October 9, 2025 at 7:00 AM
2025 SoxProspects.com Awards: Rookie, Breakout, and Comeback Players of the Year
We continue our SoxProspects.com Awards week with our Rookie, Breakout, and Comeback players of the year. Eligible Rookies will have fewer than 50 plate appearances or 15 innings pitched in their minor league careers. Comeback Player is awarded a player who has returned to prospect form from injury, poor performance, or a combination of the two. Breakout Player recognizes the player who made the greatest jump in prospect status during the season. The 2025 honorees include a member of the 2025 playoff roster, a pitcher who has overcome obstacles throughout his career, and a high-upside 18-year-old who showed advanced skills for his age.
-----
Rookie of the Year: Payton Tolle
A unanimous selection among the SoxProspects.com staff, Tolle blazed through the minor leagues and found himself on a big-league mound in August. A second-round pick in the 2024 draft out of Texas Christian, fans were a bit surprised to see Tolle get a slightly above-slot bonus at the 50th overall pick. He was ranked 87th in the draft by MLB Pipeline and 82nd by Baseball America. But the Red Sox clearly liked him more than that, and the left-hander debuted with Greenville on April 8. His first start was one to forget, as he gave up six runs while only recording five outs. It ended up being his worst start of the year, and he responded quickly by striking out 76 and allowing 14 runs over his next 48 innings.
He made his Double-A debut on June 28, but it only took him five weeks to completely overpower the Eastern League. His eye-popping numbers of a 1.67 ERA and 0.74 WHIP with Portland turned a lot of heads, and he was promoted to Worcester for what ended up being just a cup of coffee in Triple-A. His three starts with the WooSox saw him strike out 17 and walk only 2 over 15 innings while batters hit .193 against him. His major league debut was one of the highlights of the 2025 season for Red Sox fans as he struck out eight over 5 1/3 innings while leaving with a shutout until the bullpen let two inherited runners score. He ended the year in a bullpen role where he hit triple digits while connecting with fans due to his charisma on the mound.
Comparisons to Tolle’s 2025 season are few and far between in Red Sox history for a debut professional season. He is the first Red Sox starter to reach the majors in his first full season since Abe Alvarez in 2004. But Alvarez was just called up for a spot start and never received extended playing time in the majors. Tolle has been up since his debut and was included on the postseason roster. The emergence of Tolle and Connelly Early give the Red Sox some flexibility on addressing the pitching staff heading into 2026. Tolle ends the year as the top-ranked prospect in the system.
-----
Comeback Player of the Year: Tyler Uberstine
After missing essentially two full seasons, Uberstine returned in 2025 to be named the 2025 Worcester Red Sox Co-Most Valuable Pitcher as he shared the award with Cooper Criswell. He did not pitch at all in 2023 as an elbow injury eventually led to Tommy John surgery on June 14, 2023. He threw 4 2/3 innings for Greenville at the end of the 2024 season, and then went to pitch in the Arizona Fall League for 8 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old opened the 2025 season in Portland where he posted an excellent 35-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio with an ERA of 3.64 over 29 2/3 innings. The Red Sox saw enough in those six starts to promote him to Worcester, and it was more of the same in Triple-A.
His first six starts saw him pitch to a 2.45 ERA with the WooSox while striking out 32 in 33 innings. Some struggles with the long ball led to a difficult 10 game stretch in the summer. He gave up 12 home runs in those 10 games and had an ERA 5.36 in 42 innings. He was still missing bats, but had an uncharacteristic amount of walks in this stretch as well. In true comeback fashion he was able to right the ship in September, and he ended the year with his best three-game stretch. He went 3-0 while allowing two runs and striking out 20 in 16 innings. The right-hander is now ranked 20th in the system after sitting at 54 to start the season.
While this award is just based on the 2025 season, Uberstine's career represents the spirit of a comeback player. His story was covered in-depth by Christopher Smith of MassLive this summer, but Uberstine went from pitching seven innings with no scholarship offers his senior year of high school, to being potentially added to the 40-man roster this offseason ahead of the Rule 5 draft.
-----
Breakout Player of the Year: Justin Gonzales
Gonzales came onto the radar in 2024 after a strong showing in the Dominican Summer League that saw him named a 2024 Dominican Summer League All-Star and the 2024 Red Sox Minor League Latin Program Position Player of the Year. He received a $250,000 signing bonus, which was the sixth-highest amount that the Red Sox paid for that signing period. He ended 2024 as the 30th-ranked prospect with a high-ceiling, low-floor profile. The 18-year-old turned heads in spring training with his extra-large frame and massive power potential, and he played in the 2025 Spring Breakout and Futures at Fenway South games.
His season started on May 3 in the FCL, but he was promoted to Salem after one game. He had respectable numbers through his first 50 games with Salem, posting a line of .266/.370/.375 as one of the youngest players in the Carolina League. He hit two home runs in that time which is low considering his plus-to-better raw power, but he was playing in a home stadium and league that are very pitcher-friendly. He returned from the All-Star break and took his performance to a new level, batting .344/.397/.492 over the next 31 games and earning a promotion to Greenville for the final 11 games of the year. Gonzales was named a 2025 Carolina League Season-End All Star, and has risen to ninth in the rankings. He played all three outfield positions this year, though he profiles long-term at a corner outfield spot or first base. After posting one of the lowest strikeout rates in the system, Gonzales could take another step forward in 2026 if he taps into more of his raw power.
Photo Credit: Payton Tolle, Tyler Uberstine, Justin Gonzales by Kelly O'Connor