How Red Sox pitching prospect Devin Futrell fared across three levels in 2026

Only Gage Ziehl and John Holobetz threw more innings than Devin Futrell among Red Sox minor leaguers in 2026. This article will examine how the 24-year-old left-hander fared in his second full professional season.

In part because of the influx of pitching prospects (Kyson Witherspoon, Marcus Phillips, and Anthony Eyanson) selected by Boston in the 2025 draft, Futrell returned to Low-A Salem out of camp this spring despite reaching High-A Greenville last summer. He quickly showed that he had little left to prove at that level, tossing nine scoreless, one-hit innings over two appearances (one start) for the RidgeYaks before rejoining the Drive in mid-April.

“I mostly contribute being locked in so early in the season to my competitiveness,” Futrell told SoxProspects.com’s Andrew Parker in May. “I don’t want to go out there and get shelled. I just want to go out there and make the hitters look bad. Making yourself look better is what’s going to get you to the next level. I just go day in and day out and just try to show the hitters that I am better than them.”

Futrell’s return to Greenville lasted nearly four months. The lefty posted a 4.22 ERA with 85 strikeouts to 14 walks across 15 outings (12 starts) and 74 2/3 innings for the Drive before being promoted to Double-A Portland in early August. In his first taste of the upper minors, he pitched to a 4.55 ERA with 35 strikeouts to just three walks in six starts (31 2/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs down the stretch.

Overall, Futrell forged a 3.98 ERA with 130 strikeouts to 19 walks over 23 outings (19 starts) and 115 1/3 innings between Salem, Greenville, and Portland this season, nearly doubling his inning total from the year prior. Opponents batted .251/.284/.434 against him across 470 plate appearances. That includes a .259/.289/.492 line from right-handed hitters and a .232/.272/.310 line from left-handed hitters.

Among the 50 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 50 innings in 2026, Futrell ranked second in walks per nine innings (1.48) and walk rate (4%), fifth in WHIP (1.14), ninth in xFIP (3.92), 11th in FIP (3.94), 13th in ERA, and 19th in strikeout rate (27.7%), according to FanGraphs.

Futrell was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 10th round (297th overall) of the 2024 draft out of Vanderbilt. The Florida native received an above-slot $250,000 signing bonus but did not make his professional debut last April. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 44 prospect, ranking 18th among pitchers in the organization.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 218 pounds, Futrell is not known as a flamethrower. This season, the southpaw’s fastball topped out at 91.6 mph and typically sat in the high 80s. He also implemented new secondary offerings into his arsenal, including a cutter, splitter, and sweeper, to keep hitters off balance.

“My lowest-hanging fruit is my velocity,” Futrell noted to Parker. “I know it is a big part of today’s game. But there are still guys out there who get outs, and I am one of those guys. As long as I am working on that and keep pushing up the floor throughout all my pitches, I will get to where I need to be.

“Just recently I decided to switch up my sweeper a little bit,” he continued. “I was chasing the horizontal before, and now I am trying to actually get lift to my sweeper. It is something you don’t usually see with that pitch. Most of them hang around the zero line. I am trying to get mine to like five or ten vert. I want it to ride a bit to hitters. It looks like a slow cutter out of my hand.”

Barring a trade or other move this winter, SoxProspects.com projects that Futrell — who turned 24 in September — will return to Portland’s starting rotation to begin the 2027 season. He will continue to be tested without premium velocity, but his exceptional control gives him intriguing upside.

(Picture of Devin Futrell: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How Red Sox speedster Braiden Ward fared in 2026

After coming over from the Rockies in an offseason trade, Braiden Ward stole more bases than any other Red Sox minor leaguer in 2026. This article will examine how the 27-year-old speedster fared during the season as a whole.

A former 16th-round draft pick out of Washington in 2021, Ward was acquired from Colorado for left-hander Brennan Bernardino last November. The California native wasted little time in making a positive impression with his new organization.

In his first spring training with Boston, Ward — a non-roster invitee — benefited from the absence of several other outfielders (Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Nate Eaton, and Ceddanne Rafaela) who were away competing in the World Baseball Classic. He made the most of the opportunity, stealing 19 bases in 22 attempts over 27 Grapefruit League games to establish a new spring training record.

