Cup of Coffee: Anthony stays hot with homer; Zanetello tallies three hits

4/25 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 3-1 on Thursday, with Salem taking the only loss in shutout fashion. Behind home runs from Roman Anthony, Nate Eaton, and Corey Rosier, Worcester blew out Syracuse. Behind timely late hits from Blaze Jordan and Tyler Miller, Portland came back to defeat Reading for the third straight night. Behind strong efforts from Hayden Mullins on the mound and Nazzan Zanetello (pictured) at the plate, Greenville hung on to take down Spartanburg.

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Worcester Red Sox 14, Syracuse Mets (NYM) 1

Five members of Worcester's lineup recorded multiple hits in a blowout win at Polar Park. Roman Anthony led the way out of the leadoff spot by going 2 for 4 with his fifth home run of the season, one RBI, three runs scored, and one walk. Batting behind him, Nick Sogard went 2 for 5 with two doubles, one RBI, and two runs scored. Abraham Toro and Nate Eaton each went 2 for 4, with the former driving in one run and the latter crushing a two-run homer as part of a three-RBI night. Alex Binelas went 2 for 5 with a two-run single and one run scored, which occurred when Corey Rosier hit a three-run blast in the seventh inning. Marcelo Mayer went hitless but still contributed two RBIs, one run, and one walk.

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Podcast Ep. #360: Everybody's Thinking About the Roman Empire

Old reference? Sure, but in the case of Roman Anthony (and Marcelo Mayer), it seems true these days. Ian and Chris discussed when the game's top minor league prospect might finally get the call to the Bigs. Plus, some MLB pitching talk and your emails!

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Cup of Coffee: Anthony and Mayer steal the show once again

4/24 Cup of Coffee: Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer (pictured) led the charge in Worcester's doubleheader sweep. The top prospects combined to reach base in 10 of their 14 plate appearances on the afternoon. Portland got some really good pitching that started with Blake Wehunt as part of their victory over Reading. Franklin Arias and Yoeilin Cespedes came up big for Salem in an extra-inning win.

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Worcester Red Sox 5, Syracuse Mets (NYM) 4 (Game One)

Game one of this doubleheader saw top prospect Roman Anthony back in the outfield for the first time since April 10, as his shoulder was giving him some issues. He immediately made an impact with a terrific diving grab in the left-center field gap. He was also perfect at the plate, going 1 for 1 with a 110.2 mph double to left and three walks. Marcelo Mayer went 2 for 3 with a 110.5 mph single and a walk. Mark Kolozsvary had a big game as well, going 3 for 3 with a double and four runs driven in. Nate Eaton added a single, two walks, and two runs. Robert Stock got the start on the bump and allowed two runs over 3 1/3 innings of work. The veteran righty struck out five and walked a pair. Bryan Mata struggled, surrendering two runs on three walks in just 2/3 of an inning. Brendan Cellucci was tremendous over two scoreless frames, as he did not allow a hit with just one walk and three strikeouts. Isaiah Campbell picked up his first save with a scoreless seventh. 

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Cup of Coffee: Mayer homers, Criswell dominates in WooSox shutout

4/23 Cup of Coffee: Tuesday night featured impressive performances from several of the top hitters in the Red Sox system, as Marcelo Mayer was 2 for 4 with a home run and Roman Anthony was 2 for 4 with a double for Worcester, while Mikey Romero and Jhostynxton Garcia collected two hits apiece in Portland. Cooper Criswell's (pictured) five outstanding innings were the highlight of a shutout win for the WooSox, while Danny Kirwin and Steven Brooks delivered strong starts on the lower levels of the farm. 

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Worcester Red Sox 5, Syracuse Mets (NYM) 0

Worcester's offensive output was heavily concentrated on Tuesday night, as the WooSox scored all five of their runs in the fifth inning. This rally was highlighted by a pair of two-run homers by Yasmani Grandal, who is 4 for 13 through his first four games with the WooSox, and Marcelo Mayer. Mayer also hit a double in the fourth inning as part of a 2-for-4 game overall, bumping his OPS to .752 this season. Roman Anthony, who continued to start at designated hitter as he nurses a shoulder injury, was 2 for 4 with a double and a pair of strikeouts. 

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Minor Notes: Scouting reports galore, Dobbins shines in second Boston start

Another full week of Minor League Baseball is in the books as more of Boston's top prospects gain their footing as we approach the end of April. On the mound, several hurlers turned heads both in the minor leagues as well as contributing to the Red Sox, while several big league mainstays work their way back

from injuries. 

Scouting report updates

Last week, Ian Cundall released a trio of updated scouting reports for a handful of Boston prospects as they showcase their early season success. The first report of the week included infielder Mikey Romero (pictured) as well as starting pitchers Juan Valera and Brandon Clarke, who have both garnered more attention due to their impressive starts. The second edition of the reports highlighted pitchers Payton Tolle, Brady Tygart, and Blake Aita, who all made their pro ball debuts this week. The latest scouting report focused on Justin Gonzales, Jojo Ingrassia, and Enddy Azocar. 

Dobbins impresses in second Major League start

After making his Major League debut in a win against the Cardinals in early April, Hunter Dobbins was called into action again in Boston following the placement of Richard Fitts on the injured list due to a pectoral strain. Dobbins was recalled on Friday to start against the White Sox, where he appeared in and won his second big league game. 

In Boston's 10-3 over Chicago, Dobbins recorded his first career quality start. The right-hander pitched six innings, allowing three hits, two runs (one earned) with no walks and six strikeouts on 79 pitches while generating 11 whiffs. Across his two starts, Dobbins has pitched 11 innings to a 2.45 ERA along with adding 11 strikeouts. Dobbins was eventually optioned back to Worcester in the corresponding move for Liam Hendricks, but has established himself as an important arm to lean on when depth is short in Boston.  

