Cup of Coffee: Alzi, Simmons hit first professional homers in DSL

8/19 Cup of Coffee: Due to wet grounds for DSL Red Sox Blue, DSL Red Sox Red was the only Boston affiliate in action on Monday. Alexander Alzi and Kenyon Simmons homered for the first time as professionals, while Felix Belisario and Breylin Cruz held their own out of the bullpen to lift the Red squad to an extra-innings victory. 

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DSL Braves @ DSL Red Sox Blue (Cancelled)

This game was cancelled due to wet grounds and is unlikely to be made up with the 2025 Dominican Summer League regular season ending on Tuesday.

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Cup of Coffee: Garcia debuts at 1B; Turner powers Greenville into first place

8/18 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 1-3 on Sunday. Jhostynxon Garcia drove in one run and made his first professional start at first base in Worcester's loss to Iowa. Hayden Mullins struck out seven over six quality innings in Portland's extra-innings loss to Somerset. Will Turner (pictured) led a power surge in Greenville's win over Greensboro. Justin Gonzales, Starlyn Nunez, Maximus Martin, Natanael Yuten, and Gerardo Rodriguez all had multiple hits in Salem's loss to Fredericksburg in extras. 

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Iowa Cubs (CHC) 8, Worcester Red Sox 5

Tyler Uberstine went 2 2/3 innings in his second start of the series for Worcester, allowing three earned runs on four hits, four walks, and one strikeout. Jose De Leon followed out of the bullpen and ended up taking the loss after surrendering three additional runs on four hits (including two home runs), no walks, and two strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings. David Sandlin gave up one unearned run on one hit in the sixth, while Nick Burdi and Chris Murphy combined for two scoreless frames of relief.

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Cup of Coffee: Garcia plates four in Worcester's win, Miller picks up four hits in Portland

8/17 Cup of Coffee: There was plenty of action across the Boston affiliates as Payton Tolle took the mound for Worcester, tossing five scoreless innings while teammate Jhostynxon Garcia (pictured) had a big night at the plate. Tyler Miller had four hits in Portland's matchup against a former Boston prospect. Justin Gonzales slugged another home run for Salem, and the DSL squads managed to sweep their games on Saturday. 

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Worcester Red Sox 9, Iowa Cubs (CHC) 5

Payton Tolle bounced back nicely after a tough first outing in Worcester. The left-hander earned the win as he fired five shutout innings while allowing just three hits and a walk with five strikeouts. He also touched 98.6 mph on his fastball and threw 46 of his 71 pitches for strikes. While Tolle was dominating, the WooSox offense jumped out to a 9-0 lead, highlighted by a pair of two-run singles by Jhostynxon Garcia, one in the fourth and sixth as part of a 4-for-4 day. The outfielder has now driven in 55 runs in 64 games since being promoted to Triple-A. 

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Cup of Coffee: Rogers paces Portland; Martin blasts first pro homer

8/16 Cup of Coffee: All six active teams were in action on Friday, with strong pitching efforts leading to the two wins. Dalton Rogers (pictured) had a strong effort in Portland's win, while Juanyerlin Duran and a quartet of relievers pushed the DSL Red Sox Blue to the brink of the playoffs. Maximus Martin had a big night in Salem's loss, while fellow rookie shortstop Mason White impressed in his Greenville debut. 

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Iowa Cubs (CHC) 9, Worcester Red Sox 6

Worcester squandered a 5-1 lead as Iowa scored eight unanswered runs. Starter Richard Fitts went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He walked and struck out three apiece. David Sandlin continues to adjust to a bullpen role as he allowed three hits in 2/3 of an inning, including a grand slam to veteran outfielder Forrest Wall. In four appearances in a short relief role, Sandlin has allowed seven runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. David Hamilton was the offensive catalyst, going 1 for 3 with a double, a walk, a run scored, and an RBI. Jhostynxon Garcia and Nathan Hickey also had doubles for the WooSox.

