Minor Notes: Arias continues his breakout campaign; Valera diagnosed with elbow soreness

Last week's Minor Notes column discussed a spectacular performance from Juan Valera as well as the beginning of rehab assignments for Patrick Sandoval and Kutter Crawford. Much like the weather in New England last week, the updates on all three players have turned from hot to cold. One player who was highlighted last week who continues to set the minors ablaze is Franklin Arias (pictured, left). Through 10 games he has been the best player in the Eastern League, with the underlying metrics backing up the stats. 

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Valera injured

Fans were fearing the worst after Juan Valera was pulled abruptly from his last start after suffering an apparent arm injury. Fortunately it appears the worst-case scenario was avoided as reports are that he will not need to go for an MRI or X-ray. He is currently expected to be shut down for two weeks due to elbow inflammation and has been placed on the seven-day injured list. The talented right-hander had just joined Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospects list. 

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Cup of Coffee: Mullins strikes out eight; Phillips and Gonzales lead Greenville

4/20 Cup of Coffee: It was another disappointing day for the major league squad, but there were nothing but victories down on the farm. Michael Sansone and Nate Eaton helped Worcester get back on track, while Hayden Mullins (pictured) was electric for Portland. Marcus Phillips missed plenty of bats in his start for Greenville, and Dalvinson Reyes made his debut for Salem. 

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Worcester Red Sox 4, Nashville Sounds (MIL) 2

Playing against old friend Shane Drohan, the WooSox salvaged the final game of the series after dropping the first five. Michael Sansone set the tone with six shutout innings after coming up from Portland earlier in the week. The save went to Tayron Guerrero who struck out two in the ninth. The offense was led by Nate Eaton who hit a solo home run off Drohan while also adding a double as part of a 3-for-5 day at the plate. Tsung-Che Cheng filled up the box score as he went 2 for 2 with a walk and sacrifice fly while scoring a run, driving in a run, and stealing a base. The strong day pushed his OPS over 1.000 to begin the year. 

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Cup of Coffee: Holobetz continues hot start in Portland, Eyanson and Futrell combined for a shutout in Greenville

4/19 Cup of Coffee: Although it was a 1-3 evening across the Boston farm system, there were plenty of highlights among the games. In Portland, John Holobetz followed up his nine-strikeout game last week with another masterpiece. Anthony Eyanson and Devin Futrell combined to give Greenville a shutout win, and Enddy Azocar slugged his first two home runs of 2026. 

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Nashville Sounds (MIL) 2, Worcester Red Sox 1

After Reidis Sena allowed a first-inning run, Worcester scratched across its only run of the game as Allan Castro singled, stole second, and came home to score on a single by Matt Thaiss. After Sena tossed the first two frames on the mound, Noah Song struck out five while holding Nashville scoreless to keep the game tied. Wyatt Olds took the loss with a run allowed in 2 1/3 innings with two walks and four strikeouts. Kyle Keller followed and pitched a scoreless eighth with a hit and strikeout. 

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Cup of Coffee: Guzman leads Drive; Arias homers again

4/18 Cup of Coffee: It was a busy Friday night down on the farm, with Worcester playing a de facto double-header on top of a full slate of games. Greenville got the system's only win tonight, matching the major league squad with a 10th-inning walkoff win. Adonys Guzman (pictured) led the Drive as Kyson Witherspoon shook off some early issues to settle in for a solid start. Franklin Arias went deep yet again in Portland's loss while Salem dropped an early lead. The WooSox were swept, dropping the completion to Thursday's suspended game before falling in the nightcap. 

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Nashville Sounds (MIL) 4, Worcester Red Sox 2 (Game 1)

Thursday's game was suspended in the top of the fourth with the score knotted at zero. Jake Bennett had thrown three scoreless frames before the pause, scattering three hits. Seth Martinez took over when plan resumed, going 2 2/3 innings, allowing a run on three hits. Devin Sweet surrendered a pair of runs and was saddled with the loss. Tayron Guerrero saw his scoreless streak come to an end, giving up a run in the ninth. Nate Eaton was 2 for 4 with a run scored, while Anthony Siegler doubled for the WooSox' only extra-base hit.

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Cup of Coffee: Valera exits with injury; Cespedes, Rodriguez combine for four homers

4/17 Cup of Coffee: With Worcester's game being suspended due to inclement weather, Boston's affiliates went 1-2 on Thursday. Eduardo Rivera matched a career-high with nine strikeouts over 5 2/3 scoreless innings for Portland. Juan Valera left his start with an injury, while Yoeilin Cespedes and Yophery Rodriguez (pictured) combined for four homers in Greenville. Andrews Opata also went deep for Salem to mark his first professional home run.

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Worcester Red Sox @ Nashville Sounds (MIL) (Suspended)

This game was suspended with two outs and one runner on in the top of the fourth inning due to inclement weather. It will resume at 7:05 p.m. ET on Friday and be followed by Friday's regularly scheduled contest, which will now be seven innings.

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Cup of Coffee: Arias homers again as scorching start continues

 

4/16 Cup of Coffee: Portland picked up the system's only victory on a full Wednesday docket. Franklin Arias (pictured) scored four of the eight Sea Dogs runs, backing a strong picthing effort from Gage Ziehl. Salem and Worcester both fell for a second consecutive day, while four home runs were not enough for Greenville to emerge with a win. 

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Nashville Sounds 5, Worcester Red Sox 3

Worcester has been handed consecutive losses for the first time on the young season, dropping its second straight in Nashville. Allan Castro gave the WooSox an early advantage on an RBI single in the first inning, one of two hits he had on the night. Castro is now 7 for 17 during a five-game hitting streak. Vinny Capra was on base three times, going 1 for 3 with a pair of walks, and Tsung-Che Cheng also worked two free passes. Alec Gamboa drew the start in his organizational debut, allowing three runs across three innings. Tayron Guerrero had another scoreless appearance out of the bullpen, his fifth straight to start 2026.

