How top Red Sox draft picks Jake Schaffner, Owen Hull fared in pro debuts

With their first two picks in this summer’s draft, the Red Sox not only took a pair of teammates, but also a pair of roommates from the University of North Carolina who share similar backgrounds.

At No. 20 overall, the Red Sox selected shortstop Jake Schaffner. At No. 67, a competitive balance pick acquired from the Brewers as part of February’s Caleb Durbin trade, they took outfielder Owen Hull. Both players had transferred to UNC for their junior seasons from smaller programs, with Schaffner coming from North Dakota State and Hull from George Mason.

Fresh off earning All-ACC First Team honors and leading the Tar Heels to the College World Series finals, Schaffner and Hull signed their first contracts with the Red Sox on July 17. Putting pen to paper at Fenway Park, both Schaffner and Hull received under-slot signing bonuses of $2 million and $1.2 million, respectively. They then ventured to Fort Myers before reporting to High-A Greenville for their professional debuts at the start of August.

Schaffner, a left-handed hitting 21-year-old, batted .315/.362/.435 with six doubles, two triples, one home run, 15 RBIs, 19 runs scored, five stolen bases, seven walks, and 21 strikeouts in 23 games (116 plate appearances) for the Drive to close out the season. Defensively, the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder logged 181 1/3 innings at shortstop, committing five errors in 80 chances.

Hull, a left-handed hitting 22-year-old, batted .337/.436/.531 with 10 doubles, three home runs, 20 RBIs, 17 runs scored, one stolen base, 16 walks, and 17 strikeouts in 24 games (117 plate appearances) for the Drive down the stretch. Defensively, the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder logged 191 1/3 innings in center field without committing an error or recording an assist.

Baseball America currently ranks Schaffner and Hull as Boston’s Nos. 6 and 7 prospects. As Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham recently explained to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, improving how they impact the baseball will be a focus for the duo over the winter, including through an offseason training program in Fort Myers.

“All the things foundationally to be a good baseball player, they have,” Abraham said. “Add more physicality, add more ability to hit the ball in the air, improved range, all those things, and you’re talking about two really exciting players with a ton of potential.”

Schaffner, a Wisconsin native who turns 22 next month, and Hull, a Virginia native who will not turn 23 until next July, are projected to return to Greenville for the start of their first full seasons as pros in 2027. That said, it would not be surprising to see them push one another and move through the system relatively quickly if given the opportunity.

(Picture of Jake Schaffner and Owen Hull: Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox IF prospect Mason White named 2026 South Atlantic League All-Star

Red Sox infield prospect Mason White has been named a 2026 South Atlantic League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Wednesday.

White, Boston’s fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft out of Arizona, opened his first full professional season at High-A Greenville. The left-handed hitting 22-year-old batted .270/.362/.525 with 14 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, 42 RBIs, 36 runs scored, 31 walks, and 63 strikeouts in 68 games (282 plate appearances) for the Drive before being promoted to Double-A Portland in late July.

Among 87 hitters who made at least 280 trips to the plate in the South Atlantic League this season, White ranked 11th in slugging percentage, 12th in isolated power (.254), 13th in OPS (.887), 18th in wOBA (.388), 19th in swinging-strike rate (10%) and wRC+ (121), 25th in batting average, 31st in on-base percentage, and 32nd in strikeout rate (22.3%), according to FanGraphs.

After arriving in Portland on July 19, White closed out the season by batting .208/.333/.377 with four doubles, one triple, four home runs, 13 RBIs, 18 runs scored, two stolen bases, 20 walks, and 39 strikeouts in 33 games (129 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs.

Overall, then, White slashed .251/.353/.480 with 18 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs, 55 RBIs, 54 runs scored, two stolen bases, 51 walks, and 102 strikeouts across 101 games (411 plate appearances) between Greenville and Portland in 2026. He posted a .255/.350/.497 line in 343 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers and a .232/.368/.393 line in 68 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers.

