete game, allowing a run on three hits. Gilman struck out four, walked two, and sports a tidy 2.91 ERA in 55 2/3 innings with the RidgeYaks. Salem was held hitless until the fifth inning, when Anderson Fermin singled with two outs. Primera, back behind the plate for the first time after returning to the lineup in the first game, had Salem's other base hit.

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Player of the Day: Enddy Azocar finished June in the midst of a 2-for-38 skid, but his power has been on display in July. He leads the system this month with eight homers and 20 RBI, posting a .282/.317/.667 slash line. Currently ranked sixth in the system, Azocar was inked to a $40,000 bonus out of Venezuela in January 2024, emerging with current Greenville teammate Justin Gonzales as the top signees that year.

Photo Credit: Justin Gonzales and Enddy Azocar by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Arias blasts first Triple-A homer; Taylor reaches base four times

2026-07-29T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/29 Cup of Coffee: It was a light slate of games for the Red Sox affiliates as both Greenville and Salem were rained out on Tuesday night. Franklin Arias homered in a loss for the WooSox, recording his first hit at the Triple-A level. As the Sea Dogs lineup adjusts to life without Arias, Tyler McDonough and Nelly Taylor (pictured) had big games in a loss for Portland. Both DSL teams won 8-7, with Joskairo Ramirez and Enmanuel Figuereo delivering standout performances.

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Norfolk Tides (BAL) 4, Worcester Red Sox 3

After a pair of hitless games in his first two starts with the WooSox, Franklin Arias opened the game with a moonshot to left field off rehabbing Orioles starter Chris Bassitt. Arias went 1 for 4 with a walk on the day. The WooSox did not score again until the ninth inning, when Allan Castro scored on a wild pitch and Vinny Capra drove in a run with a single. Castro was 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. Brett Harris was 1 for 3 with a walk and scored a run.

Left-hander Raymond Burgos drew the start for the WooSox and tossed four solid innings, surrendering one run on four hits while recording one walk and one strikeout. Tyler Uberstine followed him with three innings of relief, punching out three batters while allowing two runs to score. Sam McWilliams struck out two batters but allowed a run in an inning out of the bullpen.

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Harrisburg Senators (WAS) 8, Portland Sea Dogs 3

The Sea Dogs had plenty of baserunners but had a hard time pushing runs across the plate on Tuesday night. Tyler McDonough drove in a pair of runs with singles in the second and fourth innings, going 2 for 3 with a walk and two stolen bases in the game, but Portland did not score another run after the fourth. Nelly Taylor had an excellent game out of the ninth slot in the lineup, going 2 for 2 with two doubles and two walks. Jack Winnay was 2 for 5 and Ronald Rosario was 2 for 4, with each collecting a double.

Hayden Mullins struggled with his control on Tuesday night, walking four batters and allowing five runs (three earned) in 3 1/3 innings despite just one hit. Cooper Adams surrendered two runs in two innings, striking out four and walking three. Reidis Sena tossed 1 2/3 innings, allowing a run on two hits and two walks. Jeremy Wu-Yelland struck out four batters without allowing a baserunner in two innings.

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Greenville Drive @ Asheville Tourists (HOU) (postponed)

The Drive's opener in Asheville was postponed and the game has been rescheduled as part of a doubleheader on Thursday.

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Salem RidgeYaks @ Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (CWS) (postponed)

Salem was the victim of another North Carolina rainout as the first game of their series in Kannapolis was postponed and will be made up in a doubleheader today.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 8, DSL Braves 7

Down 7-4 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Blue squad strung together a late rally to come from behind. Esterlin Casanova had the key hit in the inning, ripping his second double of the game to drive in two runs and tie the game. Maikol Tovar drove in the winning run with a walkoff hit by pitch. Left fielder Enmanuel Figuereo was 3 for 4 and drove in a pair of runs on a single in the sixth inning. Christopher Silvestre started on the mound and allowed three runs in four innings, walking five batters and striking out one. Hicter Ruiz struck out six hitters in three innings of relief but he also allowed three runs on seven hits. Jainer Almanza struck out the side in a scoreless inning and Charlie Zink allowed a run without giving up a hit, as he walked four batters in an inning.

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DSL Red Sox Red 8, DSL Astros Orange 7

The Red Sox Red also rode a late rally to win 8-7 on Tuesday afternoon. They scoring five runs in the seventh, powered by Joskairo Ramirez mashing a two-run homer and Gustavo Antunez driving in three runs with a double. Ramirez was 3 for 4 and also added a double, lifting his slash line to .315/.430/.562 through 38 games in the DSL. Stiven De La Cruz was 2 for 4 and drove in a run with a single in the fourth. Oscar Vaamonde made the start and walked four batters in three scoreless frames. Robert Moreno grabbed the win with three innings of relief, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out four batters.

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Player of the Day: While it was a frustrating night for the Sea Dogs lineup as a whole, Nelly Taylor did his part as he reached base in all four plate appearances. Taylor ripped two doubles and walked twice, scoring one run. Taylor has had a rough season in his first taste of Double-A, with his impressive performance on Tuesday raising his line to .187/.311/.315 through 77 games. Taylor, an 11th-round draft pick out of Polk State in 2023, is 46th in the SoxProspects.com rankings.

Photo Credit: Nelly Taylor by Kelly O'Connor

Minor Notes: Arias headlines promotions; Early traded to Washington

2026-07-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

With the August 3 trade deadline fast approaching, the Red Sox have gotten a head start in reinforcing the major league roster for the stretch run. They did so by linking up with the Nationals on a one-for-one swap for the second time since Paul Toboni took over as Washington's president of baseball operations last September. This week's notes will cover that deal, the arrivals of Franklin Arias (pictured, left), Blake Wehunt, and John Holobetz (pictured, bottom right) in Worcester, and much more.

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Early traded to Nationals

In somewhat of a stunner, the Red Sox traded rookie left-hander Connelly Early to the Nationals for infielder Curtis Mead on Sunday. It marked the second time these two clubs have consummated a one-for-one swap since last December, when Boston acquired lefty Jake Bennett from Washington for hard-throwing righty Luis Perales.

Early entered 2026 as Boston's No. 3 prospect after making his major league debut last September. In 17 starts for the Red Sox this season, the 24-year-old southpaw posted a 3.44 ERA with 93 strikeouts to 34 walks over 91 2/3 innings in which opponents batted .235 against him. He was placed on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation in early July.

Mead, meanwhile, was in his first season with the Nationals after being acquired from the White Sox in late March. In 87 games for Washington, the right-handed hitting 25-year-old batted .254/.352/.500 with 17 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs, 48 RBI, 49 runs scored, six stolen bases, 39 walks, and 62 strikeouts over 327 plate appearances.

A native of Australia, Mead was added to the Red Sox' active roster following Sunday's series finale against the Blue Jays. In a corresponding move, fellow infielder Tsung-Che Cheng was optioned to Worcester.

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Arias, others arrive in Worcester

In another somewhat surprising move, No. 1 prospect Franklin Arias was promoted from Portland to Worcester on Friday. The 20-year-old infielder slashed .318/.407/.587 with 17 doubles, one triple, a career-high 19 home runs, 52 RBI, 50 runs scored, five stolen bases, 37 walks, and 46 strikeouts in 75 games (332 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs this season. He made his Triple-A debut and appeared in two games for the WooSox over the weekend, going 0 for 8 with an RBI.

Arias was not alone in debuting at the Triple-A level last week. Blake Wehunt, the organization's No. 17 prospect, made his first start for Worcester in Game 1 of Wednesday's doubleheader against Jacksonville. The 25-year-old righty allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits, two walks, and four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings. He threw 72 pitches (40 strikes) and generated eight whiffs.

Following Sunday's action, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reported that John Holobetz, the organization's No. 13 prospect, was being promoted from Portland to Worcester. The soon-to-be 24-year-old righty is moving up to Triple-A for the first time after posting a 4.33 ERA with 93 strikeouts to 25 walks across 17 outings (15 starts) and 79 innings for the Sea Dogs this season.

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Other promotions and transactions

Jacob Mayers, Boston's 2025 ninth-round pick out of LSU, was promoted from Salem to Greenville on Friday. Ranked as the organization's No. 44 prospect, the 22-year-old right-hander pitched to a 4.27 ERA with 64 strikeouts to 42 walks across 15 appearances (eight starts) and 46 1/3 innings for the RidgeYaks to begin his first full professional season. Fellow righty Williams Montero, ranked as the organization's No. 50 prospect, was also promoted from the Florida Complex League to Salem.

Following the activations of Justin Gonzales (suspension) and Nazzan Zanetello (7-day injured list) on Sunday, Natanael Yuten was released from Greenville's roster. The 21-year-old outfielder played sparingly for the Drive this season, slashing just .165/.196/.311 with four home runs and 10 RBI in 30 games (107 plate appearances). He had been in the organization since signing for $400,000 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in January 2022. After earning 2023 Florida Complex League All-Star honors in his stateside debut, however, he struggled to adjust to the rigors of full-season ball.

In addition to Yuten, righties Danny Kirwin, Yoelvin Chirino, Carter Rasmussen, and Denison Sanchez have all been released within the last week. Kirwin, who was on Greenville's 7-day injured list, was an Arizona Fall League All-Star in 2024.

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Draft signing deadline passes

The deadline for clubs to sign 2026 draft picks passed at 5 p.m. ET on Monday. The Red Sox appear to have signed all but two of their 19 selections: 15th-rounder Chase Frey and 18th-rounder Ethan Offing. Frey, a left-hander out of Grand Canyon University, is headed to the University of Oregon as a transfer. Offing, a high school outfielder from South Carolina who ranked No. 377 on Baseball America's draft board, will honor his commitment to Clemson University.

For detailed information on the full draft class, including signing bonus information, check out the SoxProspects.com Draft History page.

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Latest podcast episode

On Episode No. 425 of the SoxProspects Podcast, Chris and Ian react to the Red Sox dealing Connelly Early to the Nationals for Curtis Mead ahead of the trade deadline. They also break down Franklin Arias' and Blake Wehunt's Triple-A debuts, as well as Justin Gonzales' eventful week in Greenville. Be sure to check it out wherever you get your podcasts.

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Players of the Week

Kristian Campbell, OF, Worcester Red Sox

5 G, 13 AB, 8 H, 6 R, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 BB, .615/.722/1.231

Campbell has been trending upwards in recent weeks and showed why in Worcester's series against Jacksonville. In his last 10 games (38 plate appearances) dating back to July 8, the right-handed hitting 24-year-old is batting a stout .464/.605/.750. Overall, he is slashing .239/.373/.336 with 14 doubles, four home runs, 31 RBI, 31 runs scored, four stolen bases, 54 walks, and 98 strikeouts in 79 games (336 plate appearances) for the WooSox this season.