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Cup of Coffee: Arias homers in Sea Dogs win; Sandoval struggles in rehab start

4/15 Cup of Coffee: Only one Red Sox affiliate was victorious on Tuesday night, as the Sea Dogs won a pitching duel behind a two-run shot by Franklin Arias. The WooSox fell as Patrick Sandoval struggled in his second rehab start. Starting pitchers Shea Sprague and Leighton Finley (pictured) delivered strong starts but both Greenville and Salem lost their series openers. 

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Nashville Sounds (MIL) 9, Worcester Red Sox 4

Patrick Sandoval was roughed up in the second start of his rehab assignment, allowing five runs on three hits and four walks in two innings pitched. He threw only 59 pitches (30 for strikes) after building up to 63 in his first rehab start. Reidis Sena followed him with two innings of relief, allowing one run. Tyler Uberstine struggled with his control in 2 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, walking four batters and giving up three runs (two earned). Noah Song was the only pitcher who escaped unharmed, as he threw 1 1/3 scoreless frames. 

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Minor Notes: Samaniego makes MLB debut; Crawford and Sandoval begin rehab assignments

The minor league season is now in full swing, as Portland, Greenville, and Salem played their first full six-game series last week. The Red Sox system's last week was highlighted by electric performances from several top pitching prospects, the returns of a pair of rehabbing veterans, and a major league debut.

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Top pitching prospects deliver standout starts

The Red Sox drafting and development strategy has heavily tilted toward pitching in recent years and the early returns on Boston's pitching development pipeline have been promising. Payton Tolle, a second-round draft pick in 2024 who tore through the minors last season to become the top prospect in the system, took the mound for Worcester on Sunday and punched out six batters in five scoreless innings. Tolle has gotten off to a great start, posting a 3.00 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 15 innings with the WooSox this season. He will be a strong candidate for a promotion if a spot in the Red Sox rotation opens up. 

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Podcast Ep #410: Early Season Standouts

Ian Cundall is joined by SoxProspects Editor-In-Chief Mike Andrews to discuss the latest Red Sox major league and minor league news. They discuss the Red Sox finding their footing this week and how reliant they will have to be on their pitching going forward. After that they dive into the minor league side of things and check in on each affiliate and highlight a few players who have caught their eye. They then wrap the show up by answering your emails.

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Cup of Coffee: Tolle dazzles again; Futrell sets down 15 straight

4/13 Cup of Coffee: Both Allan Castro and Payton Tolle helped Worcester cruise to an easy victory, while Drew Ehrhard had a wild ninth inning for Portland. Greenville dropped a tough one as its defense sputtered, and Salem won big behind Luke Heyman and Devin Futrell (pictured).

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Worcester Red Sox 8, Columbus Clippers (CLE) 2

Allan Castro entered the day with a .514 OPS and ended it at .695 as he broke out in a big way on Sunday. Castro launched two home runs, including a grand slam, as he drove in six runs to lead the WooSox. Tsung-Che Cheng went 1 for 4 with a double, while Braiden Ward went 1 for 2 with a walk and two steals. The run support was more than enough for Payton Tolle as he improved to 2-0 with five shutout innings. He allowed three hits and a walk while striking out six. Tommy Kahnle finished the game off with a scoreless ninth that included a strikeout. 

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Cup of Coffee: Arias can't stop hitting in Portland, Eyanson pitches perfectly in Greenville

While it was a split result across the four Boston farm system games on Saturday, there were plenty of newsworthy performances to show for. In Worcester, Kutter Crawford made his first rehab appearance after missing all of 2025. Franklin Arias recorded another multi-hit outing in Portland, and Anthony Eyanson looked overwhelming to hitters as Greenville earned a victory. 

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Columbus Clippers (CLE) 7, Worcester Red Sox 0
Kutter Crawford took the mound for the first time since 2024 as he began his rehab assignment with the WooSox. While Crawford struck out five Clippers in three innings, he showed some rust of the mound. The right-hander allowed five runs on six hits but only walked one hitter while throwing 43 of his 60 pitches for strikes. Wyatt Olds replaced him and pitched the fourth and fifth, allowing an unearned run with five of his six outs coming on strikeouts. Jacob Webb followed with two scoreless frames of his own on the mound and Tayron Guerrero punched out two in the eighth before Nathan Hickey finished off the game pitching the ninth.

Offensively the Worcester offense only mustered three hits and three walks in the contest. Anthony Seigler picked up the only extra-base hit for the WooSox on a double in the fourth for his first hit of the season. 

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Cup of Coffee: Cheng hits for first cycle in WooSox history; Arias keeps rolling

4/11 Cup of Coffee: It was a memorable day down on the farm, led by a cycle from Tsung-Che Cheng (pictured) in the Worcester victory. Cheng's effort supported another strong start from Jake Bennett. Franklin Arias had a three-hit night in Portland's win, while the entire RidgeYak lineup contributed to the Salem victory. Greenville took the system's only loss on Friday despite a strong effort from 2025 first-round pick Kyson Witherspoon.

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Worcester Red Sox 8, Columbus Clippers (CLE) 5

The first-place WooSox won their third straight game and eighth of their last nine. Tsung-Che Cheng tripled, walked, doubled, then homered in his first four plate appearances. Needing only a single, he came to the plate in the eighth with Allan Castro on first and nobody out. A well-placed bunt down the third-base line was fielded by the pitcher, whose throw sailed past the first baseman, with Castro scoring and Cheng racing to third. The play was scored a single and two-base error, making Cheng the first player in the WooSox' six-year history to hit for the cycle. The last player in the franchise's lineage to do so was Henry Ramos of the PawSox in 2016.