“Mason hits the ball really hard,” Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham told MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith earlier this month. “We’ve definitely focused on the swing-and-miss a little bit. He has had a little bit of that, but it’s improved. I think that comes with pitch recognition and understanding the strike zone. Being able to handle the pitches that he knows he can drive and laying off pitches that he can’t.”

Defensively, White saw most of his playing time this year come at either second base or shortstop. Between his stops in Greenville and Portland, the 5-foot-11, 180-pounder made 48 starts at second and 47 starts at short, committing six errors in 337 total chances. He also made five starts at DH.

White, who turns 23 next week, is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 28 prospect. While his affiliated season is over, he was one of eight Red Sox minor leaguers selected to play for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League, which begins in early October. The assignment will not only allow him to continue working on his development, but also give him the opportunity to take the field in his home state for the first time as a pro.

(Picture of Mason White: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox catching prospect Kleyver Salazar named 2026 Carolina League All-Star

Red Sox catching prospect Kleyver Salazar has been named a 2026 Carolina League All-Star, Minor League Baseball announced on Tuesday.

Salazar, 20, enjoyed a breakout season with Low-A Salem, his second at the level. The right-handed hitter batted .293/.403/.479 with 25 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 69 RBIs, 60 runs scored, five stolen bases, 60 walks, and 68 strikeouts in 95 games (412 plate appearances) for the RidgeYaks. He posted a .282/.396/.447 line against righties and a .333/.430/.597 line against lefties.

Among 45 qualified hitters in the Carolina League, Salazar finished first in OPS (.882), wOBA (.413), and wRC+ (132). He also ranked second in on-base percentage and slugging percentage, third in batting average, seventh in isolated power (.186) and strikeout rate (16.5%), 10th in line-drive rate (25.8%), and 13th in walk rate (14.6%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Salazar saw 54 of his 94 starts for Salem this season come at catcher. In 459 innings behind the plate, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound backstop allowed 18 passed balls and threw out 31 of 108 would-be base stealers. He also made four error-free starts at first base and 36 starts at DH.

The younger brother of former Red Sox and Cardinals minor leaguer Johnfrank Salazar, Kleyver originally signed with Boston for $175,000 as an international free agent out of Venezuela in January 2023. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League before arriving stateside in 2024. After one season in the Florida Complex League, he struggled to a .603 OPS over 94 games in his first stint with Salem last year. The 2026 campaign, then, represents something of a breakthrough for a player FanGraphs previously described as “a good defensive prospect with no bat.”

Salazar, who does not turn 21 until next May, is not yet ranked among Boston’s top 30 prospects by Baseball America or MLB Pipeline. SoxProspects.com, meanwhile, has him at No. 50 on its top 60 list. Barring a trade or other move this winter, the publication projects that he will make the jump to High-A Greenville to begin the 2027 season.

(Picture of Kleyver Salazar: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox prospect Joskairo Ramirez cracks Baseball America’s 2026 Dominican Summer League rankings

When Minor League Baseball unveiled its 2026 rookie-level All-Stars and award winners last month, the Red Sox were completely shut out of Florida Complex League and Dominican Summer League honors.

Last week, however, Baseball America’s Josh Norris included one member of the Red Sox organization in his ranking of the top 35 Dominican Summer League prospects for 2026: outfielder Joskairo Ramirez.

Ramirez came in at No. 30 on Norris’ list. The left-handed hitting 17-year-old made his professional debut and spent all of 2026 with DSL Red Sox Red, earning mid-season All-Star honors while batting .320/.443/.553 with 14 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 30 RBIs, 34 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 26 walks, and 26 strikeouts over 45 games (185 plate appearances). He slashed .339/.463/.562 against righties and .241/.361/.517 against lefties.