John Holobetz, RHP, Portland Sea Dogs

1 GS, 1-0, 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 10 K, .167 OBA

Though his teammate Max Carlson was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week, Holobetz is taking home this honor after striking out 10 over five scoreless innings against Binghamton last Thursday. In perhaps his final start for Portland, the Old Dominion product retired 15 of the 18 batters he faced on 80 pitches (55 strikes). He generated 16 whiffs and was up to 98.1 mph with his fastball.

Photo Credit: Franklin Arias, John Holobetz by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Garcia, Osta lead Red squad over Blue squad in DSL

2026-07-28T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/28 Cup of Coffee: Boston's two Dominican Summer League affiliates squared off against one another on Monday. Behind three scoreless innings from Steven Garcia and three hits from Jhonny Osta, the Red squad routed the Blue squad, 11-2.

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DSL Red Sox Red 11, DSL Red Sox Blue 2

Both starters put up similar lines in this one. For the victorious Red squad, Steven Garcia scattered one hit and four walks while striking out four over three scoreless innings. Allan Griman, likewise, struck out four and allowed only one hit across three scoreless frames for the Blue squad. Ranci Castillo pitched well out of the bullpen for the Red squad, as he struck out a pair across 1 1/3 shutout innings to end it.

Offensively, Jhonny Osta was one of four members of the Red squad's lineup to enjoy a multi-hit performance on Monday. He went 3 for 4 with two doubles, one RBI, and two runs scored. Geomaikel Martinez and Joskairo Ramirez each went 2 for 3. Martinez drove in four runs and scored twice, while Ramirez scored two runs and stole one base. Axell Herrera went 2 for 4 with two doubles, one RBI, and two runs scored. Anderber Urbina drove in two runs and stole two bases. For the Blue squad, Enmanuel Figuereo doubled while Maikol Tovar plated both of his side's runs.

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Player of the Day: Jhonny Osta gets the nod for putting together a three-hit day. The 18-year-old outfielder is now batting .321/.368/.585 with eight doubles, two home runs, 12 RBI, 11 runs scored, two stolen bases, two walks, and eight strikeouts in 16 games for the Red squad this month. This is his second season in the Dominican Summer League, as he originally signed with Boston for $80,000 as an international free agent out of Venezuela in January 2025.

Cup of Coffee: Gonzales returns with a walk-off home run, Campbell doubles twice

2026-07-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/27 Cup of Coffee: A walk-off home run from Justin Gonzales (pictured) was the highlight of the day on the farm. Kristian Campbell stayed hot in Worcester, Jack Winnay went deep for the Sea Dogs, and Yoeilin Cespedes and Enddy Azocar continued to show off their power in Greenville.

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Worcester Red Sox 4, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 3

Braiden Ward and Kristian Campbell carried the WooSox to a six-game sweep of the Jumbo Shrimp. Ward finished 3 for 4 with a double and two RBI, and he tied the game up in the eighth with a single. He scored the go-ahead run later in the inning on a fielding error. Campbell laced two doubles as part of a 2-for-3 day that included a run scored and an RBI. He is up to a .364/.509/.591 line in July. Starter Michael Sansone allowed one run and struck out three over 3 2/3 frames, and Tommy Kahnle earned the win with 1 1/3 scoreless innings to end the game.

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

The Sea Dogs were outhit 15-3 as Binghamton earned a series split. Portland made their hits count, as Jack Winnay launched a two-run home run and Mason White later added a solo shot. Winnay has not shown any signs of slowing down after his promotion, as he went from having an .891 OPS in High-A to an .884 OPS in Double-A. Gage Ziehl stumbled after a dominant start last outing, allowing three runs (two earned) over three innings with four strikeouts. The loss went to Caleb Bolden who allowed three runs over two innings.

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Greenville Drive 7, Hub City Spartanburgers (TEX) 6

In his first game back from a suspension, Justin Gonzales hit a majestic walk-off two-run home run. The Drive needed the comeback as Hub City scored four runs in the eighth to take a one-run lead, with all of the runs coming off of Adam Bates. Gonzales was 0 for 3 entering the ninth, but he ended the game with one swing of the bat. A three-run home run from Yoeilin Cespedes and a solo shot from Isaiah Jackson staked Greenville to a lead, and Enddy Azocar went 2 for 4 with two doubles, a walk, and three runs scored. Azocar has now hit safely in nine straight games, with a line of .293/.341/.780 in that time.

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Augusta GreenJackets (ATL) 13, Salem RidgeYaks 3

It was a rough Salem debut for Williams Montero as he only recorded one out while surrendering six runs to start the game. The 18-year-old had an ERA of 4.66 in the FCL. The GreenJackets also got to Leighton Finley for seven runs on 11 hits over 4 2/3 frames. A two-run home run from Andruw Musett and a solo home run from Justin Barry accounted for all three of Salem's runs. Andrews Opata finished the game 3 for 3 with two walks and two steals.

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Player of the Day: Justin Gonzales's stat line does not jump off the page, but his walk-off home run was the biggest hit of the day. It was technically the second straight game with a home run for Gonzales, though he did miss three games in between with the suspension. The 19-year-old now has four home runs over his last eight games, and his triple slash is an impressive .294/.419/.549 in July.

Photo Credit: Justin Gonzales by Kelly O'Connor

Podcast Ep. #425: Mead/Early Trade Reaction (Plus Worcester Notes and more)

2026-07-26T23:27:13.051-04:00

The emergency podcast horn beckoned Ian and Chris (at the usual recording time) to the mic to discuss the first big move of the trade deadline, with the Red Sox acquiring infielder Curtis Mead from Washington in exchange for Connelly Early. The guys broke the deal down from all angles, as well as what this may mean for the rest of trade deadline week. Plus, Ian reported back some thoughts from Worcester, including Franklin Arias and Blake Wehunt's AAA debuts and why Angel Bastardo is a name to remember in the near future. Final thoughts touched on John Holobetz's promotion to Worcester and Justin Gonzales' interesting week (and its wider implications).

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Cup of Coffee: Franklin Arias makes Triple-A debut

2026-07-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/26 Cup of Coffee: It was a mixed bag in the minors, providing no silver linings as the big league club was one-hit. The newest Triple-A player in the system, top prospect Franklin Arias, got to make his debut not as a member of the Worcester Red Sox, but instead as a Pawtucket Hot Weiner. He was 0 for 4 but got his first RBI in a 5-0 victory. Meanwhile, Portland matched that scoreline, but not in the result, as the Sea Dogs had just two singles in a defeat. The DSL squads also earned a split, though Salem coughed up a three-run lead in the ninth and lost in extra innings, wasting a three-hit day from Franklin Primera (pictured).

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Worcester Red Sox 5, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 0

The Pawtucket Hot Weiners, as the WooSox were known for the day, were definitely hot, as the pitching staff, in a true bullpen game, surrendered just three hits in a shutout, though they only notched six strikeouts. Tyler Samaniego handled the third and fourth, going six up, six down, and earned the win, while Noah Song also didn't surrender a hit across the fifth and sixth. Devin Sweet, who started, as well as Angel Bastardo, who finished the contest, scattered one hit across their two-inning outings.

The Hot Weiners scored four in the first, all coming with two outs. Nate Eaton got the rally started with a solo home run, while Vinny Capra added a two-run single and Kristian Campbell also added an RBI knock. Campbell had a pair of singles on Saturday, as did Brett Harris. Franklin Arias also made his Triple-A debut and was 0 for 4 in the leadoff spot, but plated a run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

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Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 5, Portland Sea Dogs 0

It was matching scores for the upper minors affiliates, but the Sea Dogs were on the wrong end of this one. They had just two hits, as Miguel Bleis and Matt Frazier had a single each. It was an effective, albeit dangerous, outing for Anthony Eyanson, as he walked three hitters over his three-inning start. He departed without having allowed a run and with five punchouts on his ledger. Jedixson Paez also struck out five, but he got hit around, surrendering seven hits. Four runs came across on his watch, three of which were earned, and he took the loss.

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Hub City Spartanburgers (TEX) 6, Greenville Drive, 2

The Spartanburgers and Drive were tied 2-2 after two innings, but Greenville was held scoreless the rest of the contest, while Hub City added a pair each in the seventh and ninth to take the victory. Yoellin Cespedes got the scoring started with an RBI single in the first after an Enddy Azocar three-bagger. The Drive got another run in the second courtesy of Ronny Hernandez, who delivered a solo home run, though the home team would record just three more hits the rest of the way. Greenville wasted a strong start by Dylan Brown, as he struck out seven and scatted four hits and two runs over six innings pitched. Two of the final runs, as well as the loss, were charged to Shea Sprague, who handled the seventh and eighth.

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Augusta GreenJackets (ATL) 6, Salem RidgeYaks 4 (10 Innings)

Salem took a 3-0 lead into the ninth inning, but the GreenJackets scored a trio in each of the ninth and the 10th to force extra innings and then take the lead. The RidgeYaks added one in the bottom half of the frame, but the tying run never made it on base. Jose Bello pitched five shutout innings, scattering three hits. He walked a pair, but registered four strikeouts. Ethan Walker held serve, pitching around two hits and walks each over the sixth and seventh, but all three runs in the ninth were charged to Luis Cohen, who was hit with a blown save. Franklin Primera and Skylar King each recorded three hits, including a double and two RBI for the former, while Andrews Opata was 2 for 5 with two more runs driven in. Primera left the game in the 10th with an apparent injury after his mitt interfered with a batter's swing.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 2, DSL Astros Blue 1

It was a quiet offensive day for the Blues, as the teams combined for just seven hits and all three runs came in the third inning. Garielvin Silverio delivered both RBI for the Red Sox with a two-run single, while Isaac Velasquez added a triple. Pedro Meza got the win, pitching three innings with just one hit allowed. Michale Manjarres slammed the door, getting his first save of the season with two hitless frames, adding four strikeouts.

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DSL Padres Gold 8, DSL Red Sox Red 5

The top of the lineup was hot for Red, as Anderber Urbina and Dawvris Brito each had two knocks as the first hitters in the order, including a pair of doubles for Urbina, but the rest of the lineup couldn't find a way to outscore the Padres. Andruw Zambrano has struggled this season, with a batting average below .100, but he did hit his first home run of the season and the second of his professional career. Isabel Fis contributed the most outs, pitching 2 1/3 innings, and allowed one run on two hits. However, his replacement, Ranfi Vargas, walked four hitters in the sixth and all of them eventually came around to score, which proved to be the difference. He was only able to finish 2/3 of an inning.

