November 19, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Sandlin, Uberstine, Drohan added on busy 40-man deadline day
Players added to 40-man roster:
A hard-throwing 24-year-old right-hander, Sandlin (pictured, left) has long been considered the most likely person to be protected. Acquired in spring training 2024 in a deal for reliever John Schneider, Sandlin worked mostly as a starter before an August 2025 transition to the bullpen. He pitched well with Portland, posting a 3.61 ERA and striking out 86 batters in 82 1/3. Inconsistent command and a higher-effort delivery led to some bullpen risk, though with the hope that his fastball/slider mix would play up in the role. With an eye toward a potential late-season call-up, Sandlin was moved to the pen after his promotion to Worcester, but it proved a tough transition. In 23 2/3 innings he allowed 22 runs on 36 hits, walking 13 against 21 strikeouts. With three option years to play with, it's possible that he may continue to see work as a starter, but given the pitching depth in the high minors a bullpen role for 2026 is more likely.
Uberstine pitched himself into the 40-man picture with a strong 2025 campaign. A late bloomer who did not receive any scholarship out of high school and did not make the USC team after a 2019 tryout, he was drafted in the 19th round of the 2021 draft out of Northwestern. He blossomed in 2022 with Salem and Greenville, jumping into the SoxProspects.com Top 30, but an elbow injury in spring training 2023 ended up needing Tommy John surgery, knocking him out for that campaign and limiting him to just three starts at the end of 2024. Assigned to Double-A out of spring training, Uberstine made six starts, posting a 3.64 ERA that understated his excellent peripherals, with 35 strikeouts and just four walks in 29 2/3 innings. He continued to perform after his promotion to Worcester. He ended the 2025 season leading the organization in innings pitched (120 2/3), and strikeouts (137). More of a pitchability type than Sandlin, Uberstine may have a better chance to stick as a starter or bulk role, but lacks the high end stuff that would be likely to play up if a bullpen role is necessary.
It has been a circuitous route to Boston's 40-man for Drohan. Drafted in the fifth-round of the COVID-shortened 2020 draft out of Florida State, solid seasons in 2021 and 2022 kept the lefty-hander consistently in the system's top 40 prospects. An uptick in his stuff in spring training 2023 followed by a sterling start to his season with Portland leapfrogged him to the top five and started to bring him some national attention. His control flagged after his promotion to Worcester, and he was surprisingly not protected that fall at the 40-man deadline. The Chicago White Sox nabbed him with the fourth pick in the Rule 5 draft, but needed a nerve decompression procedure in his left shoulder that winter. After several weeks on the injured list and in minor league rehab stints, Chicago returned Drohan to Boston in mid-June. He returned in August to the WooSox, making two ineffective starts before going back on the shelf. Unranked headed into 2025, Drohan got off to an outstanding start with Worcester, allowing six runs on 17 hits in 26 2/3 innings (2.03 ERA) across seven outings, striking out 38 and walking 11, showing resurgent stuff to match. The injury bug bit again in May, with a forearm strain that sidelined him for three months. A strong September likely played a role in him getting protected, as well as his roster status: as a player previously selected in the Rule 5, Drohan would not need to be offered back to the Red Sox if he failed to stick with his new team. With a deep-but-uncertain pitching staff, Drohan is positioned to be a valuable depth piece in 2026.
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Trades:
Acquired infielder Tristan Gray from Tampa Bay for pitcher Luis Guerrero
Boston's first in its flurry of moved had them acquiring Tristan Gray, a utility infielder who has bounced from Tampa Bay, Miami, Oakland, and back to Tampa over the past three seasons. In 47 major league games, he has a .207/.264/.369 slash line. He hit well with Triple-A Charlotte last season and played all four infield positions during his stints in the majors. A utility infielder with pop, Gray should provide important depth. He joins Sandlin, Uberstine, and Drohan as 40-man additions and has one option remaining. Luis Guerrero departs for the Rays after being designated for assignment and outrighted to the minors last week. His roster status was likely a bonus from Tampa's standpoint. He will not take up a spot on the 40-man during the offseason, and seems unlikely to be picked in the Rule 5 draft after going unclaimed on waivers. Guerrero, 25, had a 2.63 ERA in 22 appearances over parts of two seasons in the majors. He struggled with control, however, walking 14 batters against 10 strikeouts in 17 1/3 MLB innings in 2025.
Acquired catcher Ronny Hernandez from Chicago (AL) for pitcher Chris Murphy
Moving Chris Murphy opened up a 40-man spot that enabled to add a pitcher with more option while bolstering the organization's catching depth. Murphy was a sixth-round pick back in 2019 who made it to the majors in 2023. He posted a 4.91 ERA in 20 major league appearances that year but underwent Tommy John surgery that knocked him out for all of 2024. He was a valuable depth piece in 2025 with a 3.12 ERA in 34 2/3 innings while riding the shuttle between Worcester and Boston. Just 21, Ronny Hernandez spent the last two seasons at Low-A Kannapolis. He's posted a .367 on-base percentage during those two years in the Carolina League, but his willingness to sort through pitches has not yet allowed him to tap into his natural power. Hernandez is not yet Rule 5 eligible.