A bat flip for the ages

Greenville's 10-9 extra-inning victory on Saturday night was impressive in its own right as the team rallied from a seven-run deficit to force extras and scored two runs in the 10th inning to prolong the game before walking it off in the 11th. 

Amid the walkoff single by Andy Lugo, the 21-year-old infielder may have found himself trending across baseball social media circles when he checked his phone postgame. After roping the game-winning hit to center field and as the broadcast camera was following the travel path of the ball, Lugo's bat could be seen launched into the air before the scene shifted to the ensuing celebration on the field.    

Transactions

• With much of Boston's pitching depth beginning to return from preseason injuries, Michael Fulmer, who had pitched for Worcester early in the season was designated for assignment on Friday and eventually outrighted. The right-hander elected free agency, ending his time with the Red Sox. Fulmer appeared in three games this season with the WooSox, pitching 11 2/3 innings. 
• According to reports, Brayan Bello appears to be making his next pitching appearance in Boston on Tuesday after starting the season on the injured list with a banged up shoulder. Bello made four rehab starts across Portland and Worcester in recent weeks, striking out 21 in 14 innings. 
• Liam Hendriks made his triumphant return to the Major Leagues after a nearly two-year absence on Sunday as he battled cancer and Tommy John surgery recovery. Hendricks appeared in three games between Worcester and Portland and threw three scoreless innings while also renting a taco truck to feed both the Sea Dogs and their opponent.

Where are they now?

• In a Boston-centric roster move, former Red Sox first baseman and current member of the Chicago White Sox Bobby Dalbec was recalled from AAA to replace former Boston prospect Chase Meidroth who was placed on the 10-day IL prior to Chicago's final meeting of the season with the Red Sox on Monday morning. In Monday morning's game, Andrew Benintendi homered off of Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning in Boston's 4-2 win over Chicago. 

Players of the Week

Abraham Toro, IF, Worcester

It was a monster week at the plate for the WooSox bats, with seven players posting an OPS up over 1.000 and another driving in 13 runs. For the second straight week, Toro was the best of the bunch. The 28-year-old veteran gored Rochester pitching with a 10-for-23 line that included seven runs scored, three doubles, a triple, a homer, and five walks. The effort brings his season line through 18 games to .344/.429/.594. 

Connelly Early, LHP, Portland Sea Dogs 

2 G, 1-0, 7 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 14 K

With pitching prospects dazzling across the Boston affiliates, Early was the latest to continue a stellar start to the year on the mound. The 2023 fifth-round pick turned in a pair of appearances on the mound in Hartford where he was nearly untouchable. The University of Virginia product picked up the win on Tuesday after pitching four impressive innings, allowing his lone run of the week while striking out eight. In his second outing of the week, he relieved the rehabbing Lucas Giolito and tossed three scoreless frames adding in six strikeouts. Through 10 2/3 innings this season, Early has allowed a single earned run and sports an 18.5 K/9.  

Photo Credit: Mikey Romero by Kelly O'Connor

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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.  

Justin Gonzales, OF, Extended Spring Training

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.

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Cup of Coffee: Mayer and Kolozsvary power Worcester; Brannon homers twice

4/21 Cup of Coffee: The affiliates finished 2-2 on Sunday with solid performances throughout the system. Home runs from Marcelo Mayer and Mark Kolozsvary supported a strong start from Shane Drohan for the WooSox. Connelly Early and Jhostynxon Garcia were great for Portland, while Lucas Giolito made another rehab start. Greenville came out on top thanks to two home runs and five RBI from Brooks Brannon (pictured). 

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Worcester Red Sox 7, Rochester Red Wings (WAS) 0

Marcelo Mayer and Mark Kolozsvary combined to drive in all seven of Worcester's runs, while Shane Drohan was dominant once again. Mayer opened the scoring with an RBI single in the third, and he added a two-run home run in the sixth. Rochester will be glad to see him go, as he finished the series with 13 RBI in six games. Later in the sixth, Kolozsvary launched a grand slam to put the game out of reach. Vaughn Grissom stayed hot, going 2 for 4 with a double while also being hit by a pitch. Drohan carved up the Red Wings for the second time in the series, striking out five over four shutout innings. Jose Adames, Isaiah Campbell, and Nick Burdi combined to preserve the shutout over the final five frames. 

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Cup of Coffee: Lugo walks it off in Greenville, Mayer adds to his RBI total

4/20 Cup of Coffee: It was a tough night for the Boston farm system, grabbing just one win over four levels on Saturday. Across the affiliates, Andy Lugo (pictured) walked it off in a come-from-behind victory for Greenville, Marcelo Mayer added to his strong week for Worcester, and Franklin Arias continued to hit in Salem.

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Rochester Red Wings (WSH) 12,

Worcester Red Sox 3

An afternoon after scoring 20 runs in a blowout victory, Worcester fell behind early and never managed to dig out of the hole. Making his first appearance in Worcester, Jack Anderson surrendered eight runs on 11 hits, three of which being home runs, in 1 2/3 innings of work. Bryan Mata, who has had a strong start to the season, followed Anderson by firing 2 1/3 innings. The right-hander allowed an unearned run on three hits with a strikeout. Brendan Cellucci and Jacob Webb accounted for the final four innings, allowing three runs and walking five. 