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Player of the Day: Despite the loss, Greenville had by far the most prolific offensive day, and Franklin Primera was a big part of that. He was one of two players system-wide with a three-hit day, going 3 for 4 with a double, contributing two RBI, as he drove in a run each on his two singles. The Venezuelan product was promoted to Salem at the end of June from the FCL and has fared well in his first handful of games, with a .283/.403/.417 slash line in 17 games.

Photo Credit: Franklin Primera by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: White, Futrell help Greenville salvage twinbill split

2026-07-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/25 Cup of Coffee: A full slate of games isn't what it used to be, but there was still plenty of action down on the farm on Friday. With the FCL season in the books, all six remaining teams were in action on Friday. Worcester welcomed Franklin Arias to the team, if not the lineup, with a victory, while Portland was also victorious to begin the post-Arias era. Sadbiel Delzine joined Salem to help the RidgeYaks to victory, while a big day at the plate from Hudson White (pictured) and a sterling start by Devin Futrell enabled Greenville to come back with a split in its doubleheader. The DSL squads also swept, giving the system six wins out of seven contests.

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Worcester Red Sox 6, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 5

While awaiting the debut of recently promoted top prospect Franklin Arias, the WooSox took care of business in winning their third straight. The Worcester lineup handled old friend Bradley Blalock, who got the start for the Jumbo Shrimp, for nine hits and six walks in 5 2/3 innings. Kristian Campbell ran Blalock from the game in the sixth with a solo home run, his fourth of the season and second in three days. Campbell also singled and walked, and now is riding a six-game hitting streak. Mickey Gasper also extended his hitting streak, going 3 for 5 with two doubles. He is 13 for 25 during his seven-game run. Allan Castro was 3 for 4, while Vinny Capra had a pair of singles and a walk.

It was a bullpen game on the mound, with Tyler Uberstine getting the starting assignment. The righty needed only 10 pitches in a scoreless first, surrendering one hit. Patrick Halligan, who joined Arias on the bus ride to Worcester, allowed two runs on four hits in two innings in his Worcester debut. Sam McWilliams, Tommy Kahnle, and Wyatt Olds gave up a run apiece out of the pen, with McWilliams getting credit for the win.

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Portland Sea Dogs 8, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 1

The Sea Dogs took advantage of some sloppy Binghamton play in the sixth inning. Despite not getting a hit in the frame, Portland rallied for six runs via five walks, two errors and a balk. That was more than enough support for a trio of hurlers who combined for a two-hitter. Dalton Rogers went the first three innings. He battled some uneven control with six walks, but he allowed just one run on one hit while striking out five. Jeremy Wu Yelland struck out six without walking a batter in his three innings of work, allowing just one hit. Max Carlson finished with three perfect frames, striking out four. Brooks Brannon led the way at the plate, going 2 for 4 with a walk and his 17th home run of the year. Will Turner was 1 for 3 with a pair of walks, scoring two runs.

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Hub City Spartanburgers (TEX) 10, Greenville Drive 4 (Game 1)

Greenville dropped the opener of Friday's doubleheader necessitated by Wednesday's rainout. Enddy Azocar provided a highlight with a solo homer in the seventh, his 15th of the year and ninth since joining the Drive. Hudson White doubled and drove in a run as part of a 2-for-3 effort. Stanley Tucker did not make an out, going 2 for 2 with a walk, double, and two driven in. Marcus Phillips lasted just 2 1/3 innings in his start, allowing four runs on five hits, striking out three, and walking two. Griffin Kilander gave up five runs on 2 2/3 innings of relief before Matt McShane cooled off the Hub City lineup with two hitless frames.

Greenville Drive 2, Hub City Spartanburgers 1 (Game 2)

The Drive earned a split with a walk-off victory in the nightcap. White had his second double of the day to lead off the seventh, then came on to score the winning run on a bases-loaded single by Ronny Hernandez. The same duo was responsible for Greenville's first run as well. White was hit by a pitch in the third and raced home on a Hernandez ground out. Devin Futrell was outstanding, allowing just one run on five hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out nine, walked one, and has now fanned 87 in 77 2/3 innings across two levels. Steven Brooks emerged from the bullpen with a man on second and two outs in the seventh and struck out the only batter he faced, getting credit for the victory.

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Salem RidgeYaks 5, Augusta GreenJackets (ATL) 3

The RidgeYaks maintained their hold on first place in the second half standings in the North Division. Sadbiel Delzine had a strong effort in his South Atlantic League debut, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits in four innings, striking out six while walking two. Brady Tygart took well to a piggyback role, cruising through five innings to get the win. He allowed a run on two hits, striking out five and walking two. Skylar King led the way at the plate with three hits and an RBI. Adonys Guzman contributed a solo homer in the sixth, while Avinson Pinto was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 8, DSL Royals Ventura 4

A six-run rally in the sixth keyed Team Blue's victory on the road. Enmanuel Figureoa was 2 for 4 with a steal and two runs scored, and ignited that rally with a leadoff infield single. Freyero Vazquez had an RBI groundout in addition to a triple and a walk. Starter Jesus Lopez went two innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits. Erickson Ettien got the win in relief, surrendering one hit across two scoreless innings, striking out three against two walks.

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DSL Red Sox Red 18, DSL Brewers Blue 3

It was an offensive onslaught for the Red squad, powering 18 runs on 13 hits despite only getting six innings of offense. Adrian Valdez blasted a three-run homer as part of a seven-run rally in the fifth. Gustavo Antunez had a monster day at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a triple, walk, stolen base, four RBI, and two runs scored. Anderber Urbina also tripled as part of his two-hit afternoon. Radinsson Lopez got the starting nod in his professional debut, allowing one hit and striking out one in a scoreless inning. Lopez had been sidelined since the start of the year with a left elbow strain. Anthony Herrera got the win in relief, allowing two runs on four hits across four innings. He struck out four and walked one.

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Player of the Day: Playing time has been sporadic this season for Hudson White, who had actually pitched in more games than he'd appeared in as a position player in the early weeks of the 2026 campaign. White stepped in to start at first base in both ends of Greenville's twinbill and made the most of the effort. He was 3 for 5 with two doubles across the two contests, scoring both runs in the walk-off win in the nightcap. The 2023 ninth-round pick out of Arkansas has quietly posted a solid .238/.358/.429 line this year while saving the bullpen to come in and pitch eight times.

Photo Credit: Hudson White by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Knizner, Salazar finish triple shy of cycle; FCL season ends

2026-07-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/24 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 3-3 on Thursday. Andrew Knizner (pictured) was one of four Worcester hitters to record three hits in a blowout win over Jacksonville. Franklin Arias homered, and John Holobetz struck out 10 across five scoreless innings in Portland's win over Binghamton. Greenville's game against Hub City was rained out. Kleyver Salazar stayed hot with another three-hit performance in Salem's win over Augusta. In rookie ball, Harold Rivas went deep in the FCL squad's series finale, while both DSL affiliates lost.

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Worcester Red Sox 15, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 1

Andrew Knizner led the charge offensively for Worcester in Thursday's matinee, going 3 for 3 with one double, one home run, six RBI, two runs scored, and three walks. Nate Eaton, Braiden Ward, and Nick Sogard enjoyed three-hit games as well. Eaton drove in two runs, scored twice, and stole one base. Ward and Sogard combined to score five runs. Jason Delay went 2 for 4 with one triple, one RBI, two runs scored, one stolen base, and one walk. Allan Castro doubled, homered, drove in three runs, and scored twice as part of a 2-for-5 afternoon. Mickey Gasper doubled, drove in one run, scored another, and drew one walk. Tyler McDonough drove in one run, scored twice, stole one base, and drew two walks.

Raymond Burgos picked up the win in his start after allowing only one earned run on four hits, two walks, and five strikeouts over a season-high 5 2/3 innings. He threw 78 pitches (53 strikes) and generated nine whiffs. Tyler Samaniego, Seth Martinez, and Nathan Hickey combined for 3 1/3 scoreless frames of relief the rest of the way.

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Portland Sea Dogs 3, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 2

John Holobetz put together a dominant start for Portland, scattering three hits and no walks while striking out 10 over five scoreless innings. He threw 80 pitches (55 strikes) and generated 16 whiffs. Reidis Sena followed with six additional strikeouts across 2 2/3 scoreless frames of relief. Cooper Adams gave up a two-run home run in the ninth but held on to notch his fifth save of the year.

Franklin Arias, in perhaps his final Double-A game, made his only hit of the night count, as he went 1 for 4 with a solo shot (his 19th home run of the season) and one walk. Mason White tripled and scored one run. Nate Baez and Caden Rose both doubled, with the latter scoring once. Will Turner and Raudelis Martinez each drove in one run. Jack Winnay drew three walks.

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Hub City Spartanburgers (TEX) @ Greenville Drive (PPD)

This game was postponed due to rain and will be made up as part of a Friday doubleheader beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET.

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Salem RidgeYaks 8, Augusta GreenJackets (ATL) 7

Kleyver Salazar stayed red-hot at the plate for Salem, going 3 for 3 with one double, one home run, three RBI, two runs scored, and two walks. D'Angelo Ortiz went 2 for 3 with two RBI, one stolen base, and one walk. Franklin Primera and Avinson Pinto each went 2 for 4, with the former recording one double, one RBI, and three runs, and the latter recording one RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Justin Barry doubled in one run, stole one base, and drew one walk. Starlyn Nunez scored one run, stole one base, and drew one walk.

Jason Gilman went 4 1/3 innings in his start, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits (including one home run), four walks, and six strikeouts. He threw 82 pitches (53 strikes) and generated 15 whiffs. Joey Gartrell and Harry Blum combined to give up four additional runs over 4 1/3 innings of relief. Wuilliams Rodriguez recorded the final out of the night via strikeout to lock down his fourth save of the year.

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FCL Rays 13, FCL Red Sox 6

The FCL squad fell in their season finale. Berny Ortiz took the loss in his start after surrendering seven earned runs on six hits, two walks, two hit by pitches, and three strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings. Three relievers combined to give up six additional runs. At the plate, Liosward Marin stood out by going 3 for 4 with two doubles and three RBI. Nazzan Zanetello went 2 for 3 with one home run, one RBI, three runs scored, one stolen base, and one walk. Josue Brito doubled, tripled, drove in one run, and scored twice as part of a 2-for-4 day. Harold Rivas went deep for the sixth time this season. Edwin Darville drew one walk and stole two bases, while Fabian Bonilla swiped his first bag as a pro.

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DSL Royals Fortuna 4, DSL Red Sox Blue 2

Emanuel Jimenez took the loss in his start for the Blue squad, allowing four runs (one earned) on one hit, four walks, and seven strikeouts over four innings. Carlos Falcon pitched well in relief, as he struck out five more across four scoreless frames. Offensively, Freyerso Vasquez doubled and drove in one run as part of a 3-for-4 day. Krishan Ulacio also doubled and scored one run. Miguel Welch went 1 for 4 with one RBI, one run scored, and one stolen base.

