Podcast Ep #353: Spring Check In with Lou Merloni

Ian is joined by former Red Sox infielder and current NESN primary color analyst Lou Merloni to discuss all the happenings in Spring Training so far. The start off talking about how this camp feels different to past years and Lou’s initial impressions of the big three. They then move into an in-depth discussion of the major camp storylines and position battles, starting with what to do at second base and third base defensively and then who slots in if Wilyer Abreu isn’t ready for opening day. After that, they talk about the potential starting pitcher options if Kutter Crawford and Brayan Bello aren’t ready for opening day, including spring standout Richard Fitts and Quinn Priester. Finally, they close by talking about Austin Adams and Luis Guerrero’s impressive performances and what the ideal bullpen construction is.

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Fort Report: Pitching injuries raise questions about Red Sox rotation

Spring training is in full swing and several of the top prospects in the Red Sox minor league system have received regular playing time in the first week and a half of major league games. With Opening Day just over three weeks away, there are several questions about which players will break camp and head to Texas with the big league club. 

Rotation depth tested by early injuries

During the offseason, Boston's collection of six established major league starting pitchers generated speculation that the Red Sox might consider a six-man rotation during the 2025 season. However, Boston's rotation depth has been put to the test early in spring training, as Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, and Lucas Giolito have been slowed by injuries and are yet to make their first appearances of the spring. At the moment, it appears that Crawford is least likely to be a part of the Opening Day roster. Crawford has been battling soreness in his right patellar tendon, stemming from an injury that he pitched through for most of the 2024 season, and has struggled to put weight on his right knee thus far in spring training. 

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Fort Report: Spring has sprung, Big 3 among those seeing early playing time

In the first full week of spring training in action, several of the Red Sox's top prospects saw plenty of time in big league camp, while several players in the SoxProspects.com top 60 look to make their mark as baseball returns.

Anthony, Mayer, Campbell see plenty of action

With the spotlight on the “Big 3” entering the spring with storylines of possibly breaking camp with Boston, each of the young prospects saw their fair shares of at bats and time in the field while some of the major league talent ramps up activity. All three prospects were slated to start the opening game against Northeastern before Roman Anthony was scratched late. Since then, Anthony has played in each of the first two Grapefruit League games, registering a pair of hits and an RBI. 

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Fort Report: Bregman signing strenthens roster, invites lineup questions

Red Sox spring training is underway, which means the SoxProspects.com Fort Report in not far behind. We are excited to kick off our weekly rundown of the ongoings in Fort Myers. Every week, we'll have notes on the player movement, injury news, roster machinations, and all of the other prospect information that we are excited to provide. It promises to be a particularly excited spring for prospect watchers, as top prospects Roman Anthony (pictured) and Kristian Campbell make their cases to break camp with the major league club.

Alex Bregman signs

In a clear attempt to get some value from what had previously been an underwhelming return on their 2012 draft class, the Red Sox signed their 29th-round pick to a three-year deal with opt-outs after each season. More than just a signal that the Red Sox are again able to land high-end free agents, Alex Bregman adds some punch to the lineup while also helping to solidify the infield defense. Which specific part of the defense he'll be solidifying will remain a topic of conversation throughout the time in Fort Myers. To clear a spot for Bregman on the 40-man roster, Boston placed pitcher Patrick Sandoval on the 60-day injured list. 

SoxProspects.com Top 60 countdown kicks off

Be sure to follow along on our social media pages (notably Twitter, BlueSky, and Instagram) as we count down the top prospects in the system. The series began on Monday with 60th-ranked Austin Ehrlicher and continues daily. 

Penrod gets MRI on elbow, Matt Moore get MILB deal

One of camp's first notable injuries was reported Thursday, as left-handed pitcher Zach Penrod experienced elbow soreness after throwing. The 20th-ranked prospect in the system was sent for an MRI. Penrod allowed one earned run in four innings across seven appearances last September after an impressive campaign with Worcester and Portland. If healthy, he would be a likely candidate for a depth role on the major league squad. Seemingly in response to the Penrod news, Boston signed veteran hurler Matt Moore to a minor league deal with an invite to major league spring training. Moore had his best season as a starter for Tampa Bay back in 2013, going 17-4 with a 3.29 ERA, earning All-Star recognition. Boston's successful run through the playoffs that October began by knocking Moore around for eight runs in the first game of the American League Division Series. Working mostly as a reliever since 2018, Moore, 35, has over 1100 major league innings across 369 appearances. 