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Cup of Coffee: Valera headlines strong night of starting pitching

4/10 Cup of Coffee: Thursday's slate featured strong starting pitching across the board as Boston's affiliates went a perfect 4-0. In Worcester, Jack Anderson and Tyler Uberstine combined to pitch a shutout. In Portland, Eduardo Rivera struck out seven over 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball in his 2026 debut. Juan Valera (pictured) led the way with a career-high nine strikeouts over five scoreless frames for Greenville. In Salem, Dylan Brown fanned eight in 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

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Worcester Red Sox 5, Columbus Clippers (CLE) 0

Jack Anderson was superb in his second start of the season for Worcester, scattering three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over a career-high six scoreless innings. He threw 76 pitches (54 strikes) and generated eight whiffs. Fellow righty Tyler Uberstine, in his first appearance since making his major league debut this past Sunday, followed with three strikeouts across three scoreless frames of relief to preserve the shutout.

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Cup of Coffee: Sandoval rehabs in Worcester amid bevy of debuts

4/9 Cup of Coffee: It was a welcoming day in the Boston organization, as three of the four starters were making their first appearances in the Red Sox system. Patrick Sandval began his rehab assignment for Worcester after the former Angel spent all of 2025 on the shelf following elbow surgery. Newly-acquired righty Gage Ziehl was on the bump for Portland. A trio of debuting arms, all from the SEC, were on assignment in Salem: LSU's Jake Mayers went first, followed by Texas A&M product Myles Patton and Brandon Neely (pictured) via the University of Florida. Salem and Worcester were able to greet their new companions with victories, while Portland dropped its contest. Greenville also fell on Wednesday as the system drew a split.

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Worcester Red Sox 8, Columbus Clippers (CLE) 5

Patrick Sandoval made his first professional appearance in 22 months as he begins his post-Tommy John rehab assignment. A pair of first inning errors (one of his own) led to three unearned runs in the first inning, but he settled in and threw two scoreless frames after that. Overall, Sandoval surrendered three hits across those three frams, walking and striking out three apiece. He was at 92 with his fastball and threw 62 pitches, 35 for strikes. Seth Martinez retired all eight batters he faced in relief. Reidis Sena and Devin Sweet battled shaky control, combining for seven free passes. Sweet vultured the winning decision, allowing a pair of inherited runners to score but getting credit after Worcester's three-run eighth. 

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Adonys Guzman plans to 'impact games behind the plate' for Greenville

The Red Sox added a catching prospect this offseason who grew up a diehard Yankees fan. Thirty years after Manny Ramirez, Adonys Guzman was born and raised in the Bronx, right down the road from where Ramirez went to high school. Both ended up in the sworn enemy’s uniform.

Guzman was traded to the Red Sox this offseason alongside Johan Oviedo and Tyler Samaniego. The trade came just six months after he was selected in the MLB Draft by Pittsburgh.

"I didn’t really expect it going into it," Guzman said of the trade. "I had just been drafted. I didn’t even know you could get traded that quickly, honestly. But it was a huge blessing. I’m with the new team and I get to play baseball every day. I am meeting new people almost every day. I also have some old teammates here that I played with in college. There is a great culture here and a great environment. I am loving the Red Sox so far."

The University of Arizona product got down to Fort Myers as soon as he could in the first week of January to prep for his first spring training as a professional. "It has been all about learning," Guzman said of his time at the complex. "Just watching the big leaguers work and go about things was eye opening when they were down here. Everything they did was precise and on point. I knew that is what it looked like to be a professional. I was learning as much as I could every single week. Last year, I only got to play in one game in Low-A Bradenton. I just have been learning how it works and what being a pro is all about."

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Cup of Coffee: White powers late rally for Greenville; Finley throws four innings in debut

4/8 Cup of Coffee: There was plenty of offense throughout the system on Tuesday night, as all four Red Sox affiliates scored at least seven runs. However, the WooSox bullpen was unable to hold onto a late lead and the Sea Dogs could not overcome an early deficit in their home openers. Strong pitching performances in Greenville and Salem led Boston's A-ball affiliates to wins to open their first full series of the season. 

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Columbus Clippers (CLE) 14, Worcester Red Sox 10

The WooSox lost in a rollercoaster of a game in the home opener at Polar Park. Worcester fell behind early but put together a seventh-inning rally which saw them cut their deficit to one run on an RBI double by Mikey Romero and then take a 10-8 lead on a three-run blast by Matt Thaiss (pictured). However, the bullpen was unable to hold the late lead despite a strong performance from the WooSox lineup. Romero was 2 for 5 with two doubles and two RBI, raising his average to .342 as he continued a hot start to the season. Kristian Campbell was 3 for 5 with a double. 

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Minor Notes: Organization gets pair of Rule 5 picks back, Uberstine makes Major League debut

The baseball season kicked off in its fullest this week as the High-A and Low-A seasons began over the weekend. While the Minor League season got into full swing, a Boston farmhand made the trip to Fenway Park to pitch in the big leagues for the first time in his career. 

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Uberstine makes Major League debut

With pitcher Johan Oviedo going to the injured list with an elbow strain and Garrett Whitlock heading to the paternity list over the weekend, the Red Sox made a pair of call-ups from Worcester before the team's home opener. One of those promotions was starting pitcher Tyler Uberstine, who capped off an incredible journey to reach the Major Leagues for the first time in his career. Uberstine debuted on Sunday afternoon against the Padres and looked impressive. While the right-hander took the loss in Boston's 8-6 defeat, he pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing three hits (one home run) with a walk and three strikeouts. 

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Podcast Ep #409: Opening Day Rankings Discussion

Ian Cundall is joined by SoxProspects Editor-In-Chief Mike Andrews to discuss the latest Red Sox major league and minor league news. They discuss the Red Sox slow start, Johan Oviedo’s injury, players off to hot starts in the minors and Blake Wehunt’s injury. After that, they go in depth on the SoxProspects opening day rankings and breakdown all the risers, all the fallers and the grade changes! They then wrap up the show by answering your emails!