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DSL Tampa Bay 12, DSL Red Sox Red 8

Isaac Brujan was charged with the losing decision in his start for the Red squad after surrendering five earned runs on seven hits (including one home run), no walks, one hit by pitch, and one strikeout over 4 1/3 innings. Four relievers combined to give up seven additional runs across 4 2/3 total innings out of the bullpen. At the plate, Lester Suarez stood out by going 2 for 3 with one home run, two RBI, two runs scored, and one walk. Dawvris Brito also went deep while going 2 for 5. Joskairo Ramirez and Jhonny Osta each went 2 for 4, with the former recording two RBI, one run, and one walk, and the latter recording one double and one RBI. Geomaikel Martinez tripled and scored one run. Anderber Urbina scored two runs, stole one base, and drew one walk.

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Player of the Day: Andrew Knizner gets the nod for reaching base six times and finishing a triple shy of the cycle on Thursday. Signed to a minor league contract in late June, the 31-year-old journeyman catcher is now batting .315/.448/.537 with six doubles, two home runs, 14 RBI, six runs scored, one stolen base, 12 walks, and nine strikeouts through his first 15 games (67 plate appearances) for Worcester.

Photo Credit: Andrew Knizner by Kelly O'Connor

Podcast Ep. #424: MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis on the 2026 Draft Class and more

2026-07-23T23:34:54.200-04:00

Making his 12th appearance on the podcast, our good friend Jim Callis from MLB Pipeline joined Chris for his annual post-draft appearance. He had some interesting thoughts on the Red Sox strategy this year, plus some more reports on the newest members of the system as we close out our draft coverage. Chris also got Jim's thoughts on the state of the farm overall, the newly promoted Franklin Arias, and just how legit the Red Sox reputation for developing arms is. And most importantly, Jim has now caught back up to Alex Speier for most appearances in podcast history!

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.

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Cup of Coffee: Gasper leads WooSox in sweep of twinbill

2026-07-23T07:09:05.777-04:00

7/23 Cup of Coffee: The major league team was not the only one with doubleheader action on Wednesday. Worcester swept its twinbill thanks to a monster day from Mickey Gasper (pictured). Greenville and Salem had big days at the plate, with both teams blasting three homers in blowout victories. Greenville's win came with some fireworks, as a Justin Gonzales' home run trot initiated something of a brouhaha. Pitchers dominated in the Portland contest, with a standout afternoon from starter Hayden Mullins going for naught. The FCL Sox also had a rare Wednesday contest as they prepare for Thursday's regular-season finale.

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Worcester Red Sox 3, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 2 (Game 1)

A rainy Tuesday pushed the series opener back to Wednesday as part of a doubleheader. Blake Wehunt got the starting nod for his Triple-A debut. The 6-foot-7 righty allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits in 3 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking two. Wehunt did struggle some with efficiency, needing 72 pitches to record those 11 outs. The bullpen was outstanding, holding Jacksonville hitless for the final 3 1/3. Angel Bastardo struck out three of the four batters he faced in 1 1/3. He now has 14 strikeouts without issuing a walk in 10 July innings. Tyler Uberstine also continued his recent excellence, striking out the side sandwiched only by a walk in the sixth. In five July outings, he has allowed just one hit in nine innings, matching Bastardo's 14 strikeouts while walking two. Wyatt Olds pitched a perfect seventh for the save.

The offense needed just three hits to emerge victorious. A fourth-inning rally saw Vinny Capra plate Allan Castro with a game-tying double. Capra then came in with the go-ahead score on a Kristian Campbell single.

Worcester Red Sox 13, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 12 (Game 2)

The crisply-played opener was followed by a wild nightcap in which the two teams combined for 25 hits, 25 runs, and 16 walks in just seven innings. Worcester did not hold the lead at any point in the game until Mickey Gasper delivered a bases-loaded two-run walk-off double with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. Gasper also singled twice and drew a walk, bringing his line in 42 Triple-A games to .331/.466/.550. Campbell blasted his third home run of the season and first since May 5, a two-run shot in the fourth. Campbell also drew a pair of walks, scoring three runs on the night. Capra doubled twice in the nightcap as part of a 3-for-4 effort, while Nick Sogard was 2 for 3 with a double and pair of walks out of the leadoff spot.

Osvaldo Berrios drew the opener straw and gave up five runs on four hits in the first. The only pitcher who was not scored upon was Tommy Kahnle, whose scoreless inning in the top of the seventh set up the three-run game-winning rally in the bottom of that frame.

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Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 2, Portland Sea Dogs 1

Portland was on the losing end of a pitchers' duel, squandering an outstanding effort from left-hander Hayden Mullins. Mullins, who has battled some control issues this season, got off an inauspicious start as he walked the first batter he faced. He then did not allow another baserunner until a leadoff single in the fifth inning, retiring 12 straight. That was the only hit the 25-year-old allowed in his five scoreless frames, as he struck out eight. Binghamton reached Patrick Halligan for a pair of runs in the sixth that proved decisive. Troy Davis went the final two shutout innings, allowing one hit, walking one, and striking out three. The offense was limited to four hits by a quintet of Rumble Ponies hurlers. Brooks Brannon and Matt Frazier had a double apiece.

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Greenville Drive 13, Hub City Spartanburgers (TEX) 7

The Drive did not lift their foot from the accelerator, jumping out to a 9-0 lead by the third inning. They compiled 16 hits, with every member of the starting lineup getting at least one knock. Enddy Azocar blew the game open with a third-inning grand slam, his 14th round tripper of the season and eighth since his promotion to Greenville. Yoeilin Cespedes had a sixth-inning solo homer as part of his two-hit evening, adding a double and scoring three times. Justin Gonzales had a big night that ended early. Gonzales blasted a three-run homer in the seventh, and the Hub City battery took some exception to the amount of time it took for him to round the bases. Benches cleared, and Gonzales smacked the mask off of the catcher, resulting in his ejection. The 6-foot-5 right fielder had already doubled, walked, and matched Cespedes's three runs scored before his early shower.

The outburst of offense made for a low-stress night for the Drive staff. Starter Alex Bouchard scattered two hits across three scoreless innings, striking out three and walking one. Calvin Bickerstaff got credit for the winning decision, allowing just one hit across 4 1/3 shutout frames, striking out four without walking a batter.

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Salem RidgeYaks 9, Augusta GreenJackets (ATL) 3

Salem drew even in its series at Salem Memorial, with an 11-hit effort led by Kleyver Salazar. The catcher went 3 for 4 with a three-run homer in the third that gave the RidgeYaks a lead they would not relinquish. Louis Andujar also went deep for Salem as part of his 2-for-4 evening. After a tough adjustment to the Carolina League in the weeks following his promotion from the FCL, Andujar has gotten up to speed with a .353/.424/.745 line in July. Ilan Fernandez also homered as part of a 2-for-4 night. Starter Christian Foutch allowed two runs on three hits in 3 2/3, striking out and walking four apiece. Nicolas De La Cruz got the victory with a perfect 1 1/3 of relief. Yermain Ruiz went the final four innings for the save, giving up a run on two hits, striking out three without issuing a walk.

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FCL Twins 8, FCL Red Sox 5

In the penultimate game of the FCL regular season, the Sox dropped their fourth straight and fell to 2-11 in July. Jhorman Bravo had a double, stolen base, and run scored. It was his 37th swipe of the saeson, placing him third in the system, and one of nine steals the Sox had on the day. Liosward Marin and Christopher Alvarado had a single and two stolen bases apiece. Josue Brito was 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI. Yomar De La Rosa was the highlight on the mound, scattering a pair of hits over two scoreless innings.

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Player of the Day: Mickey Gasper continues to be an on-base machine in Triple-A. reaching seven times in the twinbill. After going 1 for 2 with a walk in the opener, Gasper was the hero in the nightcap, delivering a two-run walk-off double to finish his three-hit effort. Since his return to the WooSox after being optioned from the major league roster, The veteran backstop is 18 for 43 with 12 walks and only four strikeouts, good for a .419/.554/.628 slash line.

Photo Credit: Mickey Gasper by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Witherspoon records 14 swings and misses; Opata hits grand slam

2026-07-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/22 Cup of Coffee: It was a rough day for the Red Sox affiliates, as the WooSox were rained out and the active affiliates went 1-5 on Tuesday. The Sea Dogs were the only victorious team in the system, as Brooks Brannon, Ronald Rosario, and Jack Winnay all hit solo home runs. Kyson Witherspoon delivered a strong start in Greenville and Andrews Opata (pictured) crushed a grand slam for Salem but neither team was able to pull away with a win. Jorge Rodriguez had a big game in the FCL but it was a slow day for both DSL teams, with the Blue squad failing to record a hit.

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Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) @ Worcester Red Sox (postponed)

The WooSox were rained out in the opening game of their series against Jacksonville and they will make up the game as part of a doubleheader today.

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Portland Sea Dogs 4, Binghamton Rumble Ponies (NYM) 3

The Sea Dogs coughed up a three-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning but Brooks Brannon put Portland back on top for good with a go-ahead homer to the opposite field in the top of the ninth. Brannon's home run was the third of the game for the Sea Dogs, as Jack Winnay and Ronald Rosario blasted solo homers in the third and fourth innings, respectively. Both Winnay and Rosario were 2 for 4 in the game, with Winnay's strong game pushing his average to .342 through his first 16 games in Portland.

Caleb Bolden started the game with three scoreless innings, striking out four batters while allowing two hits and a walk. Max Carlson followed him with a dominant 2 2/3 innings of relief, striking out three and allowing just a walk. Erik Rivera worked through a pair of scoreless innings before allowing the Rumble Ponies to start their eighth-inning rally, ending the day with two runs allowed. Jeremy Wu-Yelland surrendered a run without recording an out before turning the ball over to Cooper Adams for a shutout 1 1/3 innings.

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Hub City Spartanburgers (TEX) 5, Greenville Drive 1

After struggling in his last couple of starts, Kyson Witherspoon turned in a solid outing on Tuesday night. He recorded four strikeouts on 14 whiffs in 4 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on four hits and a walk. Adam Bates surrendered three runs in 3 1/3 innings of relief and Steven Brooks struck out three in 1 1/3 shutout frames. Greenville scored their only run of the game on an RBI single off the bat of Antonio Anderson in the first inning. Justin Gonzales was the only Drive hitter to record multiple hits, going 2 for 4 with a walk.