Among 166 DSL hitters who made at least 185 trips to the plate this season, Ramirez ranked 13th in slugging percentage, 14th in isolated power (.233) and OPS (.996), 19th in wRC+ (141), 20th in wOBA (.474), 24th in batting average, 39th in strikeout rate (14.1%), 40th in line-drive rate (21.7%) and on-base percentage, and 73rd in swinging-strike rate (10.8%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Ramirez saw almost all of his playing time this year come in center field. The 5-foot-9, 175-pounder made 40 starts and logged 286 1/3 innings there, committing one error and recording one assist in 81 total chances. He also made four starts at DH.

“He has excellent hand-eye coordination, a swing that blends decent bat speed with leverage and enough plate discipline to produce above-average miss rates across the board,” Norris wrote last Friday. “Ramirez is small but physical and uses quick reads to mitigate only fringy speed and give himself a chance to stick in center field. If he can maintain those trends, his blend of left-handed offense and middle-diamond defense gives him a chance to be a soft everyday player.

Nicknamed “El Peluche” (“Teddy Bear” in English), Ramirez signed with the Red Sox for $800,000 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in January. He received the third-largest bonus in Boston’s 2026 signing class, behind only Garielvin Silverio ($1.4 million) and Dawvris Brito ($1.2 million), both of whom also hail from the Dominican Republic.

Ramirez, who turns 18 next month, appears to be the likely candidate to be named the Red Sox’ 2026 Latin Program Position Player of the Year. He is not yet ranked among the organization’s top 30 prospects by Baseball America or MLB Pipeline, though SoxProspects.com has him at No. 46 on its top 60 list.

Barring a trade or other move this winter, SoxProspects.com projects Ramirez to make the jump stateside to Fort Myers and play in the Florida Complex League in 2027.

(Picture of Fenway Park: Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)

Red Sox promote power-hitting OF prospect Isaiah Jackson to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted outfield prospect Isaiah Jackson from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as first reported by Beyond the Monster’s Hunter Noll.

Jackson is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 30 prospect. The 22-year-old is in his first full season, both in the organization and as a professional. He was originally selected by the Angels in the eighth round (229th overall) of the 2025 draft out of Arizona State, then acquired by the Red Sox for infielder Vaughn Grissom in December.

An Arizona native himself, Jackson earned 2023 and 2024 Pac-12 All-Defensive Team and 2025 All-Big 12 First Team honors before signing with the Angels for $297,500 last July. He made his pro debut with High-A Tri-City, playing 10 games there. After being traded to the Red Sox, he remained at the High-A level to begin this spring, breaking camp with Greenville.

Though he got off to somewhat of a slow start, Jackson turned a corner in July and ended up putting together a productive season for the Drive, particularly in the power department. The left-handed hitter batted .243/.340/.465 with 18 doubles, two triples, a team-leading 21 home runs, 69 RBIs, 68 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 49 walks, and 105 strikeouts over 102 games (444 plate appearances). He slashed .252/.343/.482 in 356 plate appearances against righties and .203/.330/.392 in 88 plate appearances against lefties.

Among 57 qualified hitters in the South Atlantic League this season, Jackson notably ranked ninth in isolated power (.222), 11th in line-drive rate (25.9%), 13th in slugging percentage, 20th in OPS (.805), 24th in wOBA (.358), and 25th in wRC+ (103), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Jackson saw playing time at all three outfield spots with Greenville. The athletic 6-foot-3, 220-pounder made 53 starts in center field, 31 starts in right field, and 14 starts in left field, committing five errors and recording six assists in 194 total chances. He also made two starts at DH.

Jackson, who does not turn 23 until next May, will get the opportunity to finish the 2026 campaign in the upper minors with Portland. The Sea Dogs have six games against Binghamton at Hadlock Field remaining on their schedule and currently sit 4 1/2 games back of a playoff spot. Unless a miracle occurs, their season will end on Sunday.

Barring his involvement in a trade or other move this winter, Jackson is projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Portland in 2027. This late-season promotion, then, gives him something of a head start in getting a feel for the Double-A level.