Acquired utilityman Braiden Ward from Colorado for pitcher Brennan Bernardino
Reliever Brennan Bernardino was the most prominent player dealt on Tuesday in a move that, like the Murphy deal, opened up a spot on the 40-man for a reliever with more options. Bernardino was a workhorse out of the Boston bullpen since he was nabbed off of waivers in April 2023, appearing in 55, 57, and 55 games for the Sox over the past three seasons. He had a 3.46 ERA during that span and a 3.14 mark in 2025. Out of options going into 2025, he will be part of the rebuild for the 119-loss Rockies. Braiden Ward has been primarily an outfielder during his five years in the Colorado organization, but he has also seen notable time at second base and appeared in three games this year at third. He hit .290/.395/.391 in 97 games split between Double-A Hartford and Triple-A Albuquerque. He is not currently on the 40-man and is Rule 5 eligible.
The final deal announced on the day will be the one that will prove most interesting to prospect watchers. Alex Hoppe (pictured, left) has been a tantalizing prospect for several years, consistently showing the best velocity in the system after being drafted in the sixth round back in 2022 out of UNC-Greensboro. While he was not always able to parlay that stuff into results, 2025 seemed like a breakthrough for the right-hander. He pitched well in the seasons' first month with Portland, earning a promotion to Worcester. His 4.55 Worcester ERA was inflated some by allowing five runs in four innings in his first two appearances at the level. With a big fastball and improving command, Hoppe profiles as the sort of Rule 5 player who could stick, and the Mariners decided not to wait, dealing for the 26-year-old and selecting him to their 40-man. They paid a solid price to jump the line in Luke Heyman. The 2025 draftee was in the midst of a monster season at the University of Florida, hitting .301/.397/.578 with 13 home runs in 204 plate appearance before breaking his forearm. He was ranked the 127th prospect in the draft by Baseball America but fell to the 14th round, where the Mariners gave him an over-slot $230,000 bonus. Heyman will likely land in the system's Top 40 when the SoxProspects.com ratings are updated later this month.
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Two players designated for assignment:
As part of the other roster machinations, the Red Sox designated two players for assignment: first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and pitcher Josh Winckowski. Lowe was signed in August after being cut by the Washington Nationals and was an effective piece down the stretch, hitting .280/.370/.420 in 34 games for Boston. Despite the down year with Washington, Lowe's history of success during his tenure with the Texas Rangers had him lined up for an arbitration payday in the $10 million range, making him a nontender candidate. With the roster spot needed, Boston did not wait until that contract tender deadline to make a move. Winckowski was the last man standing for any team from the enigmatic three-way deal that sent Andrew Benintendi to the Royals, Khalil Lee to the Mets, and five players to Boston including outfielder Franchy Cordero. Winckowski appeared in 121 games over four season with the Red Sox, with his most notable season coming in 2023 when he posted a 2.88 ERA in a team-leading 60 appearances. Now out of options, Boston opted to add pitchers who give additional roster flexibility.
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Notable players not selected:
With limited to space to play with and a number of moves needed just to add the three players they were able to, a number of prominent names will be available in the Rule 5 draft.
- Hayden Mullins (pictured, right) may be the player most likely to stick if selected. The left-hander was extremely effective in 2025 between Greenville and Portland, posting a 2.21 ERA in 101 2/3 innings, striking out 123. Despite not yet having reached Triple-A, his fastball/slider combo may be able to play in the back of a major league bullpen. While not likely ready for a high-leverage role for a contender, a rebuilding team may see value in getting him consistent work in a major league bullpen, and he has enough polish to potentially survive the season doing so.
- Yordanny Monegro was dominant in the early part of 2025 but required Tommy John surgery that will keep him out for much, if not all, of 2026. Due to the strange roster rules associated with the Rule 5 draft, that may actually make him more likely to stick, as a drafting team could select him and stash him on the 60-day IL, then needing to get only 90 days of active roster time in order to keep him.
- Jedixson Paez was the highest-ranked player not added, #17 on the current board. The 21-year-old right-hander has a smooth delivery, pitch-mix, emerging velocity, and arguably the best command in the system, giving him the best odds of anyone in his cohort of sticking as a starter in the long term. However, he is notable farther away from the majors than Mullins or the protected players. Missing much of 2025 with a leg injury slowed his development, and without a definitive plus pitch, he does not profile as someone who would stick in a bullpen role.
- Miguel Bleis has seen his star dim from when he was the buzz of 2022 spring training. However, he remains an intriguing prospect, if one who no longer seems to reach the superstar potential he flashed. While a propensity for weak contact and frequent pop-ups has severely limited his ability to hit for average, he shows power, speed, and patience, as well as defense that is closer to major-league ready than his bat. While more time in the minors would be ideal for maximizing his development, there is an outside shot a team would take a chance on his upside while using him as a defensive specialist.
- Allen Castro has been a consistently solid performer during his time in the Red Sox organization but lacks the standout skill that would make him a major-league ready bench player as well as the upside that would motivate a team to try to stash him on a short bench for an entire season. Continued development would put him on a path toward being a useful MLB bench piece, but he does not have the profile of someone who sticks in the Rule 5.
- Jeremy Wu-Yelland was a member of the 2020 COVID draft class with Drohan, and has shared a similarly fitful development. More interesting than your typical Double-A 26-year-old, his bat-missing ability makes him a dark horse to be picked.
- This list would be incomplete without another stanza in the ballad of Noah Song. The last remaining member of the 2019 draft class in the organization (pending the free agent status of Karson Simas), Song has gotten through his Naval commitment, ill-advised Rule 5 excursion through the Phillies system, return to Boston, and Tommy John surgery, and he emerged in 2025 with better stuff and results than anyone could reasonably expect. He's unlikely to be picked and would not at all benefit from the continued disruption that would cause, but nothing has been typical about Song's professional tenure.
Photo Credit: David Sandlin, Alex Hoppe, Hayden Mullins by Kelly O'Connor