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Augusta GreenJackets (ATL) 7, Salem RidgeYaks 4 (7 innings)

After falling behind 7-0, the RidgeYaks received a jolt of excitement as Andrews Opata blasted a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh. However, they were unable to complete their comeback bid as the game was called due to rain after the inning. Givian Sirvania was the only other RidgeYak with multiple hits as he went 2 for 3 and scored a run. Kleyver Salazar went 1 for 3 with a double. Jacob Mayers started on the mound and struggled with his control, walking four batters and allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits. Cole Tolbert struck out five hitters and gave up two runs (one earned) in three innings of relief and Luis Cohen threw a shutout inning.

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FCL Rays 11, FCL Red Sox 10

The FCL bats put up a good fight but were unable to come away with the win on Tuesday afternoon. Jorge Rodriguez led the charge with a huge game, going 3 for 4 with a home run, four RBI, and two runs scored. Edwin Darville reached base five times, going 2 for 2 with three walks, a double, two runs, and an RBI. Jostin Ogando drove in three runs and was 1 for 3 on the day. Minor League Rule 5 selection Caden Vire began a rehab assignment. Getting the starting nod, Vire allowed one run then was followed by Jakson Gamboa, who allowed two runs on six hits in two innings. Carter Rasmussen threw 2 2/3 strong innings out of the bullpen, allowing a run on two hits.

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DSL Royals Fortuna 5, DSL Red Sox Blue 0

It was a tough day for the Red Sox Blue bats, as they were no-hit on Tuesday afternoon. Three hitters reached base via walk in Miguel Welch, Isaac Velasquez, and Maikol Tovar. Christopher Silvestre did not have his sharpest game on the hill, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk in three innings. Hicter Ruiz tossed four great innings of relief, allowing an unearned run on five hits while punching out two hitters.

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DSL Padres Gold 2, DSL Red Sox Red 1 (8 innings)

It was a quiet game for the Red Sox Red hitters as well, as they scored their only run of the game on an RBI double off the bat of Joskairo Ramirez in the sixth inning. The Red squad's bats recorded only three hits, with Anderber Urbina and Axell Herrera contributing singles. Oscar Vaamonde walked five batters and allowed a run in 2 2/3 innings. Robert Moreno struck out four in 4 1/3 shutout frames, striking out four hitters, and Isael Fis allowed one run without recording an out.

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Player of the Day: While his chance at late-game heroics was cut short by the rain, Andrews Opata made a huge impact in the seven innings that he did play. Opata went 2 for 4 and drove in all four of Salem's runs with a grand slam in the seventh inning. That home run was Opata's seventh of the year and he is now hitting .243/.354/.371 with 39 stolen bases with Salem this season. Opata was signed to a $75,000 bonus as an undrafted free agent last year.

Photo Credit: Andrews Opata by Kelly O'Connor

Minor Notes: Draft signings announced; Delzine highlights promotions

2026-07-21T14:00:00.000-04:00

The game schedule indicated a quieter week as the major league squad and all four full-season affiliates were on hiatus from Monday through Thursday for All-Star festivities, but there was no break in the news coming from the system. The team signed its cadre of 2026 draft picks in the middle of the week, and the usual midsummer string of promotions has begun, highlighted by top-30 prospects Sadbiel Delzine (pictured), Blake Wehunt, and Mason White.

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Red Sox sign 17 2026 draft picks

The olden days of the long, drawn-out signing period have passed, as the Red Sox came to terms with 17 of their 19 selections about a week and a half after the draft date. Much of the bonus pool was spread around to five selections. First-round pick Jake Schaffner and third-round selection Jace Matacynski received $2 million apiece; ninth-rounder Matin Shelar was signed to a $1.5 million deal; Competitive Balance-B pick Owen Hull got $1.2 million; and 10th-round pick Kaleb LaFavor received $847,500). Schaffner's bonus came in at $2.37 million below the 20th slot value, a clear illustration of the "trade-down" strategy the Red Sox took in a draft that does not allow the trading of most picks.

Thinking of those signing bonuses in terms of slot value, the Red Sox signings were roughly the equivalent of picks 49, 50, 61, 71, and 93. Having started with picks 20, 67, and 96, the strategy was the practical equivalent of trading a mid first-round pick for three second rounders (shout out to SoxProspects.com forum poster incandenza for pointing out the math here).

Only two players from the draft class have not signed, and neither are likely to do so: 15th-round pick Chase Frey, a left-handed pitcher of out Grand Canyon University, appears headed to the University of Oregon as a transfer; 18th-round pick Ethan Offing, a high school outfielder from South Carolina ranked #377 on the Baseball America draft board, will fulfill his commitment to Clemon. Offing was always seen a a long-shot to sign.

For detailed information of the full draft class, including signing bonus information, check out the SoxProspects.com Draft History page.

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Two undrafted free agents signed

In addition to the 17 draft picks, the Red Sox also brought two undrafted players into the fold. Left-handed pitcher Cason Revay, a left-handed pitcher from Pacific University, posted a 4.01 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings this spring. The signing of Jorhan Castro, an 18-year-old catcher out of San Angel David High School in Puerto Rico, was also announced but has not been made official.

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Promotions and other transactions

It was a busy week on the transaction front. highlighted by the aforementioned promotions of three current top-30 prospects.

Right-handed pitcher Sadbiel Delzine makes the jump to full-season ball, going from the FCL Sox to Low-A Salem. The-18-year-old is in the midst of a strong first season stateside, with a 2.72 ERA, 43 strikeouts, 18 walks, and only 24 hits allowed in 39 2/3 innings across 11 appearances in the complex. With the FCL season ending on Thursday, Delzine had likely already made his final appearance for the team this year.
Blake Wehunt moves up to Triple-A Worcester after a solid campaign in Portland. The system's most famous 6-foot-7 chicken farmer made 13 starts for the Sea Dogs, posting a 3.52 ERA, striking out 72, and walking 16 in 53 2/3 innings. The results were a marked improvement from his 2025 line in Double-A, particularly in the control department, when he walked 29 in 63 1/3.
Mason White joins fellow 2025 draft alumni Anthony Eyanson and Jack Winnay in making the jump to Double-A in his first full professional season. The University of Arizona product hit .270/.362/.525 for Greenville in 68 games, blasting 14 homers. White made his Sea Dogs debut on Sunday, getting the start at shortstop and going 1 for 3. He split his time between shortstop and second base for the Drive.
Big right-hander Trennor O'Donnell will move up to Greenville. The 2023 eight-round pick missed the second half of 2025 and the early part of this season after internal brace surgery in his right elbow. O'Donnell made three rehab appearances in the FCL before getting into three games with the RidgeYaks.
Two veterans were released from the Worcester roster. Catcher Matt Thaiss appeared in 44 games for the WooSox, hitting .201/.314/.313. The former Angels' first-round pick has appearend in 305 major league games over parts of seven season. Matt Lloyd had signed as a minor league free agent last winter, having previously spent time in the Cincinnati and St. Louis organizations. He appeared in 30 games this year, mostly at first base.
Veteran outfielder Jahmai Jones was acquired for a player to be named later from the Detroit Tigers and added to the major league roster. After a strong 2025 campaign, Jones struggled in 2026, but has already made an impact on the Sox' 14-game win streak. In three games, he is 2 for 5 with a two-run homer in Saturday's 7-6 victory over Tampa Bay.

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Double Podcast Dosage

The podcast machine was in overdrive this weeks, with two editions coming to wherever you get your podcasts. On Tuesday, Chris was joined by SoxProspects.com Features Writer Andrew Parker (Podcast Episode #422) to discuss the 2026 draft class and the strategy to spread out some savings from the top pick in order to get a deeper overall class. Then Ian and Mike were back in the fold on Sunday (Podcast Episode #423), joined by Chris to review the signings and how the Red Sox shocking winning streak has changed their trade deadline strategy.

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Rafaela appears in first All-Star Game

The long, steady rise of 2024 graduate Ceddanne Rafaela (pictured, right, from 2022) has continued, as the Red Sox centerfielder is having his best major league season, highlighted by his first career All-Star selection. Rafaela has continued to play his standard-level elite defense while raising his batting line to .281/.326/.433 on the year. Rafaela originally signed with the organization on July 2, 2017 to a $10,000 bonus. He broke out as a prospect in 2022 with the Greenville Drive and Portland Sea Dogs, and has continued his improvement as he's climbed the ladder. By Baseball-Reference.com's WAR calculation, he has been the seventh-best position player in baseball in 2026.

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DSL All-Star Game

The Dominican Summer League is the only circuit that actually plays an All-Star Game among affiliated minor leagues, and three Red Sox prospects were represented:

Shortstop Isaac Velasquez of the DSL Blue squad started as the AL contingent's second designated hitter, and went 0 for 2 with a strikeout. Still only 16, Velasquez was signed to a $370,000 bonus out of Columbia, and is hitting .218/.384/.513 in 28 games.
Joskairo Ramirez has been a standout performer as the center fielder for the DSL Red Sox Red, hitting .300/.418/.545 with nine doubles, four homers, and 24 RBI. From Licey in the Dominican Republic, Ramirez got an $800,000 bonus this offseason, the third-largest given out by the Red Sox during the 2026 signing period. Ramirez entered the game in the sixth inning as a defensive replacement and had an RBI ground out in his only plate appearance.
Anderber Urbina has also starred for the Red Sox Red, splitting most of his time between shortstops and second base, with some time at third base as well. Urbina, a 17-year-old out of Venezuela, is hitting .320/.440/.534 in 31 games. He did not see action in the All-Star Game.

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Players of the Week

Miguel Welch, 2B/CF, DSL Red Sox Blue

5 G, 8-20, 7 R, 2, 3B, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 5 SB, .400/.458/.600

With the full season leagues taking a short break in alignment with the MLB All-Star festivities, it gives an opportunity to highlight a standout performance from the Dominican. Miguel Welch has been a consistently solid performer for the DSL Red Sox Blue squad, primarily as the starting second baseman while also getting some time in center field. Signed to a $10,000 bonus in January 2025 out of Venezuela, Welch is hitting .314/.455/.429 through 32 games on the year.

Anthony Eyanson, RHP, Portland Sea Dogs

1 GS, 1-0, 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K, .063 OBA

Boston's top pitching prospect turned in the best performance of the week. Eyanson dominated the Somerset (NYY) squad on Saturday evening, only allowing two baserunners across five shutout innings while fanning eight. The effort lowered the LSU product's already-microscopic ERA to 1.19 across two levels, and 1.56 in 40 1/3 innings since joining the Sea Dogs. This was Eyanson's first appearance since earning the win in last Sunday's Futures Game. Eyanson has been one of the game's breakout pitching prospects in 2026, and is currently ranked second in the system.