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Cup of Coffee: Tolle strikes out seven; Gasper homers twice

4/6 Cup of Coffee: With Greenville and Salem off and Portland rained out, all eyes were on the WooSox. Payton Tolle and Mickey Gasper (pictured) helped the team sweep a doubleheader over St. Paul. Kristian Campbell also went deep for Worcester, while Mikey Romero continued his hot start. 

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Worcester Red Sox 4, St. Paul Saints (MIN) 2 (Game One)

It was a great bounce back start for Payton Tolle as he stifled the Saints in the first game of a doubleheader. Tolle allowed two runs (one earned) over six innings while walking one and striking out seven. He threw 50 of his 74 pitches for strikes, and he generated 11 whiffs. The save went to Noah Song as he pitched a spotless seventh. On offense, Nate Eaton accounted for the team's lone extra-base hit as he laced a 111-mph double. Mikey Romero ripped a two-run single as part of a 1-for-4 day, and Allan Castro went 2 for 3 with a stolen base and a throwing error. 

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Cup of Coffee: Sogard stays hot at the plate, Eyanson makes pro debut in Greenville

It was a day full of headlines across the Boston farm system. Nick Sogard continued his torrid start to 2026 in a Worcester win while John Holobetz dazzled for Portland. Down in Greenville, a pair of 2025 draft picks made their pro debuts on the mound. 

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Worcester Red Sox 5, St. Paul Saints (MIN) 3 

The WooSox flexed their power on Saturday, scoring all of their runs from home runs. Mickey Gasper started the day offensively for Worcester with a two-run shot in the top of the first, which drove in Nick Sogard, who walked to start the game. In the third frame, Sogard would add his third home run of the young season with a solo shot. Nate Eaton followed the infielder with his first big fly to cap off a back-to-back attack. The final tally of the day came off the bat of Tsung-Che-Chung, who connected with his second home run to put Worcester out to a 5-0 lead after four innings. 

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Cup of Coffee: Witherspoon debuts and Gonzales goes deep in Greenville

4/4 Cup of Coffee: It was tough going on the system's first scheduled slate of full-season games. Three teams combined to allow 40 runs while Worcester was unable to play for a second straight day. Kyson Witherspoon had mixed results in Greenville for his professional debut, while Justin Gonzales (pictured) had a big day at the plate and afield. Salem surrendered a late four-run lead despite the best efforts of Anderson Fermin. Little went right in Portland's season opener as the Sea Dogs were outhit 22 to three in a blowout loss.

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Worcester Red Sox @ St. Paul Saints, canceled

A rainy and cold day in Minnesota made Friday's game unplayable. The teams will make up Thursday's rainout with a doubleheader on Sunday, while the Friday contest will not be scheduled.

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Cup of Coffee: Brown shines for Salem in pro debut; Valera fans seven in Greenville

4/3 Cup of Coffee: While Worcester's game in St. Paul was postponed, Greenville and Salem opened their seasons at home on Thursday. Juan Valera struck out seven, and Freili Encarnacion homered, but the Drive ultimately fell to Greensboro in extras. In Salem, Dylan Brown (pictured) got the RidgeYaks era off to a promising start by delivering five scoreless innings and a win in his professional debut. 

A reminder that Portland opens its season on the road against Somerset (NYY) on Friday evening.

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Worcester Red Sox @ St. Paul Saints (MIN) (PPD)

This game was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader on a date still to be determined.

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2026 SoxProspects Pre-Season All-Stars Pt. 2 - Pitchers

For the second and final part of SoxProspects.com's 2026 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 starting pitchers who all rank in the system's top 10, and three relievers in the upper minors. 

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Kyson Witherspoon: Starting Pitcher, Greenville Drive

The first of three 2025 draftees on the list, Witherspoon will headline a stacked Greenville rotation in 2026. The first-round pick out of the University of Oklahoma was an NCAA First-Team All-American and Golden Spikes Semifinalist in 2025 after pitching to a 2.65 ERA with 124 strikeouts in 95 innings. The Red Sox drafted him 15th overall despite him being a consensus top-10 talent. In the Spring Breakout game, his fastball averaged 96 mph while also featuring a slider, cutter, and changeup. He only threw the changeup twice, and that will be a key pitch for him to develop to neutralize left-handed hitters. Red Sox fans will hope he follows in Payton Tolle's footsteps, as Tolle was promoted after just 49 2/3 innings with the Drive. 

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Cup of Coffee: Cheng, Romero spur Worcester comeback

4/2 Cup of Coffee: The WooSox didn't draw 20 walks like they did in Tuesday's series opener, but three players with three-hit games was enough to come away with the win. Worcester will get some company on the schedule Thursday, as Greenville and Salem both open the Class A schedule.

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Worcester Red Sox 5, St. Paul Saints (MIN) 4

Far from Tuesday's walk in the park, Worcester fell into an early hole before clawing its way back to the comeback win. Starter Jack Anderson surrendered a grand slam to highly-touted Twins outfielder Emmanuel Rodriguez in the third inning, giving the Saints a 4-0 advantage. The WooSox responded in the fourth with a Tsung-Che Cheng (pictured) solo homer. Cheng added a pair of singles and a stolen base, as well as executing a ninth-inning squeeze play that knotted the game at 4-4. Matt Thaiss followed with a go-ahead single, his third knock of the game. Mikey Romero made loud contact all afternoon with a double, two singles, and two 113-mph lineouts. 

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2026 SoxProspects Pre-Season All-Stars Pt. 1 - Position Players

For the first part of SoxProspects.com's 2026 Pre-Season All-Stars list, we start with the position players. This group of nine includes seven of the organization's top 20 prospects and two others who are also ranked. Stay tuned for the pitching portion of the 2026 Pre-Season All-Stars list coming on Thursday.

