April 21, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Scouting Report Updates: Justin Gonzales, Jojo Ingrassia and Enddy Azocar
While updating our scouting reports is a year-round endeavor, our trip to Spring Training provides us with one-stop access to watch players from all levels of the system, including our first chances to see players who have yet to head out to a full-season affiliate. After getting this extended sample and talking to numerous trusted sources, we come back with a wealth of information from which we make substantial updates to our scouting reports. After spending the past few weeks making a ton of updates to our player pages, cataloged as always in our Scouting Log, we wanted to highlight some of the most noteworthy here on the News Page. Today, we look at some players who made substantial jumps in our season-opening rankings update based on what we learned from camp.
Current ranking: 20th
Physical Description: Extra-large frame that really stands out. Already looks substantially taller than his listed 6-foot-4 and correspondingly heavier than his listed 210 pounds. Not much projection remaining. Will need to work on maintaining his physique simply because of how big he is.
Hit: Starts open in a slight crouch. Pronounced leg kick and weight transfer. Good separation in swing. Long stride. Really gets his whole body into his swing and clears his hips before whipping the bat through the zone. Quick bat; shorter swing and will show solid barrel control, particularly for someone his size. Surprisingly advanced approach for his age. Very aggressive hunting fastballs early in counts. Has pretty good knowledge of the strike zone, but is still learning to recognize secondary pitches, especially spin. High variance hit-tool given he has yet to debut stateside. Potential below-average hit tool.
Power: Plus-to-better raw power. Generates easy power. Ball really jumps off his bat. Has shown the ability to drive it out to all fields, although power really stands out to the pull side. Potential plus in game power.
Run: Below average speed. Surprisingly agile for his size and moves pretty well. Not a base clogger.
Field: Split time between first base and the corner outfield in the DSL, but it appears he will initially be developed in center field in his first stateside season. Showed surprising range out there in spring training 2025, but routes need some work. Has atypical size for a center fielder and will almost certainly end up back in the corner outfield or at first base.
Arm: Plus arm that would play in right field.
Summation: High-variance prospect with standout size and physicality for his age. Baseball skills are surprisingly advanced and has huge power potential. Hit tool has a wide range of outcomes, but has made a solid amount of contact so far in his career. If the bat clicks, has the offensive profile to be able to hold down a spot even if he ends up at first base or in left field. High-ceiling, low-floor profile, but one of the most intriguing bats in the Red Sox low minors.
Current ranking: 36th
Physical Description: Athletic build with minimal remaining projection.
Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot and starts on the first base side of the rubber. Considerable effort in his delivery. Medium-high leg kick. Quick arm. Hides the ball wall behind. Comes across his body. Violent head whack. Delivery is very difficult for left-handed hitters to pick up.
Fastball: 92-94 mph. Tops out at 95 mph. Velocity has increased from the upper 80s in college. Sinking fastball. Solid command and control profile. Pitch jumps on hitters and plays above its velocity due to his delivery. Potential solid-average pitch.
Cutter: 87-89 mph. Short, horizontal break. Uses early in counts to get ahead. Potential fringe-average pitch.
Sweeper: 83-86 mph. Long, horizontal break. Pitch shows length and is his primary secondary against left-handed hitters, but he has developed enough confidence in it to use it against right-handed hitters as well. Solid feel and able to land it in the zone or out when looking for whiffs. Shelved the pitch at Fullerton due to that program's pitching philosophies, but added it back in pro ball as more of a sweeper than a horizontal slider. Potential average pitch.
Changeup: 86-88 mph. Pitch shows late fade down and away from right-handed hitters. Solid feel. Potential average offering.
Splitter: Threw in college, but appears to have shelved the pitch in pro ball.
Summation: Potential up-and-down, left-handed relief specialist. Ceiling of a middle reliever. Polished lefty with strong pitchability. Throws strikes and has feel for three-pitches. Stuff has improved in pro ball as he has taken to the organization's strength and conditioning program. Currently being developed as a starter, where he excelled in 2024 while a bit old for the level. Took a step forward with his sweeper and gained velocity with fastball to go along with a solid changeup. Dominated low minors competition; need to see how he handles more advanced hitters.
Current ranking: 52nd
Physical Description: Lean, athletic frame. Has already started to fill out, but has plenty of remaining projection.
Hit: Starts vertical and square and utilizes a leg lift timing device. Good separation in swing. Average bat speed. Solid swing mechanics. Needs to improve his quality of contact. Aggressive early in counts, but makes consistent contact on pitches in the zone and does not chase at a high rate. In the early stages of developing his pitch recognition skills for secondary offerings.
Power: Average raw power. Has a frame that as he fills out should increase power output. Right now, power is primarily to the pull-side.
Run: Above-average speed.
Field: Showed solid range and made all the plays that were hit to him in the corner outfield in Spring Training 2025. Primarily played left field in the DSL in 2024.
Arm: Above-average arm strength.
Summation: Pop up prospect during Spring Training 2025 who has a nice blend of athleticism and projection. Looks shoehorned into a corner outfield spot, which puts more pressure on his bat. Swing works and has solid contact skills, but needs to make more consistent hard contact. Intriguing prospect with some upside as he physically matures. One to watch for the 2025 FCL season.
Photo Credit: Justin Gonzales, Jojo Ingrassia and Enddy Azocar by Kelly O'Connor
Ian Cundall is Director of Scouting for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter/X @IanCundall and on Bluesky @iancundall.bsky.social.