Photo Credit: Sadbiel Delzine, Ceddanne Rafaela by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Ramirez finishes double shy of cycle in DSL

2026-07-21T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/21 Cup of Coffee: As Wilyer Abreu (pictured) took home American League Player of the Week honors and the Red Sox extended their winning streak to 14 games, Boston's rookie-level affiliates went 0-2 on Monday. The FCL squad was rained out, while both DSL squads fell to their counterparts from the Rays organization.

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FCL Braves @ FCL Red Sox (Cancelled)

This game was cancelled due to rain and will not be made up.

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DSL Rays 19, DSL Red Sox Blue 7

Allan Griman took the loss in his start for the Blue squad after allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits, two walks, and three strikeouts over three innings. Four relievers combined to surrender 17 additional runs (11 earned) across 5 2/3 innings. Maikol Tovar, traditionally an outfielder, struck out the lone batter he faced in his first professional appearance as a pitcher. At the plate, Esterlin Casanova accounted for his side's only extra-base hit by going 1 for 3 with one double, one RBI, one run scored, and two walks. Miguel Welch and Isaac Velasquez each went 1 for 3 with an RBI, a run, and two walks as well. Santiago Yanes, Enmanuel Figuereo, and Eber Miranda also drove in runs.

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DSL Tampa Bay 10, DSL Red Sox Red 9 (11 innings)

This back-and-forth affair featured a 52-minute rain delay and ended in defeat for the Red squad. Joskairo Ramirez finished a double shy of the cycle, going 3 for 4 with one triple, one home run, four RBIs, one run scored, and one walk. Geomaikel Martinez singled three times and scored one run as part of a three-hit day. Anderber Urbina doubled, drove in one run, and scored another out of the leadoff spot. Jhonny Osta clubbed a solo shot for his only hit. Dawvris Brito drew two walks and scored two runs.

On the mound, Steven Garcia went 1 2/3 innings in his start, surrendering six earned runs on three hits (including one home run), four walks, and two strikeouts. Dani Richar, Leonel Figuera, Ranfi Vargas, and Yariel Valdez combined to allow three runs (one earned) over the next 8 1/3 innings. Ranci Castillo then took the loss after giving up the winning (unearned) run on a walk-off single that scored the automatic runner in the bottom of the 11th.

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Player of the Day: Fresh off a trip to the Dominican Summer League All-Star Game, Joskairo Ramirez gets the nod for his three-hit performance on Monday. The 17-year-old outfielder is now batting .300/.418/.545 with nine doubles, three triples, four home runs, 24 RBIs, 23 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 17 walks, and 18 strikeouts through 32 games (134 plate appearances) for DSL Red Sox Red this season. He is currently ranked as the organization's No. 56 prospect after signing for $800,000 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in January.

Photo Credit: Wilyer Abreu by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Ziehl strikes out eight over five shutout frames; Salazar powers Salem

2026-07-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/20 Cup of Coffee: Portland and Salem were the two winning affiliates on Sunday, with Portland being led by Gage Ziehl and Salem being powered by Kleyver Salazar (pictured). Worcester lost a tough game in walk-off fashion, while Greenville's bullpen collapsed against Frederick.

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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) 5, Worcester Red Sox 4

Worcester mounted a strong rally to tie the game with three runs in the eighth, but the RailRiders launched a walk-off home run to win it. RBI singles from Nate Eaton and Mickey Gasper brought the WooSox closer, and then Brett Harris knotted it up with an RBI double. A two-out triple from Braiden Ward in the ninth got wasted as Nick Sogard struck out to strand him. It was a bullpen game for Worcester with Osvaldo Berrios allowing one run over the first two innings. Noah Song threw a scoreless inning in his first appearance in over a week, and Sam McWilliams took the loss after allowing the walk-off home run.

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Portland Sea Dogs 2, Somerset Patriots (NYY) 1

A dominant start from Gage Ziehl propelled Portland past the Patriots. Ziehl, the SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Month in June, struck out eight and allowed only two hits over five shutout frames. Patrick Halligan earned a six-out save, though he did allow a solo home run in the ninth that made things more interesting. Jack Winnay continued to roll, going 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI double. Ronald Rosario went 1 for 3 with a double, and Mason White went 1 for 3 with two strikeouts in his Portland debut.

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Frederick Keys (BAL) 17, Greenville Drive 6

Greenville's pitching staff is going to want to forget this one as they served up 25 hits and seven walks to the Keys. Jojo Ingrassia kept things on the tracks by allowing two runs over 4 1/3 innings, but Frederick got to Matt Duffy for five runs and Griffin Kilander for six runs. The Drive took an early lead thanks to a three-run shot off the bat of Yophery Rodriguez. Rodriguez later added an RBI double as he finished 2 for 4. Luke Heyman also went deep, and Ronny Hernandez went 3 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.

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Salem RidgeYaks 4, Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL) 2

Kleyver Salazar gave Salem all the run support it would need on Sunday. Salazar belted a three-run home run in the first inning and the RidgeYaks never looked back. He finished 3 for 3 with the home run, a double, and a stolen base. Givian Sirvania went 2 for 3 with a double, and Ilan Fernandez finished 2 for 4 with a double. It was a solid start for Leighton Finley as he struck out six and allowed two runs over five innings. Trennor O'Donnell got the save with four shutout innings to end it. He stuck out four and surrendered two hits without issuing a walk. He was also extremely efficient, needing only 48 pitches.

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DSL AL All-Stars 7, DSL NL All-Stars 6

A three-run rally in the eighth lifted the American League DSL Stars to victory. Two players from the Red Sox system saw game action. Isaac Velazquez got the start at one of the DH slots (the teams used two designated hitters per side), going 0 for 2 with a strikeout. Joskairo Ramirez entered the game as a defensive replacement in left field in the sixth inning. With a man on third base and one out in the sixth, he produced a ground out RBI that knotted the contests at 4-4. Anderber Urbina was also named to the squad, but he did not appear in the game.

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Player of the Day: Kleyver Salazar did just enough to get past Gage Ziehl for the top performance of the day. The 20-year-old drove in three of Salem's four runs with a three-run home run, and he also added a single, double, and walk. Salazar struggled out of the gate this year in his second stint with Salem, but he has warmed up with the weather. His OPS was just .606 on May 3, but it has climbed up to .779. His total line of .371/.463/.514 in July would be the best month of his career if he is able to hold it. Known for his defense, Salazar is trying to show that he is ready to help Greenville's catching corps.

Photo Credit: Kleyver Salazar by Kelly O'Connor

Podcast Ep. #423: Red-Hot Sox, Draftees Sign, Rankings Update

2026-07-19T15:37:07.179-04:00

Ian, Mike, and Chris had a ton to discuss this episode: The Red Sox' epic winning streak and what it means for the trade deadline, the signing of most of the club's 2026 draft class and how it revealed the club's spread-the-wealth strategy, and a fresh rankings update. And as if that wasn't enough, the guys even cleaned out the email inbox.

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: Eyanson, Arias lead Sea Dogs shutout

2026-07-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/19 Cup of Coffee: Sometimes it is who you least expect. Saturday was not one of those times. Franklin Arias and Anthony Eyanson (pictured), Boston's top two prospects and two representatives in last Sunday's Futures Game, starred in Portland's blowout victory, with the former getting on base five times and the latter firing five shutout innings. Salem pounded out 12 hits in its victory, led by Louis Andjuar, while Greenville suffered the system's only defeat. Worcester and the FCL Sox were both rained out, and the DSL clubs were out of action as they prepare for Sunday's All-Star Game.

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Worcester Red Sox @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY), postponed

Saturday's game in Scranton was postponed due to heavy rain. A makeup date has not yet been announced, only that it will take place later in the season.

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Portland Sea Dogs 11, Somerset Patriots (NYY) 0

Nearly everything went right at Hadlock Field, with Franklin Arias pacing the offense and a trio of top-20 prospects combining on the three-hit shutout. Arias reached base five times, with two walks, two singles, and a bonus double that the Somerset center fielder appeared to lose in the lights. Arias scored twice and drove in a pair in the blowout. Ronald Rosario contributed two homers, a three-run shot in the first that opened the scoring, and a two-run blast as part of Portland's seven-run seventh inning. After homering just three times in his first 39 games, Rosario now has six in his last six contests. Brooks Brannon doubled twice and drove in a pair, while Will Turner worked four walks and scored twice.

Fresh off his excellent outing in the Futures Game, Anthony Eyanson was dominant in possibly his strongest start since his May promotion to Double-A. The 21-year-old righty allowed just one hit over five shutout innings, striking out eight against just one walk. He threw 49 of his 61 pitches for strikes and retired the final seven batters he faced. Jedixson Paez followed with the pinpoint control he has become known for, throwing 23 of 25 pitches for strikes over two scoreless frames. Paez surrendered one hit and struck out three. Things didn't get any easier for Somerset as John Holobetz made a rare bullpen appearance. Normally a starter but in need of innings during the All-Star Break week, Holobetz gave up one hit in two shutout innings, striking out three and walking one. The trio did not allow a Patriot batter to reach third base.

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Frederick Keys (BAL) 12, Greenville Drive 2

A more competitive contest than the score indicates, Greenville and Frederick were close in the early innings until back-to-back four-run innings in the seventh and eighth turned it into a laugher. Starter Dylan Brown worked five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, striking out five against three walks. It was a tough evening for both Shea Sprague and Calvin Bickerstaff, who allowed four runs earned runs apiece. Tyler Davis came on in the eighth and scattered three hits over 1 2/3 scoreless, striking out a pair. Antonio Anderson tripled for Greenville's only extra-base hit to drive in a run, then came on to score on a Stanley Tucker groundout. Tucker added a pair of singles and stole a base.

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Salem RidgeYaks 10, Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL) 5

Salem scored three runs apiece in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to open a commanding lead. Louis Andujar had a huge day at the plate, going 3 for 5 with two doubles, a triple, two stolen bases, and three runs scored. One date after a four-hit effort, Franklin Primera blasted his first RidgeYak homer, a two-run shot in the sixth. Andruw Musett doubled and scored a pair of runs as part of his 2-for-4 effort, while Skylar King set the table out of the leadoff spot by going 2 for 5 with a double. Anderson Fermin drove in three runs and stole two bases while adding two hits. Starter Ethan Walker went two innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits. Jose Bello was excellent in a piggyback role to earn the victory, giving up one run on three hits in 5 1/3, striking out four and walking one. Harry Blum closed out the win, surrendering a run on two hits over the final 1 2/3.

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FCL Twins @ FCL Red Sox, postponed

A second rained-out contest in the system will be made up on July 22nd. A previous rainout between the FCL Sox and the FCL Pirates was going to be replayed on that date but has been canceled, as the contest could affect the Twins squad's playoff chase.