(Picture of Isaiah Jackson: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox prospects Henry Godbout, Hayden Mullins sweep Eastern League weekly awards

Red Sox prospects and Double-A Portland teammates Henry Godbout and Hayden Mullins have been named the Eastern League Player and Pitcher of the Week for the week of August 31-September 6, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Godbout is the fourth different Portland position player to earn a weekly honor this season, joining Brooks Brannon, two-time recipient Johanfran Garcia, and Ronald Rosario.

Mullins, on the other hand, is the sixth different Sea Dogs pitcher to earn a weekly honor this season, joining John Holobetz, Patrick Halligan, Anthony Eyanson, two-time recipient Blake Wehunt, and Max Carlson.

Why they won

Both Godbout and Mullins shone in Portland’s final road series of the season against Chesapeake, a six-game set at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, Md., that the Sea Dogs and Baysox split, three games apiece.

Godbout appeared in five of the six games, going 10-for-22 (.455) with a double, four home runs, six RBIs, five runs scored, one stolen base, and five strikeouts. The 22-year-old infielder homered on Tuesday, then recorded the first multi-homer game of his professional career as part of a three-hit performance on Thursday. He added three more hits on Friday before homering again in Sunday’s series finale.

Mullins, meanwhile, made arguably his best start of the season in Portland’s 5-4 extra-inning loss on Wednesday. The 25-year-old left-hander allowed just one hit and one walk while matching a career-high 10 strikeouts over six scoreless innings. He retired 17 of the 20 batters he faced and generated 18 whiffs on 76 pitches (52 strikes), topping out at 95.4 mph with his fastball.

Godbout’s season

Since joining Portland in early August, Godbout is batting .286/.333/.623 with two doubles, eight home runs, 18 RBIs, 14 runs scored, four stolen bases, five walks, and 22 strikeouts over 84 plate appearances. The right-handed hitter is slashing .291/.344/.527 against righties and .273/.304/.864 against lefties in that stretch.

Defensively, Godbout has seen the majority of his playing time with the Sea Dogs come at shortstop. In 15 starts there, the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder has committed four errors in 49 chances over 132 2/3 innings. He has also made four starts at DH.

Godbout, who turns 23 in November, is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 5 prospect. The Virginia product is in his first full professional season after being selected by the Red Sox with the 75th overall pick in the 2025 draft. He opened the 2026 campaign with High-A Greenville, but required surgery in early June to repair a broken left hand after being hit by a pitch on May 30.

Sidelined from game action for just over two months, Godbout returned to the field with Low-A Salem on July 31 and rehabbed there for five games before being promoted to Portland on August 11. Overall, he is hitting .281/.399/.525 with nine doubles, 15 home runs, 33 RBIs, 41 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 33 walks, and 51 strikeouts in 58 games (268 plate appearances) between Salem, Greenville, and Portland this season.

Mullins’ season

Outside of one spot start for Triple-A Worcester in early July, Mullins has spent all of 2026 with Portland. In 21 outings (19 starts) for the Sea Dogs, the lefty has posted a 4.15 ERA with 127 strikeouts to 47 walks over 86 2/3 innings. He has limited Eastern League opponents to a .191 batting average.

Mullins, who turns 26 next week, is currently ranked as Boston’s No. 23 prospect by Baseball America. The Auburn product was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 12th round (369th overall) of the 2022 draft. Because he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery then, he did not make his professional debut until August 2023. He has since struck out nearly 32% of the batters he has faced as a pro, though that comes with a career 12.3% walk rate.

Listed at 6-foot and 194 pounds, Mullins throws from a three-quarters arm slot and possesses plus extension. In addition to a fastball that has touched the mid-90s this year, the southpaw features an 81-85 mph slider, a 77-80 mph sweeper, an 81-83 mph changeup, and a cutter. His secondaries are considered by Baseball America to be “inconsistent,” even though they “can all miss bats.”

What’s next

Unlike Godbout, Mullins can once again become Rule 5-eligible this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline. Even though the threat of a lockout may change how things are handled in the coming weeks, the Red Sox could consider moving Mullins back up to Worcester for more exposure after Portland’s season (presumably) ends on Sunday.