Despite the standout spring, Ward did not break camp with the Red Sox in late March. Instead, he reported to Triple-A Worcester, where he would spend the entire minor league campaign. He went on to steal 61 bases in 70 attempts over 109 games for the WooSox, breaking the organization’s single-season Triple-A record while doing so.

Along with the 61 stolen bases, the most for any player at the Triple-A level in 2026, Ward had a solid season at the plate for Worcester. Known for his contact skills, the left-handed hitter batted .251/.364/.373 with 19 doubles, five triples, six home runs, 33 RBIs, 83 runs scored, 39 walks, and 82 strikeouts over a career-high 456 plate appearances. He slashed .239/.348/.365 in 374 plate appearances against righties and .308/.439/.415 in 82 plate appearances against lefties.

Among the 48 hitters who logged at least 450 plate appearances in the International League this year, Ward led in both speed score (9.2) and weighted stolen base runs (6.8). He also ranked 12th in strikeout rate (18%), 15th in on-base percentage, and 20th in swinging-strike rate (9.5%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Ward saw action at all three outfield spots for the WooSox this season. The athletic 5-foot-9, 160-pounder (listed height and weight) made a team-leading 68 starts in center, 22 starts in left, and 15 starts in right. Between the three positions, he recorded five assists without committing an error in 234 total chances spanning 910 2/3 innings.

Following a strong September that included his first career five-hit game in Worcester’s penultimate contest of the season, Ward was summoned by the Red Sox ahead of their Wild Card Series against the Yankees in the Bronx. Although the club considered him for a postseason roster spot as a pinch-running specialist, he ultimately was left off the roster. Had he made the roster and appeared in a game, Ward would have become the first player in franchise history and the seventh in MLB history to make his big league debut during the postseason.

Although he missed out on a chance to make history, Ward’s first season in the Red Sox organization can still be viewed as a successful one. He is not currently ranked among the system’s top prospects, but his game-changing speed could attract some Rule 5 Draft interest this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster.

Assuming he remains in the organization, SoxProspects.com projects that Ward — who turns 28 in January — will return to Worcester to begin the 2027 campaign. It would be his final season before he becomes eligible for minor league free agency.

(Picture of Braiden Ward: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

How Red Sox pitching prospect John Holobetz fared in first full season with organization

Behind only Gage Ziehl, John Holobetz threw more innings than any other Red Sox minor leaguer in 2026. This article will take a look at how the 24-year-old right-hander fared in his first full season with the organization.

After first reaching the level last August, Holobetz returned to Double-A Portland out of camp this spring. The righty got off to an encouraging start, posting a 2.45 ERA with 26 strikeouts to six walks in his first four starts (22 innings) for the Sea Dogs through the end of April. He then struggled to a 7.99 ERA over his next six outings (five starts) and 23 2/3 innings before righting the ship in mid-June.

From June 14 through July 23, Holobetz posted a 2.97 ERA with 44 strikeouts to seven walks across seven appearances (six starts) and 33 1/3 innings for Portland. Five days after recording his second double-digit strikeout performance of the season, he was officially promoted to Triple-A Worcester on July 28, reaching the minors’ top level for the first time.

To close out the 2026 campaign, Holobetz made nine appearances (eight starts) for the WooSox, producing a 3.57 ERA with 39 strikeouts to 11 walks over 40 1/3 innings. He ended his season on a high note by striking out eight across 4 1/3 scoreless frames of relief against Durham on September 17.

Overall, then, Holobetz forged a 4.07 ERA with 132 strikeouts (the most among righties in the organization) to 36 walks over 26 outings (23 starts) and 119 1/3 innings between Portland and Worcester this season. Opponents slashed .245/.302/.390 in 502 plate appearances against him. That includes a .218/.256/.325 line from right-handed hitters and a .273/.346/.458 line from left-handed hitters.