Additional transactions

• Right-hander Adam Ottavino returns to the organization after spending three season with the Mets. The Northeastern University product was a key part of the Red Sox bullpen in 2021 before fading late in the season. 
• The Red Sox also inked outfielder Trayce Thompson. The son of 1980's Spurs and Lakers center Mychal Thompson and brother of longtime Golden State Warriors star Klay, Thompson was a second-round pick of the White Sox in 2009. He had a strong major league debut with Chicago in 2015, hitting .295/.363/.533 in 44 games, but has bounced around since being dealt to Los Angeles that winter as part of the three-way deal for Todd Frazier.
• Left-handed pitcher Erik Rivera also got a minor league deal. A 2019 fourth-round pick of the Angels, he appeared in only 18 games as a professional after the 2020 minor league season was canceled because of COVID and a UCL sprain that knocked him out for 2021 and most of 2022. He had a 3.31 ERA in 10 appearances (eight starts) with the High-A Tri-City Dust Devils last season before getting he was released in July
• Four members of the 2024 Red Sox pitching staff signed with other organizations in the past week. Most notably, the Padres deal with Nick Pivetta became official. Boston will receive a draft pick after the second competitive balance round as compensation; Kenley Jansen reached a deal with the Los Angeles Angels, becoming their likely closer; Lucas Sims, acquired at the 2024 deadline for Ovis Portes, joins the Washington Nationals; Fellow 2024 deadline acquisition Luis Garcia reportedly has a minor league deal with the Dodgers.

Top prospects impressing around the Fort

The Bregman signing and impact on where Rafael Devers will play have gotten most of the ink in the early days of spring training, but the presence of the organization's three top prospects has not gone unnoticed. Chris Cotillo of MassLive points out that Kristian Campbell and his development will also have an impact on where Bregman ends up defensively, while Alex Cora drew comparisons between the 22-year-old and veteran outfielder George Springer. Roman Anthony continues to find himself at or near the top of several publications' prospect lists, including Keith Law of The Athletic, who ranked him first overall while touting his profile as a "best player in the league" type. Meanwhile, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald highlighted shortstop Marcelo Mayer, and his "more chill" demeanor in 2025. 

Where are they now?

As usual, the first week of camp has some familiar names and faces popping up around the league. A rundown:

• Michael Chavis has joined the Dodgers on a minor league deal. The 2014 first-round pick joins Boston's other 2014 first rounder, Michael Kopech, in Los Angeles. Chavis appeared in 113 Triple-A games in 2024 in the White Sox' and Mariners' systems.
• Catcher Ronaldo Hernandez signed with the Yankees on a minor league deal. Hernandez appeared in 303 games between Portland and Worcester over three seasons from 2021 through 2023, but did not break through to the majors.
• Kyle Hart returns stateside after a dominant 2024 season in Korea. Hart got a major league deal from the Padres after winning the Dong-won Choi Award as the best pitcher in the KBO, going 13-3 with a 2.69 ERA, 182 strikeouts, and 38 walks across 26 starts.
• The South Bend Cubs, Chicago's High-A affiliate in the Midwest League, announced a pair of former Boston prospects will be on their staff. Nick Lovullo will manage the squad, while Nate Spears will serve as hitting coach. 
• Concluding with the best news of the week, 1976 draft pick, five-time batting champion, World Series winner, and Hall of Famer Wade Boggs rang the bell as he was declared cancer free. 

Photo Credit: Roman Anthony by Kelly O'Connor

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Podcast Ep #352: The Fort Comes Alive

MLB camp is in full swing, and Ian and Chris had some news to talk about. The guys weighed in on the third base drama, the latest transaction and injury news, and some minor league tidbits reported by our friend Andrew Parker. Plus, a listener request for Hey, Remember That Guy's second edition, and your emails!

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Podcast Ep. #351: Alex Bregman Finally Signs

Alex Bregman, Boston Red Sox. That's about it. And Nick Pivetta signed with San Diego. Ian and Chris jumped on to talk about it.

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Podcast Ep. #350: Spring Training Props

In honor of the Big Game (before it turned into the Big Blowout), Ian and Chris discussed the latest news and gave their takes on some prop bets for MLB camp with pitchers and catchers reporting this week. Plus, the guys debuted a new segment based on a listener request and, as always, your emails!

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Fall/Winter Roundup: Rivera's gem clinches championship for Mayaguez

Eduardo Rivera capped of an incredible winter in the final game of the Roberto Clemente League championship game. Jose Adames also saw action in the finals of the Venezuelan League playing for Lara.