(Picture of Henry Godbout: Matthew Mitrani/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

Former Red Sox OF prospect Enddy Azocar named South Atlantic League Player of the Month for August

Former Red Sox outfield prospect Enddy Azocar has been named the South Atlantic League Player of the Month for August, Minor League Baseball announced on Thursday.

Azocar began August with High-A Greenville before being dealt to the Orioles as part of the Adley Rutschman blockbuster at the trade deadline. The 19-year-old reported to High-A Frederick and made his organizational debut the following day. In 23 total games between Boston’s and Baltimore’s South Atlantic League affiliates last month, he batted .365/.404/.656 with nine doubles, two triples, five home runs, 23 RBIs, 24 runs scored, seven stolen bases, six walks, and 17 strikeouts over 104 plate appearances.

Since first reaching the High-A level from Low-A Salem in late May, Azocar is slashing .297/.351/.547 with 19 doubles, five triples, 15 home runs, 57 RBIs, 66 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 22 walks, and 73 strikeouts in 69 games (322 plate appearances) between Greenville and Frederick. Among 77 South Atlantic League hitters who have made at least 300 trips to the plate this year, he ranks third in speed score (8.7), fifth in line-drive rate (30.5%), sixth in batting average, seventh in slugging percentage, ninth in OPS (.898), 10th in isolated power (.250), 14th in wOBA (.391) and wRC+ (124), 31st in strikeout rate (22.7%), and 37th in on-base percentage, according to FanGraphs.

Overall, Azocar is batting .297/.349/.541 (123 wRC+) with 34 doubles, eight triples, a career-high 21 home runs, 83 RBIs, 97 runs scored, 20 stolen bases, 34 walks, and 113 strikeouts in 108 games (502 plate appearances) between Salem, Greenville, and Frederick this season. The right-handed hitter has posted a .290/.343/.515 line in 397 plate appearances against righties and a .320/.371/.639 line in 105 plate appearances against lefties.

Defensively, Azocar has seen playing time at all three outfield positions this season. Since arriving at Frederick last month, the athletic 6-foot-2, 195-pounder has made 13 starts in center field, three starts in left field, and two starts in right field, recording two assists without committing an error in 40 chances. He has also made four starts at DH in that span.

Azocar originally signed with the Red Sox for $40,000 as an international free agent in January 2024. The Venezuela native held his own in his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League, then put himself on the map upon arriving stateside last year. He dominated the rookie-level Florida Complex League out of the gate in 2025, but struggled during his first stint with Salem before finding his footing at the level this season and working his way up to High-A as a teenager.

To acquire Rutschman (as well as Jake Rogers and cash) from the Orioles on August 3, the Red Sox parted ways with Azocar and four others: big league catcher Carlos Narvaez, minor league right-handers Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon, and a player to be named later that turned out to be minor league outfielder Harold Rivas.

Azocar, who does not turn 20 until February, is now regarded by Baseball America as the Orioles’ No. 5 prospect. That ranks second among position players in Baltimore’s system behind only fellow outfielder and 2026 first-round draft pick Eric Booth Jr. The publication touts Azocar’s five-tool potential, though it remains wary of his overly-aggressive approach at the plate.

Regardless of that, Azocar looks like someone who could crack Baseball America’s top 100 list sooner rather than later. His continued production to close out his age-19 season (which could include a trip to the South Atlantic League playoffs), even after being traded from the Red Sox to the Orioles, only strengthens his case.

(Picture of Enddy Azocar: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

How former Red Sox pitching prospect Ben Hansen is faring since trade to A’s

With the Red Sox designating Brett Harris for assignment as part of a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday, it feels like an appropriate time to check in on the prospect Boston traded to the Athletics for the infielder two months ago.

On July 1, the Red Sox acquired Harris from the A’s for minor league right-hander Ben Hansen, whom Boston originally selected in the 20th and final round of the 2024 draft out of Brigham Young. At the time of the trade, he was not ranked among the organization’s top pitching prospects.