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Luke Heyman: Catcher, Salem RidgeYaks

Heyman, 22, is a Pre-Season All-Star for the first time and is currently ranked as the organization's No. 31 prospect. A 14th-round selection of the Mariners in last year's draft out of Florida, Heyman was acquired by the Red Sox for right-hander Alex Hoppe in November. In his junior season with the Gators, the right-handed hitter earned All-SEC First Team honors by batting .301/.397/.578 with seven doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 44 RBIs, 37 runs scored, 22 walks, and 38 strikeouts in 49 games (204 plate appearances). He did not play in an affiliated game after signing with Seattle for an over-slot $230,000 in July, as he was rehabbing from a broken forearm. To that end, he will make his professional debut once he takes the field for Salem to start the 2026 campaign.

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Cup of Coffee: Sogard homers twice, WooSox draw 20 walks in blowout win

4/1 Cup of Coffee: The patience and power of the WooSox lineup was on full display on Tuesday night, as the WooSox drew an incredible 20 walks and homered four times in their series opener in St. Paul. 

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Worcester Red Sox 19, St. Paul Saints (MIN) 3

The WooSox came out of the gates hot, as they batted around and scored eight runs in the top of the first. Worcester's monster first inning was highlighted by three home runs, including a three-run homer by Allan Castro and back-to-back home runs by Vinny Capra and Nick Sogard (pictured). Worcester put together another offensive explosion in the sixth inning, batting around again and scoring another ten runs. Sogard capped the rally with a grand slam and Jason Delay laced a two-run double in the inning. Capra and Delay both reached base five times in the game, each going 2 for 3 with three walks. Castro's first-inning homer was his first hit at the Triple-A level, as he was 1 for 4 with two walks and four RBI on the night.  

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Minor Notes: Early breaks camp in rotation, Triple-A season begins

The 2026 season is underway, as Boston and Worcester kicked off their seasons on Thursday and Friday last week. Portland, Greenville, and the newly-branded Salem RidgeYaks will follow in the coming days. Here at SoxProspects.com, we switch into regular season mode with our Minor Notes, the weekly breakdown of all the news on the system.

Early makes rotation as rosters are set

The final tweaks to the major league roster came down last week, and the most notable news was that 23-year-old lefty Connelly Early (pictured) made the major league rotation out of spring training. Early, currently ranked third in the system, was initally expected to open in Worcester, but a strong spring training on the heels of his impressive introduction to the majors at the end of 2025 earned him the nod. News that he would make the major league squad came last week, and the confirmation that Early would start was announced as the MLB rotation was set. Ryan Watson (#30) held on for the other open roster spot. Watson was taken in the Rule 5 draft by Oakland and then flipped to the Red Sox for infield Justin Riemer. Had he not made the roster, Boston would have needed to offer him back to the Giants. 

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Podcast Ep #408: And Away We Go

Ian Cundall is joined by SoxProspects Editor-In-Chief Mike Andrews to discuss the start of the Boston and Worcester seasons. They give their thoughts on ABS after a few games and an update on Angel Bastardo’s unique situation. After that, they discuss the Worcester season opening roster and what Ian saw from on opening day from Jake Bennett and Noah Song. After that, they preview the other affiliate rosters and answer all your emails. Ian then ends the show with an announcement.

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Ian Cundall Joins Baseball America

We’re excited to announce that Ian Cundall will be joining Baseball America full‑time as a Prospect Writer beginning April 1. The good news for SoxProspects readers is that Ian will continue hosting the SoxProspects.com Podcast and remain a valued friend of the site. SoxProspects fully expects to maintain the same high standard of content our audience has enjoyed for years.

Ian first joined the SoxProspects staff in October 2010 as our Northeast Scout. He became a regular presence on the podcast in July 2011 and was promoted to Director of Scouting in November 2013. Over the years, Ian has scouted hundreds of games across the Red Sox system, including stops in Boston, Worcester, Pawtucket, Portland, New Hampshire, Greenville, Salem, Lowell, and Fort Myers.

In November 2025, Ian began contributing to Baseball America in a part‑time role, and he will now be expanding that role in the weeks and months ahead. As most of our readers and listeners know, BA has been a leading authority on prospects across the MLB, college baseball, the international market, as well as the MLB Draft for over 45 years. 

At SoxProspects, we take immense pride in developing talented prospect writers and analysts and helping them advance to full‑time roles in the industry. Our staff members and alumni have gone on to work for or contribute to ESPN.com, Baseball Prospectus, The Boston Globe, The Baltimore Sun, The Worcester Telegram, MLB.com, and more - and Ian’s next step is yet another example of that tradition.

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Cup of Coffee: Tolle struggles through four innings; Gasper collects three hits

3/30 Cup of Coffee: It was a rough day for Worcester's pitching staff, as top prospect Payton Tolle only made it through four innings. The offense kept the team in the game, with Mickey Gasper's three hits leading the team. 

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Syracuse Mets (NYM) 10, Worcester Red Sox 8

The Mets scored two in the eighth and two in the ninth to win a back-and-forth contest. Starter Payton Tolle lasted only four innings and gave up six runs (four earned) while walking two and striking out six. It was an atypical pitch mix for Tolle, who threw his four-seam fastball only 25 percent of the time. His sinker and cutter were used more frequently, with the sinker being a new pitch in his arsenal in 2026. Zack Kelly allowed one hit over two shutout innings, and Jacob Webb surrendered two unearned runs in his 1 2/3 frames. The loss went to Kyle Keller, who allowed a two-run home run in the top of the ninth. 

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Cup of Coffee: Romero slugs first home run of the season, Uberstine turns in strong outing

With the Minor League season just two days old, only Worcester was in action on Saturday as the following ranks of the organization await their respective opening days next week. 