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Cup of Coffee: Campbell, Garcia homer; Early, Holobetz put together solid starts

8/15 Cup of Coffee: While the big club was off, Boston's affiliates went 5-2 on Thursday. Jhostynxon Garcia and Kristian Campbell were among those to homer in Worcester's high-scoring win over Iowa. John Holobetz pitched into the seventh inning, and Ahbram Liendo (pictured) provided some late-game heroics in Portland's walk-off win over Somerset. Justin Gonzales racked up three hits in Game 1, and Frederik Jimenez went deep in Game 2 of Salem's doubleheader against Fredericksburg. In the Dominican Summer League, Harold Rivas and Williams Montero enjoyed strong performances on their respective sides of the ball.

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Worcester Red Sox 13, Iowa Cubs (CHC) 10

Four members of Worcester's lineup tallied multiple hits on Thursday. Jhostynxon Garcia went 3 for 5 with his 17th Triple-A home run (20th overall) of the season, one RBI, and three runs scored. Kristian Campbell went 2 for 4 with his sixth Triple-A home run of the season, two RBIs, three runs scored, and one stolen base. Nate Eaton went 2 for 3 with one home run, four RBIs, two runs scored, and two walks. Mikey Romero went 2 for 5 with four RBIs. David Hamilton and Trayce Thompson both left the yard with their only hits of the night, though Hamilton scored an additional run, drew one walk, and stole two bases.

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Cup of Coffee: Harrison strikes out eight in five shutout innings

8/14 Cup of Coffee: Kyle Harrison (pictured) put together a very solid outing for his third consecutive start, although Worcester dropped the game 1-0. Greenville had a good offensive day led by Hudson White's three hits and Freili Encarnacion's home run. Devin Futrell pitched well for the Drive again too. Caleb Bolden had one of the best starts of his career for Portland, striking out eight. Salem's game was suspended in the fifth inning. 

 

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Iowa Cubs (CHC) 1, Worcester Red Sox 0

For the second time in as many starts, left-hander Kyle Harrison tossed five shutout innings. It was also his third straight start in which he allowed two runs or fewer in five innings. Against Iowa, Harrison only allowed one hit and tied a season-high with eight strikeouts. He also walked four and hit a batter. His fastball touched 95 mph and he generated 11 whiffs on 35 swings (31%). His ERA is now 3.48 in nine starts with Worcester, including 44 strikeouts in 41 1/3 frames. Bryan Mata took the loss, surrendering one run in his only inning. Brennan Bernardino tossed a hitless inning with two strikeouts, and Alex Hoppe fired a shutout inning of his own with one strikeout and no walks. The Sox offense only had two hits, as Kristian Campbell and Nate Eaton each had singles. Eaton also drew a walk and swiped his 14th bag of the year. 

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Cup of Coffee: Arias hits go-ahead homer for Drive; Eaton drives in four runs

8/13 Cup of Coffee: Franklin Arias blasted the Drive into sole possession of a playoff spot with a crucial three-run homer on Tuesday night. Nate Eaton (pictured) and Kristian Campbell each collected three hits as the WooSox won their series opener in Iowa. Blake Wehunt threw three solid innings and Ronald Rosario, Ronaldo Hernandez, and Karson Simas homered in a win for the Sea Dogs. Salem lost a low-scoring game despite a solid performance by Justin Gonzales. Dorian Soto and Harold Rivas put together solid games in the DSL. 

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Worcester Red Sox 7,  Iowa Cubs (CHC) 4

After three quiet innings to begin the game, the WooSox started the scoring with a bang as Nate Eaton and Mikey Romero knocked back-to-back home runs in the fourth. Eaton delivered another huge hit for the WooSox in the ninth inning, driving a bases-clearing triple to put the game out of reach for the WooSox, as he recorded four RBIs in the game. Kristian Campbell was 3 for 5 with a double and he added an RBI single in the seventh. Nick Sogard was 1 for 3 with two walks out of the leadoff spot. 

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Minor Notes: Anthony signs eight-year extension, Tolle makes Triple-A debut

It was a big week for the Red Sox, as they signed the former number one overall prospect in baseball to a large extension. Their new top prospect also made his debut with Worcester. There were also several other notable roster moves within the organization. 