Hansen, who had spent all of 2026 to that point with High-A Greenville, reported to the Athletics’ High-A affiliate in Lansing and made his organizational debut on July 3. The 24-year-old made five appearances (one start) for the Lugnuts, allowing two earned runs on six hits, two walks, and nine strikeouts over 8 1/3 innings before being promoted to Double-A Midland on July 22.

In eight outings (three starts) for the RockHounds since then, Hansen has posted a 2.70 ERA with 31 strikeouts to 14 walks across 30 innings in which he has limited opponents to a .183 batting average. The righty was recognized as the Texas League Pitcher of the Week after striking out nine over 5 1/3 scoreless, no-hit frames of relief on August 23. He then followed that up by firing a career-high six innings of one-run ball on Sunday.

Among 149 pitchers who have thrown at least 30 innings in the Texas League this season, Hansen has the sixth-lowest FIP (3.20), the 10th-lowest ERA, the 12th-lowest opponents’ batting average, and the 15th-lowest WHIP (1.10). He also ranks 56th in xFIP (4.66), 62nd in groundball rate (44.6%), and 68th in both strikeout rate (25.6%) and walks per nine (4.20), according to FanGraphs.

Overall, Hansen has forged a 3.71 ERA (3.88 FIP) with 92 strikeouts to 30 walks over 26 outings (six starts) and 80 innings across two High-A stops (Greenville and Lansing) and Double-A this season. That represents an improvement from the 6.23 ERA (4.56 FIP) he logged in 60 2/3 innings with Low-A Salem during his professional debut last year.

Listed at 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, Hansen gets good extension on his delivery. As Baseball America’s Ian Cundall noted in July, the California-born hurler operates with a 92-96 mph fastball that “plays above velocity” and “misses bats,” though it can be inconsistent. He also features a 76-78 mph curveball, a cutter, a sweeper, and a changeup.

As was the case during his time in the Red Sox system, Hansen — who does not turn 25 until next March — is not yet ranked among the Athletics’ premier pitching prospects. He is, however, expected to be part of the contingent the club send to the Arizona Fall League later this year, per Bill Moriarty of A’s Farm.

Coincidentally, prospects from both the Athletics and Red Sox organizations will be assigned to the same team this fall: the Mesa Solar Sox, potentially giving Hansen an opportunity to cross paths with some of his former teammates.

(Picture of Ben Hansen courtesy of the Midland RockHounds)

Red Sox’ Johanfran Garcia named Eastern League Player of the Week for second time this season

Red Sox catching prospect Johanfran Garcia has been named the Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of August 24-30, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Garcia earns his second Eastern League Player of the Week award this season after previously receiving the honor in June. This time, the 21-year-old slugger made his mark during Double-A Portland’s latest road series against the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

Appearing in four of the Sea Dogs’ six games at Richmond’s CarMax Park, Garcia went 10-for-18 (.556) with three home runs, eight RBIs, six runs scored, two walks, and four strikeouts. The right-handed hitter recorded at least three hits in three of those four contests, including Saturday’s 14-3 win, when he homered twice and drove in a career-high six runs. He followed that effort by going deep yet again in Sunday’s series finale.

Garcia, who did not make his 2026 debut until late April after beginning the year in extended spring training, is putting the finishing touches on a productive season with Portland. In 72 games for the Sea Dogs, he is batting .293/.342/.503 with 10 doubles, a career-best 17 home runs, 51 RBIs, 40 runs scored, three stolen bases, 17 walks, and 89 strikeouts over 313 plate appearances. He has posted a .294/.341/.502 line in 249 plate appearances against righties and a .288/.344/.508 line in 64 plate appearances against lefties.