Worcester Red Sox 5, Syracuse Mets 3 

After a quiet day offensively on Opening Day, the Worcester offense had plenty of traffic on the bases thanks to seven hits and six walks on the afternoon. Tyler Uberstine made his first start of the season and was strong over his four innings of work in a no decision. Throwing 36 of his 56 pitches for strikes, the right-hander allowed a run with a pair of hits, a lone walk and three strikeouts. He would depart the game with the WooSox leading 2-1 thanks to a sacrifice fly by Matt Lloyd in the bottom of the second and the first home run of the season for Mikey Romero. After hitting 17 home runs across two levels in 2025, Romero sent an 0-2 changeup over the right-center field fence. The WooSox tacked onto the lead in the fifth. After Braiden Ward singled and Nick Sogard walked, Mickey Gasper roped a two-run double to right field to plate a pair and extend the lead to three. Worcester got one more run in the eighth on an RBI double by Jason Delay. 

Wyatt Olds earned the win after following Uberstine with 1 2/3 innings on the mound, allowing a run on a hit with two strikeouts. Tyler Samaniego earned a hold with 2 1/3 innings in his Red Sox organization debut, and Tayron Guerrero picked up the save with a scoreless ninth. 

Player of the Day: Mikey Romero showcased his power profile that Boston fans saw plenty of last season. Romero's first home run of 2026 in the fourth inning gave Worcester the lead for good. Romero belted nine home runs in 45 games in his time with the WooSox last season and is off to a strong start toward adding to his power as the year goes on. 

Photo Credit: Mikey Romero by Kelly O'Connor

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Cup of Coffee: Bennett, Sweet shine but WooSox fall in opener

3/28 Cup of Coffee: The 2026 minor league season is officially underway, as is the SoxProspects.com daily coverage. Worcester kicked off at home with a marquee pitching matchup of Jake Bennett taking on Mets prospect Jonah Tong. The rest of the full-season affiliates get underway late next week. 

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Syracuse Mets (NYM) 3, Worcester Red Sox 1

The WooSox offense was largely held silent by Jonah Tong and a quartet of relievers, managing five hits, all of them singles. Mickey Gasper was 1 for 3 with a pair of walks, scoring Worcester's lone run on a Tsung-Che Cheng single. Nick Sogard also had a hit and walked twice. Jake Bennett took the loss despite a solid effort in his organizational debut, allowing one unearned run on two hits in three innings. He struck out five without issuing a walk and threw 44 of 59 pitches for strikes. Seth Martinez struck out three in two innings but surrendered one run on a solo homer. The Mets reached Noah Song for an insurance run on four hits in 1 2/3. Devin Sweet (pictured) was the standout out of the bullpen, striking out six of the seven batters he faced in 2 1/3 perfect frames. 

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Podcast Ep #407: Alex Speier Joins to Recap Red Sox Spring Training

Ian Cundall is joined by a very special guest, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, to discuss the Red Sox opening day roster and put a bow on spring training. They talk about the fifth starter decision, Payton Tolle’s outlook, questions about the bullpen, how outfield playing time will work, Marcelo Mayer’s spring and more! After that they wrap up the show by discussing Alex’s experience at the WBC and his piece on the Red Sox’ Venezuelan players.

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Podcast Ep #406: Spring Breakout Madness

Ian Cundall and Chris Hatfield recap the second half of the crew’s trip to Spring Training, including the Spring Breakout Game. They talk about the dominant performances from the Red Sox pitching staff including Anthony Eyanson’s breakout performance. They then switch gears and discuss the position players who stood out including Henry Godbout and Enddy Azocar. After that they go through other players who caught their eye during backfields action including pitchers Leighton Finley, Barrett Morgan and Madinson Frias and position players Dorian Soto, Harold Rivas and Luke Heyman. They then wrap up the show by talking about the latest minor league transactions.

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Fort Report: Early breaks camp with Boston; Mayer named starter at second base

Spring Training concludes on Tuesday with Boston's season set to kick off on Thursday in Cincinnati. Worcester will be the only affiliate in action this week as the WooSox begin their season on Friday at home against Syracuse. Portland, Greenville, and Salem will all start the first week of April. 

Final roster takes shape

The Red Sox finalized their position player group on Monday with Andruw Monasterio and Connor Wong officially making the opening day roster. Wong will be the backup catcher, while Monasterio will combine with Isiah Kiner-Falefa to be the primary infield backups. This news comes on the heels of the Red Sox announcing that Caleb Durbin will be the starting third baseman with Marcelo Mayer starting at second. The bench is rounded out by Masataka Yoshida who figures to be the fifth outfielder and primary pinch-hitter against right-handed pitching. 

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Podcast Ep #405: The Gang Goes to Florida

Ian Cundall is joined by Mike Andrews and Chris Hatfield for their first podcast from Fort Myers! They start off by praising the World Baseball Classic and then talk about the impact past and current Red Sox had in the final. After that they go through the latest Red Sox news including cuts from camp, two new relievers and several injured minor league pitchers. They then recap their experience at Futures at Fenway South and preview Friday’s Spring Breakout Game!

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Fort Report: SoxProspects team makes annual trip to spring training

With several Red Sox mainstays returning from the World Baseball Classic and the season approaching in just over a week, playing time in major league camp has been harder to come by for Boston’s prospects. Still, several exciting Red Sox minor leaguers made appearances in the Grapefruit League over the last week. The SoxProspects.com crew has been taking it all in during the team’s annual trip to Fort Myers, and Director of Scouting Ian Cundall has been posting video and scouting updates on Twitter. One of the highlights of the spring for prospect lovers, the Spring Breakout Game, is set to take place this Friday against the Orioles. 