 

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Roman Anthony extended through 2033

The recently graduated top prospect in all of baseball, Roman Anthony (pictured, left), is going to be wearing a Red Sox uniform for at least the next eight seasons. The deal is for $130 million and includes a club option for the 2034 season. The $130 million is the third largest amount of guaranteed money for a player with less than one year of MLB service time. Read more from Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald on how this deal compares to other recent contracts across baseball. The 21-year old is off to a terrific start to his big league career, batting .283/.394/.433 (132 wRC+) with 16 doubles, a triple, and three home runs in 213 plate appearances. His .394 OBP ranks sixth in all of baseball among 291 hitters with at least 200 plate appearances. Anthony's contract also includes many escalators, which are all tied to awards like Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player. MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo lays out the details here. 

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Cup of Coffee: Andujar, Ogando homer in DSL action

8/12 Cup of Coffee: Both of Boston's Dominican Summer League affiliates lost on Monday. Despite getting home runs from Jostin Ogando and Louis Andujar, the Blue squad fell to DSL Pirates Black. Miguel Rivera, meanwhile, drove in two of his side's five runs in the Red squad's loss to DSL CLE Mendoza.

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DSL Pirates Black 10, DSL Red Sox Blue 8

Dani Richar took the loss in his start for the Blue squad, allowing four earned runs on two hits, two walks, one hit by pitch, and one strikeout over two innings. Yander Bonaci and Michael Manjarres combined to give up six additional earned runs out of the bullpen, while Angel Lopez worked three scoreless frames of relief. Offensively, Jostin Ogando led the way by going 2 for 4 with one double, one home run, two RBIs, and one run scored. Louis Andujar also homered, scored twice, and drew one walk as part of a 1-for-4 showing. Edwin Darville tripled in one run and scored another. Josue Brito went 1 for 4 with one double, one RBI, two runs scored, and one walk. Eliezer Alfonzo and Diomar Hidalgo combined for three stolen bases.

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Podcast Ep. #377: All the Anthony That Money Could Buy

Roman Anthony got paid, and the boys predictably think it was... a nice piece of business. Ian and Chris discuss the extension, then talk about Ian's extended look at the Worcester Red Sox, including the latest on Kristian Campbell and Payton Tolle, among many others. Plus, your emails!

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Cup of Coffee: Tolle debuts for Worcester; Garcia and Nunez deliver game-winners

8/11 Cup of Coffee: It was an up-and-down Worcester debut for Payton Tolle, but he was able to get things back on track. Kristian Campbell (pictured) supported him with a home run, while the Sea Dogs could not capitalize on a strong start from Hayden Mullins. Both Greenville and Salem had dramatic wins, with Johanfran Garcia and Starlyn Nunez providing the heroics. 

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Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 6, Worcester Red Sox 3

Buffalo earned a series split after jumping out to an early lead. The Triple-A debut for Payton Tolle got off to a rocky start after the Bisons got to him for six runs on two home runs in the first inning. But Tolle settled down from there and did not give up a run over the next four innings. In all, he allowed six runs (five earned) over five innings with one walk and three strikeouts with 14 whiffs. Bryan Mata followed with two scoreless frames, and Alex Hoppe and Hobie Harris had a shutout eighth and ninth inning, respectively. The offense was not able to climb out of the early hole, but Kristian Campbell continued his hot stretch. He went 2 for 3 with a two-run home run. 

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Cup of Coffee: Sprague dominates in Greenville, Portland wins in extra-inning fashion

8/10 Cup of Coffee: It was a strong night across the Boston affiliates, going 4-2 on Saturday with plenty of highlights mixed in. In Greenville, Shea Sprague (pictured) dazzled despite earning a no-decision with a scoreless outing. Yoeilin Cespedes doubled twice and drove in three in Salem's win, and Team Blue provided the offensive firepower in a win in the DSL. 

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Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 5, Worcester Red Sox 3

The WooSox offense had a tough task as they faced former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber, who is continuing a rehab assignment after he was traded to the Blue Jays. Worcester was able to put a pair of runs against the right-hander as back-to-back doubles by Seby Zavala and Nick Sogard gave them their first run of the afternoon in the third, followed by Nathan Hickey's 13th home run of the season in the fifth. The score was tied 2-2 heading into the late innings before Buffalo scored once in the seventh inning. Worcester responded in the bottom of the eighth as a balk with Jhostynxon Garcia on third base allowed him to come home with the tying run. 