Among the 50 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 50 innings this year, Holobetz ranked seventh in walks per nine (2.72) and walk rate (7.2%), eighth in xFIP (3.87), 12th in WHIP (1.25), 16th in ERA and FIP (4.05), 21st in groundball rate (44.6%), 23rd in swinging-strike rate (13%), 24th in batting average against, and 25th in strikeout rate (26.3%), according to FanGraphs.

Holobetz, a former fifth-round draft pick (156th overall) of the Brewers out of Old Dominion in 2024, was acquired by the Red Sox last May as the player to be named later in the Quinn Priester trade made a month earlier. The Pennsylvania native is currently regarded as Boston’s No. 9 prospect by Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and SoxProspects.com. All three outlets rank him third among pitchers in the organization behind young righties Juan Valera and Sadbiel Delzine.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Holobetz throws from a lower release point and features a five-pitch mix. This season, he got up to 98.2 mph with his fastball that typically sits in the mid-to-upper 90s. He also mixed in an upper-80s cutter and changeup, along with a lower-80s curveball and sweeper. While his heater grades well, his secondary offerings are still considered works in progress.

Barring a trade or other move this winter, SoxProspects.com projects that Holobetz — who will not turn 25 until next July — will return to Worcester’s rotation to start the 2027 season. Like Ziehl, though, his ability to fill the strike zone, miss bats, and limit walks could put him on track for his first major league call-up sooner rather than later.

(Picture of John Holobetz: Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

How Red Sox pitching prospect Gage Ziehl fared in 2026 after ‘crazy’ trade

After coming over from the White Sox in a February trade, Gage Ziehl made more starts and pitched more innings than any other Red Sox minor leaguer in 2026. This article will take a look at how the 23-year-old right-hander fared during his first season with the organization.

Acquired from Chicago for fellow righties Jordan Hicks and David Sandlin (as well as cash considerations), Ziehl opened the 2026 campaign at Double-A Portland but got off to a rocky start. He struggled to a 5.94 ERA through his first seven starts (33 1/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs before turning a corner as the calendar flipped from May to June.

From May 31 onward, Ziehl posted a 3.21 ERA with 61 strikeouts to 11 walks in his next 10 starts (47 2/3 innings) for Portland before being promoted to Triple-A Worcester on August 4. He then closed out an eventful season by pitching to a 4.17 ERA with 33 strikeouts to seven walks over eight starts (41 innings) for the WooSox in his first go-around at the minors’ highest level.

Altogether, then, Ziehl forged a 4.28 ERA with 129 strikeouts to just 25 walks in 25 starts (122 innings) between Portland and Worcester. Opponents batted .269/.314/.448 against him. That includes a .287/.342/.502 line from right-handed hitters and a .249/.283/.391 line from left-handed hitters.

In addition to leading Red Sox minor leaguers in starts and innings pitched, Ziehl stood out in several other categories as well. Among the 50 pitchers in the organization who threw at least 50 innings this season, the righty ranked third in walks per nine (1.84) and walk rate (4.8%), fifth in groundball rate (52.1%) and xFIP (3.71), 15th in WHIP (1.27), 17th in ERA, and 21st in FIP (4.28), according to FanGraphs.

A University of Miami product, Ziehl was originally selected by the Yankees in the fourth round (119th overall) of the 2024 draft. He received a $637,000 signing bonus and made his professional debut last April before being traded to the White Sox for Austin Slater less than four months later. In February, as he was preparing for the start of spring training, he was on the move yet again.

“The whole trade experience here was a bit crazy,” Ziehl recalled to SoxProspects.com’s Andrew Parker in August. “I trained in Florida over the offseason and had already shipped my car to Arizona for White Sox camp. I was about to board my connecting flight to Arizona when I got a call asking if I had already booked a flight out. I had already boarded and [was] on the runway when I got a call from the assistant general manager from Chicago saying I had been traded. I couldn’t get off the plane by this point. So, I made my flight, shipped my car to Fort Myers, and was there the next day.”

Since joining the Red Sox organization, Ziehl has worked to lower his arm slot and revamp his diverse arsenal. This season, the 6-foot, 223-pound hurler featured a six-pitch mix consisting of a newly implemented 85-88 mph changeup and 90-94 mph sinker, as well as a 91-93 mph fastball that topped out at 95 mph, an 88-91 mph cutter, an 82-84 mph sweeper, and a 79-80 mph curveball.