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Meet Ethan Walker; New Red Sox prospect with 'Liam Hendriks-esque' mound prescence

The last nine months have been an unusual experience for most of the pitchers in Boston's 2025 draft class. Many have never had such a long stretch without appearing in a real game. The lack of game action gives the players a lot of downtime to work on their own stuff while at the complex in Fort Myers. During the time off, it might be safe to say some might be developing that "itch" to go out and compete again. Red Sox 12th-round pick Ethan Walker fits that description.

"Everything has been going really good," Walker said of his time off. "It has been a super easy transition to pro ball getting to know all the staff in the Red Sox facility during this time. I am missing the games quite a lot. I like competing. I like being out there by myself on the mound. There are no worries. It’s just you and the batter. I was itching to start throwing lives. I couldn’t wait for all the stuff to start in Spring Training. I have had the itch since I got drafted. I was ready to get going right away."

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Fort Report: Boston prospects make headlines in WBC, first cuts of the spring made

As spring training inches closer to the halfway mark and Opening Day sits just over two weeks away, there is still plenty going on in Fort Myers while the World Baseball Classic is in full swing. In the latest iteration of the Fort Report, there is plenty of news going on between both events

 

Boston farmhands stand out in WBC

While plenty of players from Boston's major league team are representing countless countries in the World Baseball Classic, a few prospects have also taken the global stage. After pitching well in the Puerto Rican Winter League this offseason, left-hand pitcher Eduardo Rivera turned in a stellar start for the island. In Puerto Rico's 5-4 extra-inning victory over Panama on Saturday night, Rivera dazzled over 4 1/3 frames. He allowed a run on a single hit with one walk while striking out five as he reached 97.4 MPH on his fastball. Rivera split time between Greenville and Portland in 2025, posting a 3.10 ERA in 87 innings. 

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Podcast Ep #404: Red Sox News and Spring Trip Preview

Ian Cundall is joined by Mike Andrews to go through all the news from Red Sox spring training over the last week! After that they talk about the greatness that is the World Baseball Classic and then preview their upcoming trip to Red Sox spring training! They wrap up the show discussing the players they are excited to see in the Spring Breakout Game and answer your emails!

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Podcast Ep #403: Red Sox Spring Training Storyline Draft and Emails

Ian Cundall is joined by Andrew Parker to go through all the storylines from Red Sox spring training so far! Topics discussed include Jake Bennett’s velocity increase, Justin Gonzales’s size, Payton Tolle’s arsenal changes, Braiden Ward’s speed and more! They also go through Andrew’s latest articles on Henry Godbout and Marcus Phillips and answer your emails!

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Fort Report: Arias, Gonzales enter spring spotlight as WBC begins

We are back with our fourth Fort Report of the spring. The Red Sox are 11 games into their spring training schedule and, like other clubs, are entering an interesting stretch with the 2026 World Baseball Classic set to get underway this week. Having said that, here is a look at where things stand within the organization as Opening Day draws closer.

WBC departures mean opportunities for others 

The Red Sox will be well-represented in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Even with non-roster invitee Tayron Guerrero withdrawing from Colombia, Boston still has 14 players set to participate in the tournament: Wilyer Abreu (Venezuela), Jack Anderson (Great Britain), Roman Anthony (United States), Brayan Bello (Dominican Republic), Willson Contreras (Venezuela), Jarren Duran (Mexico), Nate Eaton (Great Britain), Jovani Moran (Puerto Rico), Ceddanne Rafaela (Netherlands), Eduardo Rivera (Puerto Rico), Ranger Suarez (Venezuela), Greg Weissert (Italy), Garrett Whitlock (United States), and Masataka Yoshida (Japan).

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Marcus Phillips on first Spring Training with Red Sox: "I have huge chip on my shoulder'

The Red Sox have brought some top talent into the organization from many of the traditional baseball hotbeds. California. Texas. Georgia. Florida. South Dakota?

Yes, South Dakota, home state of Boston's second 2025 draft selection, Marcus Phillips.

"Baseball is interesting in South Dakota," Phillips said. "It is slowly getting better, but I would be lying to you if I said that it wasn’t a different experience. It is nothing like playing baseball down in Florida. I would travel down there for tournaments, and you see guys running up in the low nineties at 17 years old on a consistent basis. Back home, it was only me and two other guys throwing hard in all of South Dakota. When I say hard, I mean 88-91 mph in high school. My best friend, Jack Riddell, who is at Notre Dame, was throwing 92 in high school. Aside from him, the closest to that was around 85 MPH. It is no wonder you only see pitchers come out of the state because hitters aren’t seeing velocity. I saw 90 for the first time in JuCo ball as a two-way player and I was blown away. I didn’t know what to expect in the box because I had never faced that before."

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Fort Report: Tolle, Early get nods in early Grapefruit League action

In stark contrast to the local weather back home at Fenway, the Red Sox began Grapefruit League action this week. They kicked off with their annual tilt against Northeastern University before moving on to major league contests on Saturday.

Young hurlers in spotlight

As usual at this juncture of the spring, the pitching load has been heavily weighted toward the prospects. Top prospect Payton Tolle (pictured) got the start on Sunday, with third-ranked Connelly Early following on Monday. Tyler Uberstine, ranked 13th and added to the 40-man roster in the offseason, got the nod for the Northeastern game on Friday. Mixed in was Saturday's outing from 2022 SoxProspects.com valedictorian Brayan Bello.

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Podcast Ep #402: Early reports from Spring Training and emails

Ian Cundall is joined by Andrew Parker who is down in Fort Myers to talk about the latest Red Sox news. They dive into the impact on the roster of Romy González’s injury, the incoming challenge system and more. After that Andrew goes through what he’s learned on the backfields so far including notes on Christian Foutch, John Holobetz and Conrad Cason. They then wrap up the show by answering a plethora of emails!

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Fort Report: Full squad reports to spring training

Pitchers and catchers reported to spring training last Tuesday and the first full team workout took place on Sunday. The Red Sox annual opener against Northeastern is scheduled for this Friday, with the first official Grapefruit League game on Saturday against the Twins. 