Offensively, Worcester managed eight hits on the afternoon including multi-hit performances by Marcelo Mayer and Yasmani Grandal. The second of Mayer's hits driving in a pair on a double, giving the shortstop nine RBIs over the last two games. After slamming a pair of home runs last game, Roman Anthony added a 105.5 mph double to lead off the ballgame and added a walk in the defeat. While the WooSox had plenty of traffic on the basepaths, the team could only muster a single hit in 16 at-bats with runners in scoring position. 

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Cup of Coffee: Grissom doubles four times, homers in WooSox rout

4/19 Cup of Coffee: Friday's slate saw a split decision on the farm. Worcester had offense to spare as Vaughn Grissom (pictured) led a blowout victory after sweeping Thursday's doubleheader. Greenville had 23 fewer hits but the same result with a pair of homers and a strong effort from Hayden Mullins on the mound. Portland fell but got an encouraging start from Tyler Uberstine, while Salem took the loss at home.

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Worcester Red Sox 20, Rochester Red Wings (WAS) 7

Every starter reached base at least twice as the WooSox unleashed a 26-hit thrashing in Rochester. Vaughn Grissom piled up 12 total bases as he went 5 for 6 with four doubles, a solo homer, and a hit by pitch, scoring five runs. Marcelo Mayer blasted a massive second-inning grand slam as part of a seven-RBI afternoon. Tyler McDonough was 5 for 6 with a double and a homer, while Abraham Toro was 3 for 4 with a homer, two walks, and four RBI. Perhaps most incredibly, none of Worcester's 12 extra-base hits belonged to the scorching-hot Roman Anthony, who settled for a 2-for-5 day, scoring a pair. 

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Scouting Report Updates: Payton Tolle, Brady Tygart and Blake Aita

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. 

Payton Tolle, LHP, Greenville Drive

Current ranking: 13th

Physical Description: Huge frame with minimal remaining projection. Looks all of listed height and weight.

Mechanics: Throws from a low three-quarters arm slot. High leg kick. Really drives off his back side and gets elite extension (7.4 feet or more). Has a very low release height. Arm action works, but has a slight stab behind. Very deceptive delivery in large part due to how close to the plate he releases the ball.

Fastball: 93-95 mph, tops out at 96 mph. Pitch has life up and both vertical and horizontal movement. Has shown premium bat-missing ability, even when used almost three-quarters of the time in college. Pitch plays well above its velocity. Command is a work in progress and control is only average. Has the traits that make you think he could gain velocity on his fastball in pro ball. Potential plus-to-better offering.

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Cup of Coffee: Anthony homers twice, WooSox throw combined no-no in DH sweep

4/18 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 2-3 on Thursday. Behind a two-homer game from Roman Anthony (pictured) and a combined no-hitter from Cooper Criswell, Isaiah Campbell, and Jacob Webb, Worcester swept Rochester in a doubleheader. Mikey Romero and Enderso Lira both went deep in Portland's loss to Hartford. Hudson White and Adam Smith had career nights as Greenville fell to Winston-Salem in extras. Franklin Arias recorded two hits, and Devin Futrell made his professional debut in Salem's loss to Lynchburg.

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Worcester Red Sox 8, Rochester Red Wings (WAS) 0 (Game 1)

In Game 1 of Thursday's doubleheader, three Worcester pitchers combined to toss the second no-hitter in franchise history. Cooper Criswell got the start and worked four no-hit innings, walking two and striking out four in that span. Fellow righty Isaiah Campbell was responsible for the next two innings and fanned two of the six batters he faced. Jacob Webb then retired the side in order in the seventh to successfully seal the no-hit bid.

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Cup of Coffee: Garcia, Monegro propel Portland to win in extras

4/17 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 2-1 on Wednesday. Worcester's game in Rochester was postponed due to inclement weather. Jhostynxon Garcia and Yordanny Monegro (pictured) played key roles in Portland's win over Hartford in extras. Yophery Rodriguez tripled and drove in a run in Greenville's loss to Winston-Salem. Brandon Clarke struck out six while Franklin Arias plated two runs in Salem's come-from-behind victory over Lynchburg. 

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Worcester Red Sox @ Rochester Red Wings (WAS) (PPD)

Wednesday's game between the WooSox and Red Wings was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be made up as part of a seven-inning doubleheader beginning at 3:35 p.m. ET on Thursday afternoon.

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Scouting Report Updates: Mikey Romero, Juan Valera and Brandon Clarke

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.

Mikey Romero, IF, Portland Sea Dogs

Current ranking: 6th

Prior ranking: 13th

Physical Description: Athletic frame with some remaining projection. Has filled out some since he signed, but looked particularly more physical in camp in 2025 after his first normal offseason, with a more filled-out lower half and stronger upper body.

Hit: Starts square with his hands high. Smooth, controlled swing. Solid-average bat speed. Limited stride. Quick hands. Makes solid contact, especially against right-handed pitchers. Struggles against left-handed pitching. Aggressive approach. Hunts fastballs early in the count and has the tendency to expand against secondary pitches, especially changeups. Needs to tighten up his chase rate and make more contact on pitches in the zone. Potential average hit tool.

Power: Showed sneaky power for his size prior to 2025, and added strength entering this season looks like it could lead to further improvement to his all-fields power. Can elevate the ball and drive it, especially to the pull side. Solid-average raw power. Average game power.

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Cup of Coffee: Anthony, Grissom lead the way in Worcester win

4/16 Cup of Coffee: On a night in which the Red Sox affiliates went 3-1, there was no shortage of excellent performances on both sides of the ball. Roman Anthony and Marvin Alcantara both reached base five times in wins for Worcester and Greenville. Yoelin Cespedes tripled twice and Franklin Arias collected two hits in Salem, though the Red Sox were unable to come away with the win. A pair of top-20 prospects in Connelly Early and Payton Tolle each delivered four impressive innings.

