December 1, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Fall/Winter League Roundup: Red Sox acquire Gray; Campbell, Garcia to play in winter leagues
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Red Sox trade for Sonny Gray
After making several minor trades to finalize their 40-man roster in advance of the Rule 5 draft, the Red Sox made their first big splash of the offseason last Tuesday. The Red Sox acquired starting pitcher Sonny Gray and cash considerations (approximately $20 million) from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for right-hander Richard Fitts and left-hander Brandon Clarke. Gray is coming off a season where he pitched to a 4.28 ERA in 180 2/3 innings and led the major leagues with a 5.29 K/BB ratio. The Red Sox traded a pair of promising pitchers to St. Louis in return. Fitts had a 5.00 ERA in 45 innings for the Red Sox last season, making a couple of stints on the IL with a pectoral strain and right arm neuritis. Fitts was originally acquired from the Yankees in December 2023 and he projects as a back-end starter or multi-inning reliever. Clarke was one of the breakout players in the Red Sox system last season, rising from 18th in the season-opening rankings to 8th in the most recent rankings update. He struck out 60 batters and delivered a 4.03 ERA in 38 innings between Salem and Greenville last season. Clarke's calling card is his elite fastball velocity and wipeout slider but the lack of a consistent third pitch and control struggles have potential to push him to the bullpen in the long term. On the latest episode of the SoxProspects.com podcast, Chris and Ian reacted to the trade and discussed next steps for the Red Sox offseason.
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Dominican Professional Baseball League
Catcher Ronaldo Hernandez has put together a solid season with the Toros del Este. He has slashed .242/.315/.348 with one home run through 73 plate appearances. Hernandez signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox last summer and is currently a minor league free agent.
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Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
Eybersson Polanco has been on a strong run out of the bullpen with the Aguilas del Zulia. Through 18 1/3 innings this winter, he has a 3.44 ERA and has struck out 13 batters. In his first year of full-season ball in 2025, Polanco pitched to a 5.23 ERA in 62 innings in Salem. Juan Montero did not receive any additional playing time over the past week, as he has still drawn one walk in three plate appearances this season with the Leones de Ponce.
While he has not yet made his first appearance of the winter, outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia is expected to make his debut with Los Navegantes del Magallanes between December 5 and 21. Garcia is ranked as the 6th prospect in the Red Sox system and is coming off a strong season where he slashed .267/.340/.470 with 21 home runs between Worcester and Portland.
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Puerto Rican Winter League
Two Red Sox minor leaguers have received action in the Puerto Rican Winter League this offseason, alongside Jose De Leon, who played in Worcester last season but is currently a minor league free agent. De Leon has made four starts with Criollos de Caguas, tossing 15 2/3 innings with a 2.87 ERA and 14 strikeouts. Also with Caguas, Wyatt Olds has struggled to a 10.50 ERA with eight strikeouts and seven walks in six innings. Osvaldo Berrios, pitching with the Gigantis de Carolina, has delivered a 2.57 ERA with 11 strikeouts in seven innings.
After some rumors over the last few weeks, the Red Sox have now officially announced that Kristian Campbell (pictured) will join Criollos de Caguas and play winter ball this offseason. It will be interesting to see where Campbell lines up defensively, as the Red Sox have expressed an interest in him seeing more time in the outfield going forward.
Photo Credit: Kristian Campbell by Kelly O'Connor