On the heels of his second full professional season, Ziehl is currently ranked as Boston’s No. 17 prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 21 by SoxProspects.com. Baseball America, meanwhile, does not include him among the organization’s top 30 prospects.

Barring a trade or other move this winter, SoxProspects.com projects that Ziehl — who will not turn 24 until next May — will return to Worcester to begin the 2027 season. Given his ability to fill the strike zone, limit walks, and get outs, however, there is reason to believe he could earn a big league opportunity with the Red Sox at some point.

(Picture of Gage Ziehl: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How Red Sox OF prospect Andrews Opata earned organization’s 2026 Minor League Baserunner of the Year award

Shortly after wrapping up his first full professional season, Red Sox outfield prospect Andrews Opata was selected as the organization’s 2026 Minor League Baserunner of the Year.

Opata joined the Red Sox organization as an undrafted free agent out of Division II North Georgia last July after earning 2025 Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year honors. Rather than transfer to Division I Kennesaw State for what would have been his senior season, the Lawrenceville native elected to go pro, signing with Boston for $75,000.

“I was just thinking whatever happens, happens,” Opata recalled to MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith last month at Fenway Park. “If I don’t get drafted or signed, I’ll just go to Kennesaw State. But I was talking with my agent, and he was talking with the Red Sox, and he was pretty sure that the Red Sox were going to be the team to pick me up. It was just kind of a matter of when.

“Being around the people who have developed some of those guys that are playing in Boston right now is just something that I want to be a part of,” Opata added.

Though he signed last summer, Opata did not make his professional debut until early April, when he broke camp with Low-A Salem. The 22-year-old speedster spent the entire 2026 campaign with the RidgeYaks, setting a modern franchise record (since 2004) with 54 stolen bases in 62 attempts.

In addition to leading Salem in stolen bases and ranking second in the Carolina League and Red Sox organization in that category, Opata put together a solid season at the plate, particularly after the All-Star break. Over his final 34 games from July 17 through the end of the year, the right-handed hitter batted .289/.411/.491 with six doubles, one triple, five home runs, 26 RBIs, 31 runs scored, 22 walks, and 32 strikeouts over 141 plate appearances.

Overall, Opata slashed .257/.374/.404 with 15 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 56 RBIs, 81 runs scored, 65 walks, and 126 strikeouts across 103 games (444 plate appearances) for the RidgeYaks in 2026. He posted a .265/.372/.367 line in 347 plate appearances against righties and a .227/.381/.547 line in 97 plate appearances against lefties.

Opata was one of 32 hitters to log at least 400 plate appearances in the Carolina League this year. Among those 32, he led in both speed score (8.5) and wSB (5.9). He also ranked 10th in on-base percentage, OPS (.778), walk rate (14.6%), and wOBA (.374), 11th in batting average, 13th in slugging percentage and wRC+ (108), and 15th in isolated power (.146), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Opata saw most of his action with Salem in the corner outfield spots. The athletic 6-foot-2, 200-pounder made 64 starts in left field and 38 starts in right field for the RidgeYaks, committing four errors and recording six assists across 210 chances over 880 innings between the two positions. He also made one start at DH.

“Speed is a big part of my game, but I can also do stuff in the box and on defense, too,” Opata told Smith. “I try and pride myself on being as best of a five-tool player as I can possibly be. I try to get on, steal bases — but hitting home runs and hitting doubles is also fun, too. So I try to do that and do whatever I can to do it for the team ultimately is what I try to do.”

Opata, who turns 23 in December, is not ranked among Boston’s top prospects by publications such as Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, or SoxProspects.com. Barring a trade or other move this winter, SoxProspects.com projects that he will make the jump to High-A Greenville to begin the 2027 campaign.

Looking ahead to the offseason, Opata told Smith that he was pleased with how he adjusted to professional pitching and held up physically over the course of 103 games.