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Worcester Red Sox 7, Rochester Red Wings (WAS) 2

After falling behind early, the WooSox bats came to life with a four-run fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Nathan Hickey and an RBI double by Vaughn Grissom (pictured). Grissom drove in two more runs on a fielder's choice in the sixth and another double in the eighth, going 4 for 6 with three two-baggers altogether. Roman Anthony reached base five times out of the leadoff slot, going 2 for 3 with three walks. Hickey, Abraham Toro, and Trayce Thompson also put together multi-hit performances as the Worcester lineup collected 14 hits in total. Newly-signed catcher Yasmani Grandal made his first appearance with the WooSox, starting behind the plate and going 0 for 5 with a strikeout.

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Minor Notes: Clarke, Tolle, and Rodriguez make Red Sox system debuts

The minor league season is in full swing as last week marked the first full week of the season for Portland, Greenville, and Salem. Three top-20 prospects made their first appearances in the Red Sox organization in an exciting week for the system. 

Highly touted draftees make professional debuts

A pair of promising left-handed pitchers selected in the 2024 draft, second-rounder Payton Tolle and fifth-rounder Brandon Clarke (pictured), took the mound for the first regular-season appearances of their professional careers last week. Clarke's start last Thursday was arguably the highlight of the week for the system, as the 19th-ranked prospect threw four perfect innings and struck out five batters, generating nine whiffs on 40 pitches. Tolle's professional career got off to a less auspicious start, as he allowed six runs on five hits and three walks in 1 2/3 innings last Tuesday in the notoriously hitter-friendly McCormick Field in Asheville, NC. Tolle, the 13th-ranked prospect in the system, will hope for smoother sailing as he makes his first start at home in Salem this week. 

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Cup of Coffee: Anthony tallies two hits for Worcester; Encarnacion homers for Salem

4/14 Cup of Coffee: The weather in Portland did not cooperate again, as the doubleheader got postponed. Worcester used a balanced offensive attack to get by Columbus, while Yophery Rodriguez continued to make a good impression with Greenville. A home run from Freili Encarnacion (pictured) was not enough for Salem as it fell one run short. 

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Worcester Red Sox 8, Columbus Clippers (CLE) 5

Worcester's bats woke up as it took the series finale from the Clippers. Roman Anthony went 2 for 5 with an RBI as the designated hitter, and Vaughn Grissom went 2 for 3 with an RBI, walk, and stolen base. Nick Sogard went 1 for 2 with a double, stolen base, and two walks, Trayce Thompson went 2 for 4 with a double and a stolen base, and Nate Eaton went 2 for 3 with an RBI double, stolen base, walk, and an outfield assist. 

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Cup of Coffee: Doubleheaders galore as Arias continues strong start

4/13 Cup of Coffee: As the week of postponements and bad weather continues, the organization recorded just a single win across four games, consisting of a pair of doubleheaders. Juan Valera toed the mound for his second start of 2025, Franklin Arias continued his strong start to the season, and Miguel Bleis (pictured) powered Greenville to victory.

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Columbus Clippers (CLE) @ Worcester Red Sox, Postponed (Weather)

Snow blanketed the Northeast on Saturday morning and four inches of heavy, wet snow fell in downtown Worcester, forcing the postponement of Saturday's game. A make-up date was not announced.

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New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) @ Portland Sea Dogs, Postponed (Weather)

The Sea Dogs haven't been able to catch a break with the wintry weather and also were forced to move Saturday's game. The squads will play a doubleheader on Sunday.

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Cup of Coffee: Anthony records three hits, Sandlin strikes out six

4/12 Cup of Coffee: Friday was a winless night for the Red Sox affiliates, as Worcester and Portland lost while Greenville and Salem's games were postponed due to rain. Roman Anthony (pictured) turned in a three-hit performance but Worcester was otherwise unable to generate much offense. Brayan Bello continued his rehab assignment with the WooSox, tossing four solid innings but taking the loss.  David Sandlin struck out six in an impressive start for Portland but the Sea Dogs fell in 10 innings against New Hampshire. 

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Columbus Clippers (CLE) 9, Worcester Red Sox 2

Brayan Bello made the third start of his rehab assignment, throwing 64 pitches as he builds up to join the Red Sox rotation. Bello allowed three runs (two earned) in four innings, striking out five batters. Columbus hit the WooSox bullpen hard after Bello's departure, scoring four runs (one earned) off Cooper Criswell and two more off Brendan Cellucci. Jacob Webb was the only Worcester pitcher to put together a scoreless performance. Roman Anthony had a fantastic game out of the leadoff slot in Worcester's lineup, going 3 for 4 with two doubles and driving in both of Worcester's runs. Outside of Anthony, it was a forgettable performance for the WooSox bats. 

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Podcast Ep #359: Breaking down the Quinn Priester trade and early season impressions

Ian is joined by Chris Clegg of the Dynasty Dugout to talk about the Quinn Priester trade with Milwaukee and Hunter Dobbins major league debut. After that, they discuss the noteworthy performances in Salem and Worcester so far including Franklin Arias, Blake Aita, Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer. They also discuss what they saw first-hand in Greenville and Portland so far including Juan Valera, Jojo Ingrassia, Nelly Taylor, Blake Wehunt and Alex Hoppe.

