April 1, 2026 at 12:00 PM
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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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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Gonzales, 19, is a Pre-Season All-Star for the second consecutive year and is currently ranked as the organization's No. 7 prospect. Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $250,000 in January 2024, Gonzales turned heads in his 2025 stateside debut. In 93 games between the FCL, Salem, and Greenville, the right-handed hitter batted .281/.363/.390 with 23 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 32 RBIs, 50 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 39 walks, and 65 strikeouts over 310 plate appearances. He was recognized as a Carolina League Post-Season All-Star and SoxProspects.com's Breakout Player of the Year. On the heels of another eye-popping spring, Gonzales is slated to return to Greenville out of the gate in 2026.
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Godbout, 22, is another first-time Pre-Season All-Star and is currently ranked as the organization's No. 11 prospect. The Virginia product was selected by the Red Sox with the 75th overall pick in last year's draft, which they had received as compensation for losing Nick Pivetta to the Padres in free agency. He signed for $1.0938 million in July and made his professional debut with Greenville in August. Though an injury limited him to 13 games, the right-handed hitter slashed an impressive .341/.473/.477 with six doubles, five RBIs, six runs scored, one stolen base, nine walks, and six strikeouts over his first 55 plate appearances for the Drive. Like Gonzales, Godbout is expected to return to Greenville for the start of his first full season as a pro.
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Romero, 22, is a Pre-Season All-Star for the second straight year and is currently ranked one spot below Godbout as the No. 12 prospect in the system. The 2022 first-rounder out of Orange Lutheran is coming off a solid 2025 campaign in which he batted .245/.300/.452 with 33 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs, 76 RBIs, 61 runs scored, five stolen bases, 34 walks, and 132 strikeouts in 111 games (489 plate appearances) between Portland and Worcester. He led the organization in several offensive categories and was rewarded with his first non-roster invite to major league camp this spring. The left-handed hitter returned to Worcester to start his 2026 season.
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Arias, 20, is a Pre-Season All-Star for the second straight year and is currently ranked as the organization's No. 2 prospect behind only left-hander Payton Tolle. Signed out of Venezuela for $525,000 in January 2023, Arias burst onto the scene in his 2024 stateside debut and followed that by advancing through three levels in 2025. The slick-fielding right-handed hitter slashed .278/.335/.388 with 27 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 66 RBIs, 62 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 38 walks, and 53 strikeouts in 116 games (526 plate appearances) between Salem, Greenville, and Portland en route to picking up SoxProspects.com All-Star honors. He is slated to return to Portland to begin 2026.
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Rivas, who turns 18 in May, is another first-time Pre-Season All-Star and is currently ranked as the organization's No. 22 prospect. The native Venezuelan received the second-largest bonus ($950,000) in Boston's 2025 international signing class and had a solid pro debut in the Dominican Summer League last season. In 46 games for DSL Red Sox Blue, the right-handed hitter batted .258/.393/.384 with six doubles, four triples, two home runs, 20 RBIs, 41 runs scored, 18 stolen bases, 35 walks, and 35 strikeouts over 196 plate appearances. After arriving in Fort Myers earlier this spring, Rivas is in line to make his stateside debut once the 2026 Florida Complex League season begins.
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Azocar, 19, is a Pre-Season All-Star for the first time and is currently ranked as the No. 18 prospect in the system. Signed out of Venezuela for $40,000 in January 2024, Azocar really did not appear on the radar until arriving for his first stateside spring training last year. He then got his 2025 season off to a blistering start in the Florida Complex League before cooling off upon moving up to Salem in late May. Between the two affiliates, the right-handed hitter slashed .232/.302/.355 with 16 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 31 RBIs, 40 runs scored, 15 stolen bases, 27 walks, and 78 strikeouts in 85 games (345 plate appearances). Despite the offensive struggles at Low-A, Azocar still produced intriguing batted ball data. He is expected to return to Salem to start his 2026 season.
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Castro, who turns 23 in May, is a Pre-Season All-Star for the second time and is currently ranked one spot below Azocar as the organization's No. 19 prospect. Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $100,000 in July 2019, Castro spent all of 2025 with Portland. The switch-hitter was recognized as the Sea Dogs' MVP after batting .268/.353/.400 with 20 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 37 RBIs, 43 runs scored, 15 stolen bases, 44 walks, and 79 strikeouts in 92 games (388 plate appearances). He broke camp with Worcester this spring to reach the Triple-A level for the first time.
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Soto, 18, is a first-time Pre-Season All-Star and is currently ranked as the organization's No. 8 prospect. The Dominican native received the largest bonus ($1.4 million) in Boston's 2025 international signing class and earned Dominican Summer League All-Star honors in his professional debut. The switch-hitting infielder slashed .307/.362/.428 with 10 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 18 RBIs, 27 runs scored, one stolen base, 16 walks, and 28 strikeouts in 47 games (186 plate appearances) between DSL Red Sox Blue and Red. Like Rivas, expect Soto to make his stateside debut in the 2026 Florida Complex League.
Photo Credit: All by Kelly O'Connor