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Player of the Day: Accepting the award on behalf of the dominant Portland pitching staff will be Anthony Eyanson. It has been a phenomenal rookie season for the LSU product, who lowered his season ERA to 1.19 across two levels with his five scoreless innings on Saturday. In 60 2/3 innings across 14 appearances, Eyanson has surrendered just 29 hits, striking out 79 against 21 walks. It was the ninth time in those 14 outings that the 2025 third-round pick did not allow an earned run.

Photo Credit: Anthony Eyanson by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Primera unstoppable in slugfest; Azocar delivers walkoff for Drive

2026-07-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/18 Cup of Coffee: While the minor league All-Star games have gone the way of the Great Auk, the full-season leagues still take a much-needed mid-July break, aligning with the major league festivities. The rest already seems to have benefitted Franklin Primera (pictured), who had a monster four-hit, four-run, two-double effort for Salem, though it was not enough to get the RidgeYaks to the win in a Friday night slugfest. Greenville walked off with the system's only stateside victory. Worcester and Portland both fell to Yankee affiliates, while the FCL Sox were limited to one hit. The DSL squads pulled off the sweep, with team Blue pounding out 15 runs in a slugfest while the Red squad hurlers combined on a four-hitter in a more crisply-played affair.

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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) 7, Worcester Red Sox 6

The WooSox faced a strong test, as Yankee left-hander Max Fried began his rehab assignment on Friday evening. Worcester reached Fried for a pair of runs over three innings, including a Nate Eaton solo homer in the third, but were done in by a four-run rally in the second. Starter Raymond Burgos took the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits across four innings. Hobie Harris was activated from the injured list earlier in the day and made his first 2026 appearance for the WooSox, surrendering two runs in his inning of work. Angel Bastardo was perfect for two innings, striking out four of the six batters he faced, followed by another one-two-three inning by a returning Tommy Kahnle in the eighth.

The Worcester bats pounded out 13 hits. Two came off the bat of Brett Harris, including a solo homer. Mikey Romero blasted his ninth round-tripper of the season, while Allan Castro doubled as part of his 3-for-4 effort.

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Somerset Patriots (NYY) 7, Portland Sea Dogs 2

Portland fell into an early hole and managed only four hits in Friday's loss. Brooks Brannon had a sixth-inning solo homer, his 15th of the season, and added a walk. Ronald Rosario and Jack Winnay doubled for the Sea Dogs. Dalton Rogers took the loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits in three innings. Jeremy Wu-Yelland pitched a scoreless inning of relief, allowing one hit, striking out one, and walking one. Hayden Mullins was excellent out of the bullpen, giving up just one hit in 3 1/3 scoreless innings, walking two and striking out one. Cooper Adams did not allow a hit for the final 1 2/3.

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Greenville Drive 8, Frederick Keys (BAL) 7

A wild back-and-forth contest finished with a thrilling Greenille victory, as Enddy Azocar flared a game-winning walk-off double down the left field line to score Yophery Rodriguez. Mason White led the way at the plate, blasting a two-run homer in the third inning, drawing a pair of walks, and scoring three runs. Per Andrew Parker, White was promoted to Double-A Portland following the win. Antonio Anderson blasted a game-tying three-run homer in the second as part of his two-hit evening. Ronny Hernandez also had a pair of hits for the Drive.

Devin Futrell got the start, giving up four runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 while striking out eight batters against just one walk. Joe Vogatsky surrendered a pair of scores in his 2 1/3 innings of relief, fanning four without walking a batter. Steven Brooks gave up a run in 1 1/3 and was the beneficiary of the ninth-inning rally, going home the winning pitcher.

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Delmarva Shorebirds (BAL) 14, Salem RidgeYaks 11

A monster effort by Franklin Primera was not enough for Salem in Friday's slugfest. Primera reached base in all five of his plate appearances, going 4 for 4 with two doubles, a walk, and four runs scored. It was the second time this season that Primera had scored four times, matching his total from June 11 while with the FCL Sox. Avinson Pinto also doubled twice, finishing 3 for 4 with a walk and three RBI. Anderson Fermin tripled, singled, walked twice, and drove in three runs, while Louis Andujar blasted a three-run homer. Starter Brady Tygart went four innings, giving up two runs (one earned), striking out four, and walking two. Delmarva reached the Salem bullpen for 12 runs in five innings, including an eight-run fifth-inning rally. Jay Allmer suffered the loss.

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FCL Twins 7, FCL Red Sox 2

The Sox worked 11 walks but managed just one hit, a Jorge Rodriguez second-inning single. Nazzan Zanetello drew a pair of free passes as he continues his rehab assignment. Jhoan Peguero and Liosward Marin also walked two times apiece. It was a rare shaky outing for Sadbiel Delzine, who allowed four runs (two earned) on three hits in 2 2/3 innings. The 18-year-old righty struck out three while walking a season-high four. He took the losing decision, his first as a professional.

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DSL Red Sox Red 4, DSL Cleveland Mendoza 2

Leadoff hitter Anderber Urbina was the catalyst for Team Red, going 3 for 4 with a double, triple, and two runs scored. Geomaikel Martinez, Lester Suarez, and Axell Herrera added a double apiece. Five pitchers combined to limit Mendoza to just four hits. Anthony Herrera was outstanding out of the bullpen, giving up just one hit across four scoreless frames, striking out two while walking three.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 15, DSL Cubs Red 13

Team Blue scored in every inning except the second, spreading out their 15-hit effort. Miguel Welch was 3 for 6 with a triple, three stolen bases, and three runs scored out of the leadoff spot. Garielvin Silverio doubled, scored three runs, and drove in a pair as part of his 2-for-5 afternoon. Catcher Santiago Yanes also scored three runs while picking up a pair of hits. Jesus Lopez went two scoreless innings in his start and has not allowed an earned run in five of his seven appearances. Michael Manjarres went 1 1/3 scoreless in relief to get credit for the win, with Jainer Almanza firing a scoreless ninth for the save.

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Player of the Day: Franklin Primera had scuffled a bit in making the jump from the FCL to the Carolina League. After posting a dominant .427/.549/.718 line in 32 games to force the promotion, the 19-year-old catcher started his Salem career with an 0-for-13 slump and was just 6 for 37 with one extra-base hit in his first 10 games at the level. The break for All-Star festivities may have been some needed rest for Primera, as he returned with a four-hit, four-run effort that raised his slash line with the RidgeYaks from .162/.311/.189 to .244/.380/.317. Signed to just a $10,000 bonus out of Venezuela in 2024, Primera is now ranked seventh in the system.

Photo Credit: Franklin Primera by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Marin, Zanetello shine in FCL slugfest; Brito, Silverio stand out in DSL

2026-07-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/17 Cup of Coffee: Thursday's slate featured three close games for Boston's rookie-level affiliates. Liosward Marin (pictured) and the rehabbing Nazzan Zanetello combined for five hits in Florida Complex League action. In the Dominican Summer League, Garielvin Silverio and Dawvris Brito put together multi-hit performances.

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FCL Braves 14, FCL Red Sox 13

The FCL squad was on the wrong side of this high-scoring affair. Liosward Marin led the way offensively, going 3 for 5 with two doubles, three RBI, one run scored, and one stolen base. Nazzan Zanetello, continuing his rehab assignment, went 2 for 3 with one double, two RBI, one run scored, and one stolen base. Tavano Baker, who pinch-hit for Zanetello in the sixth inning, also doubled and scored one run. Jostin Ogando went 2 for 3 with one RBI, two runs scored, one stolen base, and two walks. Edwin Darville drove in two runs, scored twice, stole three bases, and drew one walk. Josue Brito drew three walks and scored one run. Fabian Bonilla drove in one run, scored twice, and drew two walks. Harold Rivas drove in two runs, scored another, and stole one base.

On the mound, Berny Ortiz got the start and went just 1 2/3 innings against an FCL Braves lineup that featured big league veterans Ronald Acuna Jr., Ha-Seong Kim, and Andrew McCutchen. He surrendered six runs (five earned) on three hits, four walks, one hit by pitch, and no strikeouts. Jeison Payano gave up five additional runs, four of which came on an Acuna Jr. grand slam. Christopher Cordero scattered three hits, three walks, and one hit by pitch while striking out a pair over 2 2/3 scoreless frames, while Eddison Septimo (who was charged with a blown save) and Yander Bonaci (who took the loss) combined to allow three additional runs the rest of the way.

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DSL Royals Fortuna 8, DSL Red Sox Blue 6

Miguel Welch and Garielvin Silverio accounted for four of their side's six hits on Thursday. Welch went 2 for 4 with one triple, one RBI, and two runs scored. Silverio went 2 for 3 with one double, one triple, three RBI, and two runs scored. Santiago Yanes drove in a run as well. On the flip side, Emanuel Jimenez took the loss in his start for the Blue squad after allowing two earned runs on five hits, two walks, and four strikeouts over four innings. Carlos Falcon and Jesus Martinez combined to surrender six additional runs across three innings of relief.

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DSL LAD Bautista 8, DSL Red Sox Red 7

Dawvris Brito had a productive day at the plate for the Red squad, going 2 for 4 with two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored. Edgardo Gutierrez went 2 for 4 with one run scored and one stolen base. Axell Herrera drove in one run, scored twice, and drew two walks. Joskairo Ramirez doubled and scored one run. Jhonny Osta drove in three runs and stole one base. Pitching-wise, Isaac Brujan went 2 2/3 innings in his start, surrendering four earned runs on five hits (including one home run), two walks, and three strikeouts. Wascar Berroa worked 1 1/3 scoreless frames of relief, while Ranci Castillo took the loss after allowing an unearned run to score in the bottom of the seventh.

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Player of the Day: Liosward Marin gets the nod for putting together his second three-hit performance of 2026. The 20-year-old catcher/first baseman is now batting .310/.419/.592 with five doubles, five home runs, 16 RBI, 19 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 13 walks, and 15 strikeouts in 26 games (86 plate appearances) this season, his second in the Florida Complex League. He originally signed with the Red Sox for $10,000 as an international free agent out of Venezuela in January 2023.

Photo Credit: Liosward Marin by Kelly O'Connor

Cup of Coffee: Ogando triples twice, Martin reaches base six times in FCL slugfest

2026-07-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

7/15 Cup of Coffee: It was another quiet day in the Red Sox organization, as the big league team and full-season affiliates are in the midst of their All-Star break, leaving the FCL and DSL teams as the only active teams on Tuesday. Jostin Ogando (pictured) tripled twice and Maximus Martin reached base six times in a high-scoring win for the FCL Sox. Anderson Gonzalez and Santiago Yanes had strong games for the Red Sox Blue but their day ended in disappointing fashion as they were walked off in the bottom of the ninth. The Red Sox Red recorded only three hits in a quiet offensive performance.