“Going into the offseason, I’m working mainly on my ball flight and my bat-to-ball skills to cut down on the strikeouts,” Opata said. “Ultimately … get a little bit more launch angle and some of that so I can turn some of those singles and doubles that I’m hitting into homers.”

(Picture of Andrews Opata: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How Red Sox prospect Ronny Hernandez emerged as power threat in first season with organization

Despite playing in just 67 games this season, Red Sox catching/first base prospect Ronny Hernandez established himself as one of the organization’s most productive hitters.

Acquired from the White Sox for left-hander Chris Murphy last November, Hernandez enjoyed a power surge in his first season in the Red Sox system, more than doubling his career home run total during his time with High-A Greenville.

Due to a right quadriceps strain suffered late in camp, Hernandez stayed behind in Fort Myers for extended spring training before being activated from the injured list by Greenville on May 5. The 21-year-old made his organizational debut against Greensboro the following morning and had a day to remember, going 4-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs and a walk.

From there, Hernandez continued to produce. In 67 games for the Drive overall, the left-handed hitter batted a stout .304/.407/.548 with 11 doubles, a career-high 15 home runs, 45 RBIs, 50 runs scored, and as many walks as strikeouts (40) over 275 plate appearances. He slashed .308/.408/.593 in 218 plate appearances against righties and .292/.404/.375 in 57 plate appearances against lefties.

Among the 100 hitters in the South Atlantic League who logged at least 250 plate appearances in 2026, Hernandez ranked second in strikeout rate (14.5%), fourth in OPS (.955), fifth in wOBA (.421), sixth in batting average and wRC+ (141), ninth in on-base percentage, 10th in slugging percentage, 14th in swinging-strike rate (8.9%), 17th in isolated power (.243) and walk rate (14.5%), and 24th in line-drive rate (25%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Hernandez split his playing time with Greenville between catcher and first base. In 22 starts behind the plate, the 6-foot-1, 200-pounder allowed one passed ball and threw out just four of 79 would-be base stealers. In 34 starts at first base, he committed just one error in 221 chances. He also made 11 starts at DH.

Hernandez originally signed with the White Sox for $30,000 as an international free agent in June 2022. The Venezuelan native made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League shortly thereafter before arriving stateside in 2023, when he was named an Arizona Complex League All-Star. He then spent the next two seasons with Chicago’s Low-A affiliate ahead of last November’s trade to Boston.

The Red Sox, as The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier noted back in May, “acquired Hernandez believing he made good swing decisions with strong bat-to-ball skills, with a chance for offensive impact if he could add bat speed.”

Greenville hitting coach Jarrett Pico echoed that sentiment in a separate conversation with MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith earlier this summer.

“He’s always been a pretty good hitter in the minor leagues,” Pico said, “and he’s kind of been able to tap into some more power this year, which has been really awesome — and obviously something I think we identified could be some low-hanging fruit for him moving into this year.

“It wasn’t too much (bat) path or anything,” added Pico, noting that the Red Sox did not need to overhaul Hernandez’s swing. “I think it was more of an approach mindset for him. In January, when he got to Fort Myers, it was like, ‘This swing looks pretty good. It’s going to play.’ And I think it was more just of an approach mindset for him, and kind of shifting that mindset in terms of he’s obviously a guy who makes a lot of contact and makes a lot of good decisions and just kind of trying to do a little bit more damage.”

Hernandez, who turns 22 next month, is not currently ranked among Boston’s top prospects by publications such as Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, or SoxProspects.com. He can become Rule-5 eligible for the first time this winter if he is not added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster by the upcoming protection deadline, though the looming threat of a lockout clouds the situation.

Regardless, the likelihood of Hernandez being protected appears low given that he has yet to play above the High-A level. If he remains in the organization through the winter, SoxProspects.com projects Hernandez to make the jump to Double-A Portland to begin the 2027 season.

(Picture of Ronny Hernandez: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How versatile Red Sox prospect Tyler McDonough put together 20-20 season in 2026

Across Minor League Baseball in 2026, an astounding 59 players recorded 20-20 seasons, hitting at least 20 home runs and stealing at least 20 bases.