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Cup of Coffee: Clarke perfect in Salem debut; Rosario, Rosier pace Portland

4/11 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 1-2 on Thursday, as Greenville's game in Asheville was suspended due to rain. Liam Hendriks commenced his rehab assignment in Worcester and tossed a scoreless first inning against Columbus. Ronald Rosario crushed a three-run homer as part of a four-RBI showing in Portland's trouncing of New Hampshire. Last but certainly not least, Brandon Clarke (pictured) made his highly anticipated professional debut for Salem against Fredericksburg. 

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Columbus Clippers (CLE) 2, Worcester Red Sox 1

Liam Hendriks began a rehab assignment and got the start at Polar Park. The 36-year-old struck out three of the four batters he faced as part of a scoreless first inning in which he reached 95 mph with his fastball. Fellow right-hander Michael Fulmer took over for Hendriks in the second and took the loss after surrendering two earned runs on three hits (including one home run), three walks, and five strikeouts over four innings. Brian Van Belle and Nick Burdi then combined for four additional scoreless frames of relief. Offensively, Worcester was not able to get much going. Nate Eaton accounted for his side's lone RBI by going 1 for 4 with a run-scoring single that pushed across Vaughn Grissom in the ninth inning. Grissom and Abraham Toro both went 1 for 3 with one walk.

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Cup of Coffee: Giolito rehabs, Brooks shines in professional debut

4/10 Cup of Coffee: It was a good night on the farm, as the affiliates went 3-2. Worcester walked it off in the second game of a doubleheader, a game where Lucas Giolito made another rehab start. Vaughn Grissom and Abraham Toro (pictured) had big offensive days in both games. Franklin Arias had another good game for Salem, who got terrific pitching performances from Steven Brooks and Matt McShane. 

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Columbus Clippers (CLE) 6, Worcester Red Sox 5 (Game One)

Shane Drohan continued his nice start to 2025 with eight more strikeouts in 3 2/3 frames. The southpaw only allowed one run on a solo home run, although he did walk four. He threw 81 pitches, touched 96 mph with his fastball, and induced an impressive 16 whiffs on 34 swings (47%). Wyatt Mills allowed a run in 1 1/3 frames despite not allowing a hit. Jose Adames struggled, surrendering three earned runs over 1 2/3 innings, although he did strikeout four. Luis Guerrero took the loss, allowing a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh. Vaughn Grissom and Nathan Hickey led the way on offense, as Grissom went 1 for 3 with a two-run homer, and Hickey went 2 for 3 with a home run and three RBI. Abraham Toro went 2 for 3 with a double, and Marcelo Mayer went 1 for 3. Roman Anthony went 0 for 3 with a walk, but smoked a ball at 109.7 mph for a lineout to center. 

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Cup of Coffee: Tolle makes pro debut; Anderson impresses for Salem

4/9 Cup of Coffee: The first full week of series' kicked off with another annual tradition--the first weather related postponement of the year. Cold and wind in Worcester pushed back the scheduled rehab start for Lucas Giolito. Yordanny Monegro helped Portland remain undefeated in the frozen north in the organization's only victory on Tuesday. Greenville had a pair of anticipated debuts, as 2024 second-rounder Payton Tolle made his first career start and newly-acquired Yophery Rodriguez joined the Drive. Top individual performances came from a pair of 2023 draftees off to strong starts after struggling in 2024: Nazzan Zanetello reached base three more times for Greenville and Antonio Anderson (pictured) doubled twice in a three-hit effort for Salem.

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Columbus Clippers (CLE) @ Worcester Red Sox, postponed

With unseasonable cold, wind, and potential snow in the forecast, Worcester decided early in the afternoon that it would be more comfortable to wait for another day. Its series with Columbus will kick off on Wednesday with a doubleheader. 

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Portland Sea Dogs 2, New Hampshire Fisher Cats (TOR) 1

In Portland, however, they have a different threshold for what constitutes unseasonable cold, wind, and snow. Despite a game-time temperature of 35 degrees that dropped throughout the contest and intermittant snow flurries, the hearty rivals from northern New England were able to get this contest in, and Portland remains undefeated. As would be expected, the conditions favored the pitchers, with the two squads combining for three runs on nine hits in 10 innings. Starter Yordanny Monegro went 3 1/3, allowing a run on two hits, walking one against six strikeouts. Jack Anderson cruised through 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out five and scattering two hits. Zach Bryant struck out four and walked one in three hitless frames, and Wyatt Olds struck out all three batters he faced in the 10th to get credit for the win. 

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Minor Notes: Campbell and Crochet extended; Priester traded to Milwaukee

It was a jam-packed week with extension announcements, trades, MLB debuts, rankings updates, and affiliates kicking off. 

Campbell and Crochet extended

The Red Sox announced two massive extensions last week that will shape the foundation of the team for years to come. They agreed to terms with Kristian Campbell (pictured, right) on an eight-year contract extension which runs from 2025 to 2032 with club options for 2033 and 2034. While there are options and escalators built in, it has a guarantee of $60 million. While the sample size is still small, Campbell looks the part in his first two weeks in the big leagues. Mike Petriello of MLB.com went in-depth on the advanced analytics that point to Campbell being a budding star for the Red Sox. 

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Cup of Coffee: Bello sharp in rehab outing; Early strikes out seven

4/7 Cup of Coffee: While the biggest prospect-related story was Hunter Dobbins making his major league debut on Sunday night, it was still a busy day on the farm with all four full-season affiliates in action. Brayan Bello inched closer to a return in Worcester, while Connelly Early (pictured) put up impressive strikeout numbers in Portland. In the lower minors, Nazzan Zanetello and Franklin Arias stayed hot. 