The Big Three, one year later

The Big Three of Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell (pictured), and Marcelo Mayer entered last season listed second, fourth, and 15th on Baseball America's prospect rankings. The highly-touted trio all made their debuts with the Red Sox last season, with Anthony excelling before a season-ending oblique injury while Campbell and Mayer posted mixed results in their first taste of the major league level. 

One season later, Campbell's development and role on the 2026 team is one of the more intriguing storylines coming into camp. After making the team out of spring training last year and winning Rookie of the Month in April, Campbell struggled at the plate and defensively at second base before being optioned to Worcester in June. He has overhauled his swing over the offseason as he hopes to recover the form that made him one of the top prospects in baseball a year ago. On the defensive side, Alex Cora indicated that Campbell will receive most of his playing time in the outfield this spring. This position change makes Campbell’s spot on the roster unclear, as the Red Sox already have four starting-caliber outfielders, but a strong spring could propel him onto the Opening Day roster. 

Roman Anthony enters the 2026 season expected to hit near the top of the order and serve a key contributor in the Red Sox lineup after hitting .292/.396/.463 in 71 games as a rookie. On Monday, he was officially named to the Team USA roster for the World Baseball Classic as an injury replacement for Corbin Carroll. At 21 years old, Anthony will be the youngest member of Team USA in World Baseball Classic history. 

Mayer played in 44 games at the big league level last year and hit only .228 while striking out in 30% of his plate appearances. However, he displayed impressive bat speed and strong defense at multiple infield positions. Barring any further additions to the Red Sox infield, Mayer is slated to receive regular playing time at either second or third base, with recent acquisition Caleb Durbin starting in the other position. 

Bennett impressing in first spring training with Red Sox

Per Tim Healey of the Boston Globe, Jake Bennett has been a highlight of the team's early spring workouts, with Alex Cora, Roman Anthony, and Carlos Narvaez praising the left-hander. Bennett was acquired from Washington in exchange for Luis Perales this offseason and he is ranked sixth in the SoxProspects.com rankings. In 45 2/3 innings at the Double-A level last season, Bennett posted a 2.56 ERA and struck out 33 batters. Standing 6-foot-6, Bennett has elite extension and showed increased velocity in the Arizona Fall League last year. 

New podcast episode

In the latest episode of the SoxProspects.com podcast, Ian and Mike broke down the Caleb Durbin trade and how the roster is shaping up as spring training begins. 

Where are they now? 

Two members of the 2025 Red Sox signed minor league deals with other organizations. First baseman Nathaniel Lowe signed with Cincinnati and relief pitcher Liam Hendriks with Minnesota. Lowe was an impactful late-season addition after he was designated for assignment by the Nationals, as he hit .280/.370/.420 in 34 games with the Red Sox and helped to solidify one of the team's weakest positions at first base. Hendriks was signed before the 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John Surgery. The three-time All-Star never returned to form with the Red Sox, missing the entire 2024 season and posting a 6.59 ERA in 13 2/3 innings last year. 

Photo Credit: Kristian Campbell by Kelly O'Connor

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Podcast Ep #401: Examining the Red Sox roster post Durbin trade

Ian Cundall and Mike Andrews are back to break down the Caleb Durbin trade and examine how the MLB roster plays out. They also give their thoughts on Craig Breslow’s offseason as a whole and what the strengths and weaknesses are on the current roster. They also discuss why the lack of power might not matter as much in the regular season, but could in the playoffs, before wrapping up with some early tidbits from spring training including which players are standing out in workouts and some early velocity numbers courtesy of SoxProspects Feature Writer Andrew Parker. 

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Fort Report: Welcome to Spring Training 2026

Pitchers and catchers are due to report to spring training today, but plenty of action is already taking place in Fort Myers. Some tweaks late in the offseason has what appears to be a complete major league roster alignment. 

Red Sox acquire infielder Caleb Durbin

The seven-piece deal to round out the starting infield was made official on Monday. Caleb Durbin joined  Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler head to Boston in exchange for infielder David Hamilton and pitchers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan. Boston also receieves a Competitive Balance pick in the July draft from Milwaukee, currently 67th overall. Durbin finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2025 following his acquisition by the Brewers in the deal that sent Devin Williams to the Yankees. Monasterio has appeared in 219 major league games across three seasons. Siegler, like Durbin, was originally drafted by the Yankees. He was the 23rd overall pick in 2018, three spots before the Sox selected Triston Casas. Siegler's utility-player profile has something of a unique twist: while he throws right-handed while playing the infoeld and catching, he plays the outfield left-handed.

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Maximus Martin plans to bring “versatility at premium positions” to Red Sox system

Since taking over as head of baseball operations, Craig Breslow has significantly revamped the organization's approach to run prevention. It is no secret that Boston's draft strategy has been central to that shift. While much has been said about Breslow using 29 selections of a possible 40 on pitchers, the focus on defensive skill and versatility in position players has also been notable. Maximus Martin, Boston's 10th-round pick out of Kansas State, fits that profile.

Martin was listed as a shortstop on draft day, but his ability to play another premium position as well as a power boost at the plate caught the Red Sox attention.

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Podcast Ep #400: Another Trade, Another Signing and Top 100 Talk with Geoff Pontes

Ian Cundall is joined by Geoff Pontes of Baseball America to talk about the latest Red Sox news. They start off by breaking down the Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin trade. They then discuss the Isiah Kiner-Falefa signing, how he fits with the current Red Sox roster, and where the team goes from here. After that, they discuss the other transactions over the last few weeks including new NRIs and a minor trade. They wrap up the show talking about the offseason ex-Red Sox front office members Chaim Bloom and Paul Toboni have had and where the Red Sox rank in the newly released Baseball America Top 100.

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