Of those 59, however, only one spent the entire season in the Red Sox organization: 27-year-old utilityman Tyler McDonough.

McDonough, Boston’s third-round pick in the 2021 draft out of North Carolina State, received his first non-roster invite to major league camp this spring and opened his fifth full professional season at Double-A Portland. The switch-hitter spent the first two months of the 2026 campaign with the Sea Dogs, batting .217/.353/.378 with seven doubles, two triples, four home runs, 16 RBIs, 23 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 27 walks, and 55 strikeouts over 44 games (175 plate appearances) before being summoned to Triple-A Worcester in early June.

Having spent parts of 2023-2024 and all of 2025 with Worcester, McDonough was no stranger to Triple-A. He excelled during his first stint with the WooSox this season, slashing .310/.425/.621 with six doubles, seven home runs, 22 RBIs, 22 runs scored, five stolen bases, 15 walks, and 23 strikeouts over 31 games (107 plate appearances) through July 26. Two days later, he was sent back down to Portland.

McDonough continued to hit for power in his return to the Sea Dogs’ lineup, batting .248/.374/.505 with four doubles, eight home runs, 27 RBIs, 20 runs scored, seven stolen bases, 17 walks, and 32 strikeouts over his next 30 games (131 plate appearances) before rejoining the WooSox in early September. He then slashed .229/.289/.343 with one double, one home run, three RBIs, four runs scored, one stolen base, three walks, and 10 strikeouts in his final 10 games (38 plate appearances) of the season.

Despite the chilly finish, it was nonetheless a breakthrough campaign for McDonough, whose previous career high in homers was nine. Altogether, he batted .249/.371/.468 with 18 doubles, two triples, 20 home runs, 68 RBIs, 69 runs scored, a career-best 27 stolen bases, 62 walks, and 120 strikeouts in 115 games (451 plate appearances) between Portland and Worcester. That includes a .230/.367/.442 line against right-handed pitching and a .308/.382/.549 line against left-handers.

Among the 10 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 450 plate appearances this season, McDonough ranked second in isolated power (.219), OPS (.839), slugging percentage, speed score (6.9), walk rate (13.7%), and wRC+ (121), third in wOBA (.374), and fourth in on-base percentage, according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, McDonough once again bounced around the diamond, seeing action at every position besides catcher and first base this year. Between his stops in Portland and Worcester, the versatile 5-foot-8, 180-pounder made 39 starts at second base, 25 starts in left field, 19 starts in right field, 10 starts at third base, seven starts in center field, and four starts at shortstop.

In the infield, McDonough committed eight errors in 209 chances. In the outfield, he recorded five assists and committed five errors in 106 chances. He also made two starts at DH and made his first professional pitching appearance in May.

Coming off his 20-20 season, McDonough was named a SoxProspects.com All-Star for the first time earlier this week. The Ohio native is not currently ranked among the site’s top 60 Red Sox prospects, though he could generate Rule 5 Draft buzz this winter if he is not added to the club’s 40-man roster.

Assuming he remains in the organization, McDonough — who will turn 28 in April — is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Worcester in 2027. As things stand, next season will be his last before he becomes eligible for minor league free agency.

(Picture of Tyler McDonough [center]: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

How local Red Sox prospect Jack Winnay fared in first full pro season

Before it ended with a trip to the injured list in late August, Red Sox infield prospect Jack Winnay was putting the finishing touches on a very strong first full season in pro ball.

Winnay entered 2026 unranked by Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and SoxProspects.com after being selected by the Red Sox in the 13th round (388th overall) of the 2025 draft out of Wake Forest. After signing for $150,000, the Newton, Mass. native and Belmont Hill product made the most of his professional debut, hitting .321/.393/.434 with one home run and 11 RBIs in 15 games (61 plate appearances) for Low-A Salem.

As a result, Winnay broke camp with High-A Greenville this spring but initially struggled to adjust to the level. The 23-year-old got off to a slow start at the plate, managing just a .177/.380/.241 line with one home run and 10 RBIs through his first 24 games (108 plate appearances) for the Drive. He then seemingly turned a corner in early May and began hitting for more power, slashing .312/.476/.615 with 10 home runs and 21 RBIs over his next 32 games (143 plate appearances) before being promoted to Double-A Portland in late June.