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Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (Puerto Rico)

Eduardo Rivera's (pictured) team, Mayaguez, won the championship series over San Juan, and Rivera played a major role. In the series-clinching Game Six, Rivera fired five shutout innings and only allowed one hit. He walked just one and struck out five. It was the left-hander's second five-inning shutout performance of the series, as he ends the series with no runs allowed and 12 strikeouts over 10 innings. After a huge winter, Rivera, the 58th ranked prospects here at SoxProspects, will look to make an impact in the coming weeks down in Fort Myers. 

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Podcast Episode #349: Still Waiting on that Thaw

We're all desperate for something to happen as Spring Training approaches. Ian and Chris discussed what's going on with the Alex Bregman non-chase and the potential last bullpen signing, the updated rankings, and a bunch of listener emails!

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Fall/Winter Roundup: Rivera joins Mayaguez for a title run; Stock signed to minor league deal

The playoffs are coming to a close with both Puerto Rico and Venezuela playing their championship series. The Red Sox have one player active in each league, with Eduardo Rivera and Jose Adames trying to help their teams to a title. In other news, the Red Sox signed Robert Stock to a minor league deal after he won the pitching Triple Crown in the Mexican Pacific Winter League. 

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Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (Puerto Rico)

Eduardo Rivera played with Santurce this winter, but he was drafted by Mayaguez on January 17 before the championship series. He started the second game of the series and picked up the win after striking out seven over five shutout innings. Mayaguez is up 2-0 on San Juan, with game three slated for Monday night. Rivera's outstanding winter has led to him making his debut in our rankings, coming in at number 58. 

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Podcast Ep. #348: Director of Pitching Justin Willard

Ian and Chris welcomed Red Sox Director of Pitching Justin Willard to the podcast to talk about, well, pitching! On the agenda are Justin's philosophies on instruction, pitch design, the traits that make a good pitcher, and more. Justin also talked about some of the system's top arms and what training looks like at all times of year. Plus, the SoxProspects guys talked about the 2025 international free agent class, dishing the goods on the top new signees. 

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Fall/Winter Roundup: Rivera dominates in Puerto Rico; Narvaez wraps up Venezuela stint

The playoffs began in Puerto Rico and continued in Venezuela last week. Four Red Sox players were in action for their respective clubs, including one who was pitching in the Dominican Republic earlier this winter. This week's roundup covers all of the action from January 6-12, and stats for all participating players can be found at the SoxProspects.com Fall & Winter Leagues page.

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Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (Puerto Rico)

Eduardo Rivera (pictured) put together another strong start for Santurce in Game 2 of its semi-final series against San Juan last Wednesday. Fresh off winning the LBPRC regular-season strikeout title, the 21-year-old lefty scattered three hits and struck out eight without walking a batter over six scoreless innings in a winning effort. His team has since been eliminated.

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Podcast Ep. #347: Waiting for the Thaw

The hot stove might be cool right now, but Ian and Chris are back for another episode of the podcast! They start off talking about Bobby Dalbec signing with the White Sox and the arbitration agreements, or lack thereof, that came out today, before moving onto a brief discussion of the upcoming Rookie Development program. After that, they talk about the options out there for the Red Sox bullpen and the lack of position players projected for Worcester right now. Finally, they end the episode going through a bunch of emails!

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Fall/Winter Roundup: Narvaez shines in playoffs; Rivera sharp again

The playoffs continued down in Venezuela, while the Robert Clemente Professional Baseball League in Puerto Rico closed out the regular season. Only two Red Sox players were in action, and both played key roles for their respective clubs. This week's roundup covers all of the action from December 30 through January 5, and stats for all participating players can be found at the SoxProspects.com Fall & Winter Leagues page. 

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Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (Puerto Rico)

Eduardo Rivera (pictured) continues to be a standout in Puerto Rico. The towering six-foot-seven lefthander fired six shutout innings, scattering two hits and walking two against six strikeouts. He earned the victory in Santurce's penultimate regular-season contest as the Cangrejeros to second place in the final standings. In 33 innings, Rivera has a 1.36 ERA and 50 strikeouts while walking only 10. He was the lone player in action in Puerto Rico this week from the Sox system.

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Venezuelan Professional Baseball League 

The Cardenales de Lara are off to a hot start in the Venezuelan playoffs, thanks in large part to the play of Carlos Narvaez. Lara has won each of its first six games of the Round Robin. Narvaez appeared in all four games this week, starting twice apiece at catcher and first base. He went 3 for 12 and walked five times, scoring three runs. 

Photo Credit: Eduardo Rivera by Kelly O'Connor

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