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Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 3, Worcester Red Sox 2

The Jumbo Shrimp scored a run in the eighth and a run in the ninth to walk off with a victory. Brayan Bello was sharp in another rehab assignment, but only went 56 pitches as he continues to ramp up. He struck out four and allowed one run over 3 1/3 innings. Wyatt Mills struck out two over 1 2/3 scoreless frames, and Luis Guerrero allowed just an unearned run in the eighth after an error by catcher Seby Zavala on a pickoff attempt. Isaiah Campbell allowed the walk-off single in the ninth. Zavala was the lone batter to record an RBI with a double in the second, while Roman Anthony went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. 

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Cup of Coffee: Valera impresses in season debut, Arias continues to rake

4/6 Cup of Coffee: A night after the Sox affiliates swept their way to victories, the four levels split ahead of the series finales on Sunday afternoon. Among the games included an exciting season debut for Juan Valera (pictured) as well as a continued hot start for Franklin Arias. 

 

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 10, 

Worcester Red Sox 6 

Despite a ninth inning rally, Worcester came up short to fall to 3-4 on the young season. Michael Fulmer started the evening and struck out eight Jumbo Shrimp in 3 2/3 innings. The right-hander allowed a pair of hits, three walks to go along with four runs (two earned) in the loss. Jacob Webb finished off the fourth inning before struggling in the fifth, allowing five runs in the frame to put Worcester behind for good. Brian Van Belle and Jose Adames pitched the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run between them. 

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Cup of Coffee: Aita unhittable in debut highlights full slate sweep

4/5 Cup of Coffee: A week after the Triple-A season opened, the rest of the full-season leagues got underway on Friday, and it was a celebration across the system. Boston's affiliates outscored their opponents 42-11 with every game decided by six or more runs. Blake Aita (pictured) got plenty of support in his first career professional start while spinning five innings of no-hit ball. Mikey Romero led a Portland romp, while Nazzan Zanetello and Nelly Taylor were highlights in Greenville's opener. Worcester got back in the win column with a strong effort from a resurgent Shane Drohan.

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Worcester Red Sox 7, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 1

Shane Drohan rolled in his first start of the season to bring the WooSox back to .500. Drohan gave up just one hit in four scoreless innings, striking out six without issuing a walk. The 26-year-old lefty induced 13 whiffs and threw 38 of 56 pictures for strikes. Bryan Mata picked up the win in relief, surrendering one run in 2 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and two walks. Wyatt Mills struck out a pair in 1 1/3 innings of scoreless work, and Luis Guerrero finished with a hitless ninth. 

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Podcast Ep. #358: The OFFICIAL 2025 Opening Day Episode

It's here! Five games including the opener at Fenway are on the slate, and Ian and Chris needed more than two hours to break everything down. Garrett Crochet and Kristian Campbell signed extensions. We had a MASSIVE update to the rankings. The full-season affiliate rosters are out. And as always, we answer your emails!

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Cup of Coffee: Eaton stays hot, Priester makes season debut

4/4 Cup of Coffee: On the eve of Opening Day for the three other full-season affiliates, Worcester fell to Jacksonville on Thursday night. Nate Eaton (pictured) led the way at the plate, while Quinn Priester tossed four innings in his first start of the year.

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Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 5, Worcester Red Sox 1

It was a quiet night for the WooSox offensively as they were held to three hits as a team. Nate Eaton accounted for his side's lone run by going 1 for 3 with an RBI single in the second inning. Blake Sabol, who also went 1 for 3, scored that run after singling, advancing to second on an Abraham Toro base hit, and stealing his first base of the season. Sabol, Trayce Thompson, and top prospect Roman Anthony each drew a walk as well.

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Cup of Coffee: Mayer homers again, Giolito looks good in rehab outing

4/3 Cup of Coffee: The WooSox picked up their second win of the season to move to 2-2. In the shutout win, Lucas Giolito pitched well in his first outing in about three weeks. Marcelo Mayer (pictured) stayed hot as well, belting his second Triple-A home run. 

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Worcester Red Sox 2, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 0

For the second consecutive night, Marcelo Mayer went deep. The third-ranked prospect took a fastball low and away and belted it on a line over the left-center field fence. It was a two-run shot that drove in number one prospect Roman Anthony, who drew a pair of walks in four trips to the plate. He has now reached base safely in all four games to begin the season, and he has taken two walks in three of the four games.

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Cup of Coffee: Mayer hits first Triple-A home run; Bello begins rehab assignment

4/2 Cup of Coffee: The WooSox began their first road trip of the season with a loss in Jacksonville. Brayan Bello made the first start of his rehab assignment and was followed by eighth-ranked prospect Hunter Dobbins. However, both pitchers were hit hard early by the Jumbo Shrimp bats. While the WooSox lineup was never able to fully climb back into the game, Marcelo Mayer provided some excitement by smashing his first home run at the Triple-A level. 

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (MIA) 10, Worcester Red Sox 5

The game started with an emotional rollercoaster for Worcester, as leadoff hitter Roman Anthony drilled a ball into the left-center field gap and sprinted all the way around the bases, only to be thrown out at the plate attempting an inside-the-park home run. The WooSox got off to an early lead on a solo home run by Vaughn Grissom in the second inning but fell behind 9-1 after a pair of explosive innings by the Jumbo Shrimp. Marcelo Mayer led a WooSox rally in the sixth inning, crushing a three-run homer as part of a four-run inning. However, the WooSox lineup was unable to put up any more runs against the Jacksonville bullpen.  

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Minor Notes: Campbell makes MLB debut, WooSox open season

Baseball season has officially started. The Red Sox played a pair of exhibition games in Mexico and then opened the regular season in Texas, with a handful of prospects making the Opening Day roster. The WooSox also opened their season last Friday, splitting a weekend series with Syracuse. The rest of the full-season affiliates will begin their season on Friday. 