At the time of the promotion, Winnay had batted .255/.434/.457 with five doubles, 11 home runs, 31 RBIs, 43 runs scored, 53 walks, and 51 strikeouts in 56 games (251 plate appearances) for Greenville. The right-handed hitter stayed hot upon moving up another level, producing a .313/.404/.495 line with four home runs and 11 RBIs in his first 28 games (114 plate appearances) for Portland through the end of July. He then cooled off a bit before landing on the 7-day injured list with a left wrist contusion on August 27.

Taking a cautious approach, the Red Sox ultimately elected to shut Winnday down for the final two weeks of Portland’s season. He ended up batting .268/.365/.439 with nine doubles, six home runs, 15 RBIs, 26 runs scored, 19 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 45 games (181 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs down the stretch.

Overall, then, Winnay slashed .261/.405/.449 with 14 doubles, 17 home runs, 46 RBIs, 69 runs scored, 72 walks, and 87 strikeouts in 101 games (432 plate appearances) between Greenville and Portland this season. He posted a .247/.398/.397 line in 362 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a .328/.443/.707 line in 70 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.

Among 21 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 400 plate appearances in 2026, Winnay ranked first in on-base percentage, second in walk rate (16.7%), third in OPS (.854), wOBA (.392), and wRC+ (127), fifth in batting average, sixth in swinging-strike rate (9.3%), seventh in slugging percentage, eighth in strikeout rate (20.1%), and ninth in isolated power (.188), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, Winnay saw the majority of his playing time between his stops in Greenville and Portland at the corner infield positions. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder made 68 starts at third base, where he committed 15 errors in 147 chances, and 25 starts at first base, where he committed just one error in 216 chances. He also made four starts at DH.

After beginning the season unranked, Winnay is now regarded as Boston’s No. 21 prospect by Baseball America, No. 23 by MLB Pipeline, and No. 19 by SoxProspects.com. All three outlets highlight his advanced approach and good swing decisions at the plate, which Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham touched on when speaking about Winnay in August.

“He sees a lot of pitches, has a really good understanding of strike zone, walks a lot, makes a lot of contact, does not strike out a lot, and impacts the baseball,” Abraham told MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith. “So usually those are recipes for success.”

Winnay has also worked to improve his bat speed since being drafted by the Red Sox. In 2026, he added “3-4 mph to his exit velocities,” which helped him pull “the ball more than he did in his first taste of pro ball” and get “more out of his solid raw power,” according to his MLB Pipeline scouting report.

Barring a trade or other move this winter, Winnay — who will not turn 24 until next June — is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland out of the gate in 2027. That said, it would not be surprising to see him work his way up to Triple-A Worcester at some point after that.

(Picture of Jack Winnay: Olivia Faulkner/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

How Red Sox IF prospect Louis Andujar fared in 2026 stateside debut

Besides Josue Brito and Franklin Primera, the only other Red Sox prospect to earn Florida Complex League Player of the Week honors this season was Louis Andujar. This article will take a closer look at how the young infielder fared during his stateside debut.

Like Brito and Primera, Andujar opened the 2026 campaign in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. As an 18-year-old, the right-handed hitter got off to a blistering start, slashing .404/.483/.731 with eight doubles, three home runs, 12 RBIs, 14 runs scored, six stolen bases, seven walks, and 14 strikeouts in 15 games (60 plate appearances) for the FCL Red Sox.

That strong performance netted Andujar an FCL Player of the Week award on May 18 and a promotion to Low-A Salem eight days later. The adjustment to full-season ball, however, proved challenging out of the gate. He batted just .125/.214/.148 with no home runs and four RBIs in his first 24 games (98 plate appearances) for the RidgeYaks through July 1. The next day, he clobbered his first Low-A homer and seemingly turned a corner offensively.