Among 71 hitters who have made at least 300 trips to the plate in the Eastern League this season, Garcia ranks seventh in batting average, 10th in slugging percentage, 13th in OPS (.845), 15th in wOBA (.369), 18th in wRC+ (119), 22nd in isolated power (.210), 32nd in line-drive rate (23%), and 34th in on-base percentage. On the downside, he ranks 54th in strikeout rate (28.4%) and 68th in walk rate (5.4%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Garcia has seen most of his playing time with Portland come at catcher. In 47 starts behind the plate for the Sea Dogs, the stocky 5-foot-11 backstop has allowed three passed balls and committed nine errors in 519 chances while throwing out 25 of 101 would-be base stealers. He has also made 25 starts at DH and has prior, albeit limited, experience at first base.

The younger brother of former Red Sox-turned-Pirates outfielder Jhostynxon “The Password” Garcia, Johanfran (aptly nicknamed “The Username”) originally signed with Boston for $850,000 as an international free agent in January 2022. The native Venezuelan got his professional career off to an encouraging start, making positive impressions in the Dominican Summer League and Florida Complex League before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while running the bases with Low-A Salem in May 2024. He required season-ending surgery and missed a year’s worth of action as a result. Upon returning to the field last May, he homered 12 times in 58 games between the FCL and High-A Greenville, then headed out west for a stint in the Arizona Fall League.

With the 2026 campaign nearly in the books, Garcia currently ranks as Boston’s No. 29 prospect by MLB Pipeline. Baseball America does not rank him among the organization’s top 30 after having him at No. 27 to begin the year, while SoxProspects.com has him at No. 35 in the system. All three outlets laud Garcia’s plus raw power and solid arm strength, but also express concerns about his aggressive approach at the plate and conditioning.

While the threat of a lockout could change things, as it did in 2021, Garcia — who turns 22 in December — can become Rule 5-eligible for the first time this winter if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster by the November protection deadline. With that in mind, the Red Sox may want to give Garcia a brief look at Triple-A Worcester before the season draws to a close.

(Picture of Johanfran Garcia: Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

Checking in on Red Sox prospect Jose Bello, last holdover from Rafael Devers trade

With Rafael Devers returning to Fenway Park this weekend, it feels like an appropriate time to check in on the lone player the Red Sox acquired from the Giants in last June’s blockbuster trade who remains in the organization.

That would be 21-year-old right-hander Jose Bello, whom Boston obtained from San Francisco alongside pitchers Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks and first baseman/outfielder James Tibbs III. The Red Sox have since dealt Harrison to the Brewers, Hicks to the White Sox, and Tibbs to the Dodgers in three separate trades involving other players.

As previously stated, this article will focus on Bello, who is not currently ranked among Boston’s top pitching prospects by Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, or SoxProspects.com. The young righty has dealt with shoulder issues to begin his first full season in the organization, requiring stints on Low-A Salem’s injured list in April and June. When on the mound, though, he has posted a 3.92 ERA with 43 strikeouts to 31 walks across 17 outings (10 starts) spanning 62 innings for the RidgeYaks.

While opposing hitters have slashed .264/.366/.405 in 266 plate appearances against Bello, his 52.2% groundball rate ranks eighth among Carolina League pitchers who have thrown at least 60 innings this season, according to FanGraphs.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 164 pounds (but likely heavier), Bello throws from a three-quarters arm slot and features a 92-94 mph fastball that can reach 96 mph, a 90-92 mph cutter, an 83-86 mph slider, and an 82-86 mph changeup. SoxProspects.com notes that his arsenal and size “point towards the bullpen long-term,” while FanGraphs describes him as looking “more like a moldable arm than a guy tracking for any particular kind of defined, impact role.”

Bello originally signed with the Giants for $47,500 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in January 2023. The Santo Domingo native made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League, spending parts of three seasons there and in the Arizona Complex League before being traded to the Red Sox last June. He then split the remainder of the 2025 campaign between the Florida Complex League and Salem.

Since making the jump from rookie ball last July, Bello owns a 3.69 ERA with 60 strikeouts to 40 walks over 24 outings (14 starts) and 85 2/3 innings at the Low-A level. He is scheduled to make his next start for Salem in Sunday’s series finale against Wilson. After that, it remains to be seen whether he can work his way up to High-A Greenville before the season ends.

(Picture of Rafael Devers: Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)