Campbell makes major league debut
Kristian Campbell, a fourth-round draft pick in 2023, has completed his rapid ascent to the major leagues. Campbell played second base and batted sixth in Boston's Opening Day lineup and he has reached base in each of the team's first five games. Campbell has gotten off to an impressive start, going 6 for 16 with one home run, two doubles, and four walks. Campbell collected his first major league home run on Sunday, driving a line drive to center field off Rangers right-hander Jacob Webb. 

To cap off a memorable week for Campbell, Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that Campbell and the Red Sox are "deep in talks" on a contract extension. No terms of this potential contract have been reported yet. 

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Cup of Coffee: Anthony homers twice; Fulmer shuts down Syracuse

3/31 Cup of Coffee: This is the kind of game Worcester fans were looking forward to when Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer opened the season in Triple-A. They combined to reach base six times and score five runs while Anthony went deep twice. The pitching was not to be outdone, led by Michael Fulmer.

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Worcester Red Sox 12, Syracuse Mets (NYM) 0

On paper it was a tough matchup for Roman Anthony and the WooSox as they faced off against the Mets top prospect, Brandon Sproat. Sproat was the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year in 2024, pitching to a 2.45 ERA with Binghamton. But Worcester got to him for four runs on three hits and three walks in two-plus innings. Anthony drew two walks off Sproat, and Marcelo Mayer laced a two-run single to chase him from the game. Once Sproat left the game Anthony went nuclear, hitting a 109.6 mph home run to right field, and a 106.4 mph home run to left field. Anthony finished 3 for 4, Mayer went 2 for 5 with a stolen base, and Trayce Thompson went 3 for 4 with a double and a home run while driving in four.

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Cup of Coffee: Rain, rain, go away

3/29 Cup of Coffee: After a single day of Minor League Baseball action, the April showers decided to start a few days early. Saturday's matchup between the Syracuse Mets and Worcester Red Sox was postponed due to rain and will be rescheduled to April 23. 

Campbell continues impressive start

After recording hits in each of his first two big league games, Kristian Campbell turned in his best game yet as a member of the Red Sox in Boston's 4-3 loss to Texas on Saturday evening. The 22-year old went 2-3 with a double and his first career home run that traveled 431 feet into the Red Sox bullpen. Through three games, Campbell is slashing .500/.583/.900.

 

Where are they now

In other MLB action, former Red Sox farmhand Mickey Gasper tallied his first Major League hit Saturday afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinals. After going hitless in his first 20 big league at bats, the first 18 coming with the Red Sox, Gasper reached on an infield single to achieve the milestone. 

Photo Credit: Kristian Campbell by Kelly O'Connor

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Cup of Coffee: Stock rises as Worcester opens minor league schedule

3/29 Cup of Coffee: The 2025 minor league season got underway on Friday afternoon at Polar Park. An Abraham Toro homer and strong outing by Robert Stock (pictured) were not enough to make winners of the WooSox in the Triple-A debut of Marcelo Mayer. 

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Syracuse Mets (NYM) 4, Worcester Red Sox 3

Worcester kicked off its season with a Friday matinee at Polar Park. With Kristian Campbell in the majors, the other two members of the triumvirate of phemons were the attractions. Roman Anthony led off and played left field, going 0 for 3 with a pair of walks. Anthony drove in Worcester's first run of the season, plating Nathan Hickey on a ground out in the third inning. Marcelo Mayer made his long-awaited debt for the WooSox, hitting in the third hole. Mayer was promoted to Worcester in early August 2024 but missed the final two months of the season with a lumbar strain. The shortstop was 0 for 4 with a pair of strikeouts. Abraham Toro drove in Worcester's other two runs, with one coming on a solo homer in the ninth. Nate Eaton was 2 for 4 in the squad's only multi-hit effort.

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2025 SoxProspects Pre-Season All-Stars Pt. 2 - Pitchers

For the second and final part of SoxProspects.com's 2025 Pre-Season All-Stars list, we turn our attention to the mound and recognize some of the more well-regarded pitchers in the Red Sox farm system. This group of eight includes five starters who are ranked among the organization's top 25 prospects and three relatively unheralded relievers.

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Juan Valera: Starting Pitcher, Salem Red Sox

Valera, who turns 19 in May, is a Pre-Season All-Star for the first time after earning 2024 SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Year honors. The Dominican-born right-hander enjoyed a successful stateside debut last season by forging a 1.99 ERA (3.36 FIP) with 68 strikeouts to 28 walks in 18 outings (16 starts) spanning 63 1/3 innings between the Florida Complex League and Salem. He is currently ranked as the organization's No. 19 prospect and is expected to return to Salem for the start of the 2025 campaign.

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2025 SoxProspects Pre-Season All-Stars Pt. 1 - Position Players

For the first part of SoxProspects.com's 2025 Pre-Season All-Stars list, we start with the position players. This group of nine includes six of the organization's top 25 prospects and three others who are also ranked. Stay tuned for the pitching portion of the 2025 Pre-Season All-Stars list, slated to be published later Friday.