From July 2 through the end of Salem’s season, Andujar slashed a stout .317/.429/.572 with 11 doubles, eight home runs, 25 RBIs, 39 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 20 walks, and 32 strikeouts over 39 games (175 plate appearances). That encouraging finish lifted his overall line in 63 games (273 plate appearances) with the RidgeYaks to a more respectable .245/.352/.412, capping his age-18 season on a high note.

Altogether, then, Andujar hit .274/.375/.470 with 21 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs, 41 RBIs, 59 runs scored, 20 stolen bases, 33 walks, and 70 strikeouts in 78 games (333 plate appearances) between the FCL and Salem this year. He posted a .278/.375/.457 line in 259 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a .258/.378/.516 line in 74 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.

Among 34 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 330 plate appearances in 2026, Andujar ranked fourth in wOBA (.396), seventh in batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS (.845), eighth in slugging percentage and speed score (6.9), ninth in wRC+ (117), 13th in isolated power (.196), and 15th in strikeout rate (22.8%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Andujar saw most of his playing time this season at third base. Between his stops in the FCL and Salem, the 6-foot, 200-pounder made 69 starts at the hot corner, committing 17 errors in 153 chances. He also made three error-free starts at second base and six starts at DH.

Andujar, who just turned 19 last month, signed with the Red Sox for $20,000 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in January 2025. The San Cristobal native made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last season and impressed, homering five times while producing a .974 OPS in 29 games. He has only strengthened his profile with a compelling stateside debut, though he is not yet ranked among Boston’s top 30 prospects by either Baseball America or MLB Pipeline.

SoxProspects.com, which ranks him 36th in the organization, projects that — barring a trade or other move this winter — Andujar will return to Salem to open the 2027 season. That said, it would not be surprising to see him work his way up to High-A Greenville quickly if he gets off to another torrid start.

(Picture of Louis Andujar: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

How Red Sox OF prospect Josue Brito fared in 2026 stateside debut

After repeating the Dominican Summer League and earning the organization’s Latin Program Position Player of the Year award in 2025, Red Sox outfield prospect Josue Brito made his much-anticipated stateside debut this season.

Brito, who originally signed for $20,000 out of Venezuela in January 2024, opened the 2026 campaign in the rookie-level Florida Complex League. The right-handed hitter batted .259/.414/.490 with 12 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 36 RBIs, 33 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 34 walks, and 47 strikeouts in 47 games (191 plate appearances) for the FCL Red Sox.

Following the conclusion of the FCL season in late July, Brito remained in Fort Myers for roughly three weeks before joining Low-A Salem’s roster on August 11. From there, the 19-year-old slashed .215/.363/.369 with four doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs, nine runs scored, two stolen bases, 15 walks, and 21 strikeouts in 18 games (80 plate appearances) for the RidgeYaks down the stretch.

Overall, then, Brito hit .245/.399/.453 with 16 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 44 RBIs, 42 runs scored, 12 stolen bases, 49 walks, and 68 strikeouts in 65 games (271 plate appearances) between the FCL and Salem in 2026. He posted a .222/.393/.430 line in 206 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a .315/.415/.519 line in 65 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.

Among 45 Red Sox minor leaguers who, regardless of level, logged at least 250 plate appearances this year, Brito ranked second in walk rate (18.1%), sixth in wOBA (.406), seventh in on-base percentage, ninth in OPS (.852), 14th in wRC+ (113), 15th in isolated power (.208), 16th in speed score (6.4), 17th in slugging percentage, and 19th in line-drive rate (23.8%), according to FanGraphs.

Between his stops in the FCL and Salem this season, Brito saw most of his playing time come in the outfield corners. Altogether, the 6-foot, 225-pounder made 45 starts in right field and 10 starts in left field, committing five errors and recording nine assists across 94 total defensive chances. He also made four error-free starts at first base and six starts at DH.

Brito, who will not turn 20 until next April, is not yet ranked among Boston’s top 30 prospects by either Baseball America or MLB Pipeline. SoxProspects.com, however, currently ranks him No. 53 in the system. Barring a trade or other move this winter, the site projects that he will return to Salem in 2027, though an opportunity to move up to High-A Greenville could arise if he gets off to a fast start.

(Picture of Josue Brito: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)