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Cup of Coffee: Garcia, Sogard bolster Early in Worcester

8/9 Cup of Coffee: The hot bat of Jhostynxon Garcia (pictured) and a solid start by Connelly Early led Worcester to victory on Friday night. The DSL Red Sox Blue submitted the only other win down on the farm, giving themselves some breathing room in the race for the DSL playoffs. Portland and Greenville managed just four hits apiece, while Salem also fell short. 

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Worcester Red Sox 5, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 2

The WooSox continue to get strong starting pitching, with Connelly Early taking the hill on Friday. Early allowed two runs on three hits in five innings, striking out seven against only one walk. He earned the victory, his eighth of the season and first with the WooSox. A trio of relievers then went four scoreless frames to close out the win. Zack Burdi threw a hitless sixth, striking out two and walking one. Zack Kelly followed with two hitless innings of his own, also striking out a pair against one walk. Alex Hoppe got the save, giving up one run and striking out a pair in the ninth. 

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Cup of Coffee: Harrison, Uberstine impress on mound in WooSox win

8/8 Cup of Coffee: It was a busy day down on the farm, with all six teams in action and two scheduled twinbills. Worcester got excellent pitching from the duo of Kyle Harrison (pictured) and Tyler Uberstine on its way to victory. It was also a day of debuts and returns on the mound. John Holobetz and and Devin Futrell made their first outings for Portland and Greenville following recent promotions, while Brady Tygart got his first start since April 5 for Salem. The DSL Blue club moved back into playoff position with their victory. 

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Worcester Red Sox 2, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 1

Kyle Harrison and Tyler Uberstine were sharp to lead the WooSox. Harrison allowed just two hits over five scoreless frames, striking out seven and walking three. SoxProspects.com Director of Scouting Ian Cundall was in attendance, and he noted Harrison's 29 percent whiff rate on a fastball that reached 96. He also worked in a cutter and breaking ball effectively. Uberstine allowed just one hit over four innings, an eighth-inning solo home run. He walked two while striking out eight of the 15 batters he faced. He got credit for the win as Nate Eaton broke the tie in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run, his 10th of the season. Tyler McDonough was 2 for 3 with a double, walk, and run scored to pace the offense. Kristian Campbell saw his hitting streak snapped at 15 games, but he did reach base on a hit batsman and swipe a bag. 

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Cup of Coffee: Godbout reaches five times in debut, Bleis hits first Double-A homer

8/7 Cup of Coffee: There were a few notable firsts in the Sox organization last night, as Miguel Bleis (pictured) went deep for the first time in a Sea Dogs uniform. Henry Godbout also had a tremendous game in his first professional game in the Drive's exciting shootout victory. Kristian Campbell also extended his lengthy hitting streak for Worcester. 

 

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Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 7, Worcester Red Sox 3

Cooper Criswell had a bit of a rocky outing after his gem at Fenway Park against the Astros. He surrendered three earned runs on five hits and three walks over four innings of work. He punched out two and allowed one home run. Jovani Moran came on and dealt for two perfect innings, striking out five of the six batters he faced. Brennan Bernardino pitched in his first game with Worcester this season and allowed one run on two hits in one inning to go along with three strikeouts and one walk. Bryan Mata struck out four in 1 2/3 frames, but he also allowed three earned runs on three hits and two walks. Wyatt Olds struck out the only batter he faced. Tyler McDonough had a big night at the plate, going 3 for 4 with a double and a pair of runs scored. Nick Sogard went 1 for 4 with an RBI double, while Jhostynxon Garcia and Kristian Campbell each added an RBI single. Campbell's hitting streak is now up to 15 games. Nate Eaton picked up two knocks as well. 