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Brooks Brannon: Catcher, Greenville Drive

Brannon, who turns 21 in May, is a Pre-Season All-Star for the first time and is currently ranked as the No. 43 prospect in the organization. The former 2022 ninth-round draft pick missed the first seven weeks of the 2024 campaign while recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and reported to Salem in early June after rehabbing in the Florida Complex League. The right-handed hitter then batted .251/.326/.396 (114 wRC+) with eight doubles, two triples, six home runs, 24 RBIs, 22 runs scored, five stolen bases, 23 walks, and 67 strikeouts in 54 Carolina League games (230 plate appearances). He also earned All-Star honors in the Arizona Fall League by slashing .309/.347/.456 with two homers and six RBIs in 16 games (72 plate appearances) for the Mesa Solar Sox. He is expected to break camp with Greenville this spring and could see more playing time at first base as opposed to behind the plate.

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Podcast Ep #357: Minor League Spring Training Wrap-up

Ian is joined by Mike Andrews to wrap-up their trip to minor league spring training! They start off talking about all the injured position players and how that impacted the rosters, before a long discussion about Justin Gonzales and his future outlook. They then went through a few other hitters including Enddy Azocar, Nazzan Zanetello and Mikey Romero. After that, they moved onto the pitchers and hit on a bunch of impressive performers including Payton Tolle, Blake Aita, Blake Wehunt, Noah Dean and of course mandatory Juan Valera talk. Finally, they wrapped up the show answering your emails!

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Podcast Ep #356: Your 2025 Boston Red Sox

It's finally here! With the 2025 season upon us, Ian welcomes Chris to the show as a very special guest to discuss the (mostly) final MLB roster for opening day, including Kristian Campbell officially making the team, decisions in the back of the rotation and bullpen, and how everything could change very early in the season. Plus, the guys threw down their predictions for the season - listen in to find out how bullish or bearish they are on the club's chances! (We'll recap the spring training trip on our next episode!)

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Fort Report: Spring Training concludes, Campbell makes Opening Day Roster

With spring training games over (with the exception of the pair of games in Mexico), all eyes turn to the regular season and where the final roster cuts will be made to begin the 2025 season.  

Campbell makes Boston's Opening Day roster

In what has constantly been described as a meteoric rise, Kristian Campbell’s next step will be a trip to Texas with Boston to begin his Major League career. News broke Sunday evening that the SoxProspects’ second-ranked prospect won the second base job. 

Despite slashing just .167/.305/.271 in 59 spring plate appearances, it was evident from the start of the spring that Campbell was an option to break camp with the team. In the later weeks of camp, Campbell’s improved results as well as stellar defense seemed to be enough to prove to the organization that he is ready for MLB action.

 

After being drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, Campbell proved to hit at every level of the minor leagues. The Georgia Tech product hit .330 with a .997 OPS en route to several awards recognizing him as one of the best players in minor league baseball in 2024. 

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Notes from the Field: Scouting the Pitchers in the Spring Showcase Games

The Spring Breakout event is one of the best ideas to showcase the game's next wave of stars MLB has done in years. This spring, the Red Sox roster was seen as one of the best in the league with the Big Three of Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer anchoring the lineup, with a strong group of arms including Hunter Dobbins, David Sandlin, Connelly Early adding intrigue. Making things even more interesting, after traveling to Port Charlotte to play the Rays in MLB's event on Thursday evening, the Red Sox arranged to play a second prospect showcase game, the "Futures at Fenway South," with the majority of the Spring Breakout roster on Friday at home against the Twins. This allowed for an even better look at many of the hitters and a chance to see even more of the talented arms in the Red Sox system. Here are my thoughts on some pitchers from the two-game look and for more thoughts on some hitters check out yesterday's piece.

- Of all the pitchers the Red Sox used across the two showcase games, the most impressive was 18-year-old Juan Valera. Valera burst onto the scene last year showing mid-90s velocity, but was on the raw side. Based on this look, while he is currently ranked 19th in our prospect rankings, when we do our preseason update, he will definitely be rising. Valera showdd a four-pitch arsenal, with his velocity up across the board. His fastball sat 97-99 mph and hit 100 multiple times. He mixed in two breaking balls: a slider at 89-92 mph and sweeper at 86-88 mph. He also showed in a changeup at 91-94 mph. The 94 mph changeup was perfectly captured by Baseball America's Josh Norris and, as you can see, it has a ridiculous amount of horizontal movement for a pitch thrown so hard. Valera's arm is so quick it can get a bit out of sync and cause him to lose the zone, as was the case in his third inning, but for the first two he was absolutely dominant. 

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Fort Report: Anthony, Campbell, Mayer, SoxProspects crew all have big weeks in Fort Myers

It was an exciting week down in Fort Myers as the MLB season is set to begin for the Red Sox in just over a week. The Sox' big three prospects all showed off during the Spring Breakout game, while the SoxProspects crew saw a ton of action on the backfields. More cuts have also come in as final decisions on the Opening Day roster draw closer. 

Big three all go deep in Spring Breakout game

Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer, and Roman Anthony (pictured) certainly did not disappoint at the Spring Breakout game against the Tampa Bay Rays prospects, as all three hit a home run. Anthony's was a tap measure blast, caught on camera with a great view from behind home plate by our own Ian Cundall. The Futures at Fenway South showcase against Minnesota Twins prospects was also an exciting game, as Mikey Romero and Justin Gonzales each went deep at JetBlue Park. James Dunne breaks these two games down in further detail with a special spring training edition of the Cup of Coffee. 

Another successful year in Florida for the SoxProspects crew

The SoxProspects.com crew spent a week in Fort Myers at Red Sox camp. They were able to put out some terrific content that can be found on social media handles for SoxProspects.com, Chris Hatfield, Ian Cundall, James Dunne, and Mike Andrews. Ian was able to get right behind home plate for both the Futures at Fenway South and Spring Breakout games. Check out Juan Valera pumping 100 MPH fastballs and Yoeilin Cespedes ripping a double. 

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