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FCL Red Sox 18, FCL Orioles 12 (10 innings)

The FCL Sox rode a pair of monster innings to a comeback win in extra innings. Down 10-2 entering the seventh inning, the Sox put nine runs on the board with a huge rally. Fabian Bonilla delivered a two-run single to start the scoring in the seventh and Jostin Ogando came through with a two-run triple to bring the team within a run. Nazzan Zanetello drove in the go-ahead run with a double but the Orioles were able to score the tying run in the ninth and send the game to extras. The Red Sox bats came alive again in the top of the tenth, however, scoring seven more runs to turn the extra-inning affair into a blowout. Ogando drilled his second triple of the game to score two runs and put the Sox in the lead, going 3 for 6 with four RBI overall. Catcher Jorge Rodriguez went 3 for 6 with two doubles, two runs, and two RBI. Maximus Martin was 2 for 3 with a double, four walks, and four runs scored.

Juanyerlin Duran started on the mound and tossed the first 2 1/3 innings of the game, walking four batters but escaping with just one run allowed. However, Merlin Bido and Yoelvin Chirino were both rocked, as Bido allowed five runs on six walks in an inning while Chirino allowed four runs on eight hits in 1 2/3 frames. Denison Sanchez surrendered one run in 3 1/3 innings of relief, allowing three walks while striking out a batter. Rony Calderon picked up the win as he allowed an unearned run in 1 2/3 innings to close out the game.

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DSL Astros Orange 11, DSL Red Sox Blue 10

Another high-scoring roller coaster of a game ended in heartbreak in the DSL as the Astros Orange walked off the Red Sox Blue in the bottom of the ninth. Freyerso Vazquez drove in the Blue squad's first runs of the game as he blasted a two-run homer in the third inning, his third of the season. Anderson Gonzalez drove in runs with singles in the third and seventh innings, knocking in three runs total as part of a 2-for-3 game. Catcher Santiago Yanes went 3 for 4 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI. Garielvin Silverio went 1 for 3 with three walks and two runs scored.

Christopher Silvestre threw three innings on the hill, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks with no strikeouts. Hicter Ruiz followed him with three innings out of the bullpen, also allowing three runs to cross the plate. Charlie Zink walked two batters in a scoreless inning. Jainer Almanza walked three batters and allowed two runs in an inning of work. Michael Manjarres was tagged with a blown save and a loss as he gave up three runs and walked three batters without recording an out.

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DSL CLE Mendoza 4, DSL Red Sox Red 3

The Red Sox Red scored three runs on only three hits, singles off the bats of Anderber Urbina, Geomaikel Martinez, and Edgardo Gutierrez. Jhoskairo Ramirez drove in the first run of the game on a bases-loaded walk and was 0 for 2 with two walks on the day. Oscar Vaamonde allowed three runs on six hits in a three-inning start. Robert Moreno worked two innings of relief, allowing a run on a hit and two walks while striking out two. Leonel Figuera and Yariel Valdez each tossed a shutout inning out of the bullpen.

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Player of the Day: First baseman Jostin Ogando had an impressive game in an exciting win for the FCL Sox, as he went 3 for 6 with his first two triples of the season, two runs scored, and four RBI. Ogando has struggled in his stateside debut this season as he has hit .226/.305/.321 with one home run and one double in 26 games in the FCL. The 18-year-old Ogando signed for $60,000 out of the Dominican Republic last year.

Photo Credit: Jostin Ogando by Kelly O'Connor

Podcast Ep. #422: 2026 Draft Recap

2026-07-14T12:20:51.849-04:00

With the 2026 draft in the books, Chris Hatfield and Andrew Parker hopped on to discuss the 19 newest Red Sox draftees. After the savings on day one, did the late-round overslot selections of Martin Shelar and Kaleb LaFavor round out the class sufficiently? The guys dropped some knowledge on the draftees and gave their thoughts of the class on the whole.

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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Minor Notes: Red Sox draft class headlines busy All-Star week

2026-07-14T12:00:00.000-04:00

It is one of the busiest times in the baseball calendar with the MLB Draft and All-Star festivities all taking place over the course of a few days. In Jake Bruml's first draft as the Director of Amateur Scouting, the Red Sox took a more balanced approach when compared with last year. A year ago, 15 of Boston's 21 picks were pitchers, and 10 of those came out of the SEC. In 2026, Boston drafted 11 pitchers and eight hitters, with the first three picks all being position players. Elsewhere, Franklin Arias and Anthony Eyanson (pictured, left) contributed to a Futures Game victory, and the Red Sox have remained the hottest team in baseball with the help of some reinforcements from Worcester.

If you are enjoying this and any of the other content you get from the SoxProspects.com team, please considering making a contribution to our annual Donation Drive. The donations help to offset the cost of travel so that we're able to get first-hand looks at players, as well as some of the general site expenses such as hardware and hosting.

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2026 Draft

Boston's draft was a bit of a departure from recent years, though their archetype of pitcher has remained the same. In each of the last two years, Boston only took one position player in the top three rounds. This year, they took a position player with each of the first three picks. This included University of North Carolina teammates (and roommates) Jake Schaffner and Owen Hull. Based on where these hitters were ranked, fans speculated that the Red Sox would generate some cap savings to use later on. That came to fruition with the Red Sox drafting Martin Shelar in the ninth round and Kaleb LaFavor in the 10th.

Check out the SoxProspects.com Draft History page to find all selections from this draft (as well as past drafts). The News Page also has complete coverage, with write-ups on each player. Editor-in-Chief Mike Andrews posted his annual overview of the draft signing period, and his initial speculation on who will sign and for how much is posted on the SoxProspects.com Forum.

Of Boston's 19 selections in the 2026 Draft, eight were ranked in the Baseball America Top 500, four in the MLB Pipeline Top 250 list, and five in the ESPN.com Top 250. Those ranking are available in the 2026 Draft Recap: How Boston's picks ranked post on the News page.

New podcasts

It was a busy week for the SoxProspects.com Podcast, with a draft preview with Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo being posted on Thursday and a day one draft recap being posted early Sunday morning. A full episode recapping the draft is expected to drop shortly.

Futures Game

A full recap of the All-Star Futures game is posted in Monday's Cup of Coffee, but the Red Sox were well represented by Franklin Arias and Anthony Eyanson. Arias drove in the game's first run, and Eyanson picked up the win.

Transactions

Pitching injuries continued to mount as Ranger Suarez was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left groin strain. In his absence, Eduardo Rivera got recalled for a spot start on Saturday against the Mets. Rivera threw 3 2/3 shutout innings, which was his longest outing since April 16. Brayan Bello (pictured, right) played a key role in Sunday's win after being recalled from Worcester. The 27-year-old struck out five and allowed one run over 4 1/3 innings of long relief.
The Red Sox had to play a man down for almost the entire week, as Nate Eaton missed the games on Tuesday and Wednesday against the White Sox, while Willson Contreras was suspended for the Thursday game against the White Sox and the entire three-game series versus the Mets. He will also miss the first game of the doubleheader on July 17 against the Rays.
Jack Anderson, who got designated for assignment last week, got claimed by the Twins. The right-hander posted a 3.38 ERA over eight innings in Boston this season.
With Worcester losing Rivera to Boston, Anderson to the Twins, and Zack Kelly to the injured list with right elbow inflammation, they needed to add reinforcements from Portland. Michael Sansone and Caleb Bolden both joined the WooSox and immediately got into game action. Bolden went from Worcester to Portland and back to Worcester in eight days.

Injury updates

In addition to Kelly, Danny Kirwin was placed on the injured list. There is no word on Kirwin’s injury, but he did miss time this season with a right shoulder strain. The team also got some bad news on Myles Patton who got transferred to the full-season injured list. He had been on the shelf since May with left forearm stiffness.
It was not all bad news on the injury front, as each full-season affiliate got one player back. Matt Lloyd, Will Turner, Matt Duffy, and Ethan Walker all returned to action in the last week. Duffy made his return from Tommy John surgery, striking out five and allowing three runs in three innings for Greenville.

Where are they now?

Two players who were previously drafted by Boston got selected in again in 2026. Garrison Sumner was a 20th round selection in 2025, but returned to BYU for his senior season. He pitched to a 6.78 ERA but also struck out 85 batters over 66 1/3 innings and got drafted in the 13th round by the Orioles.
Right-hander Robert Orloski was drafted out of Middleton High School in Idaho by the Red Sox in the 20th round of the 2023 draft. He chose to go to University of Texas at San Antonio where he pitched for parts of three seasons. He had a 3.36 ERA over 72 1/3 innings as a sophomore and was an AAC First-Team All-Conference selection, but he recorded only two outs as a junior before suffering what appeared to be a significant arm injury. The Angels took him in the 16th round this year.

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Players of the Week, July 6-12

Ronald Rosario, C/DH, Portland Sea Dogs

4 G, 16 AB, 8 H, 4 HR, 1 K, 4 R, 9 RBI, 1 SB, .500/.500/1.250

Rosario made the most of his four starts, belting four home runs and driving in nine runs while adding a rare stolen base. The 23-year-old from Venezuela is clearly a fan of the July heat, as his blistering start to this month follows winning the SoxProspects.com Player of the Month award last July. It has been a noted improvement for Rosario in his second stint with the Sea Dogs. He had a 1.048 OPS last July, but otherwise did not have another month with an OPS over .604 as he struggled to a .201/.278/.321 line on the season. He is now up to .278/.324/.462 in 2026. His strikeout and walk rates are consistent year-over-year, but he is hitting for more power this year while also having some improved luck with regards to his batting average on balls in play. Rosario is not currently ranked in our top 60, but he has been a big part of Portland jumping out to a first place lead in the second half standings of the Eastern League's Northeast division.

Griffin Kilander, RHP, Greenville Drive

2 G, 1-0, 1 SV, 6 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K

It is a rare occurrence that a minor league pitcher collects a win and a save in the same week, but Kilander did just that as he helped the Drive win the series over Greensboro. His two appearances this week were almost a mirror image. Both outings went 3 1/3 innings while facing 11 batters. On Tuesday he threw 41 pitches with 25 strikes, and on Saturday he threw 40 pitches with 26 strikes. He recorded the final 10 outs in both games, with Saturday being especially impressive considering that covered innings eight through 11. The extra innings start with a man on second base, and Greensboro was not able to get that runner home in either frame. The 23-year-old has significantly increased his strikeout rate this season, though his walk rate still remains elevated. He is off to a fast start with Greenville following his promotion in June, pitching to a 1.12 ERA over his first 16 innings.

Photo Credit: Anthony Eyanson and Brayan Bello by Kelly O'Connor