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Cup of Coffee: Sandlin makes relief debut for WooSox; Eaton and Thompson homer

8/6 Cup of Coffee: The WooSox bats powered them to a slugfest win, with big games for Jhostynxon Garcia and Nate Eaton (pictured), but David Sandlin's first relief appearance at the Triple-A level might have been the most intriguing development of the night for the major league team. Hayden Mullins earned the win for the Sea Dogs in a pitchers duel. Austin Erlicher struck out six in four scoreless innings but Drive could not hold onto an early lead, while five shutout innings from Steven Brooks led Salem to a win. In the DSL, Franklin Primera homered and Juan Medina turned in a strong start. 

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Worcester Red Sox 10, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 6

After David Sandlin started and threw five innings in his Triple-A debut last Friday, the Red Sox have moved the 24-year-old to the bullpen for the rest of the season in an effort to prepare him for a role in the major league bullpen during the stretch run. Sandlin pitched in relief for his first time in Worcester on Tuesday night and he allowed two runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings, striking out three batters. Jose De Leon started on the hill and pitched four innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and three walks. Zack Kelly tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief. Nick Burdi allowed two runs in an inning and Hobie Harris closed out the win with a shutout inning. 

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Minor Notes: Tolle takes over as top prospect, tabbed for promotion

The Red Sox were relatively minor players in the trade deadline proceedings, adding a pair of arms for a trio of prospects in the top 30. However, there was no shortage of news within the organization, as the moves cleared space for a chain of promotions. Among those promotions is the player newly minted as the top prospect in the organization in the SoxProspects.com rankings released on Thursday. 

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August rankings: Anthony and Mayer graduate, draftees debut

Pomp and circumstance played over last week's release of the updated top 60 as valedictorian and salutatorian Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer officially walked off the prospect stage as fully graduated major leaguers. Anthony, recognized as the consensus top prospect in the game in 2025,  had taken over the top spot in the system back in November 2023. Mayer had been the top prospect for the 14 months before that. In their place, Payton Tolle (pictured) has emerged atop the SoxProspects.com board. Boston's second pick in the 2024 draft has quickly risen in the rankings as part of a dominant debut season. After allowing six runs in 1 2/3 innings in his inauspicious professional debut on April 8, Tolle has a 2.28 ERA across 75 frames between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland. Over 76 2/3 total innings, he has struck out 116 and walked only 21. 

Trivia: Who was the last pitcher ranked at #1 in the system? Answer at the bottom of the "Where are they now?" section. 

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Cup of Coffee: Andujar, Rivas combine for three homers in DSL action

8/5 Cup of Coffee: Boston's Dominican Summer League affiliates were on the opposite ends of blowouts on Monday. The Blue squad thrashed DSL LAD Bautista behind three home runs from Louis Andujar and Harold Rivas. The Red squad, on the other hand, had a rough time against DSL Brewers Blue.

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DSL Red Sox Blue 12, DSL LAD Bautista 1

The Blue squad won its third straight behind strong offensive performances from Louis Andujar, Lester Suarez, and Harold Rivas. Andujar led the way, going 3 for 4 with one double, two home runs, seven RBIs, two runs scored, and one walk. Suarez went 3 for 5 with one RBI and one run scored. Rivas had just one hit, but it was good for his first professional home run. Edwin Darville went hitless, though he did contribute with one RBI, three runs scored, one stolen base, and two walks. On the mound, Dani Richar went two innings in his start and allowed one earned run on two hits, two walks, and one strikeout. Yander Bonaci, Jainer Almanza, and Erickson Ettien combined for seven scoreless frames of relief.

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Podcast Ep #376: May, Matz, and Prospects on the Move

Ian and Chris have a lot to say about the little that the Red Sox did at the Trade Deadline. Plus, news breaks during the recording, the guys discuss the latest promotions and players most likely to come up to help the MLB club, our updated rankings, and your emails!

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July Players of the Month: Ronald Rosario and Payton Tolle

With the fourth full month of the minor league season in the rearview mirror, it is time to present the SoxProspects.com Players of the Month Awards for July to catcher Ronald Rosario (pictured, left) and left-hander Payton Tolle (pictured, bottom right). The former is not ranked among the organization's top 60 prospects, while the latter has been on the rise since making his professional debut earlier this year.

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