How Franklin Primera emerged as Red Sox’ top catching prospect in 2026 stateside debut

In his stateside debut this season, Franklin Primera emerged as the Red Sox’ top catching prospect and one of the top position-playing prospects in the organization.

Primera was a late addition to Boston’s 2024 international free agent class, signing in September of that year for just $10,000. As a result, the native Venezuelan entered 2025 with very little fanfare.

Despite the lack of attention surrounding his signing, Primera put together a strong professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last season. As an 18-year-old, the right-handed hitter batted .333/.465/.430 with 10 doubles, one home run, 27 RBIs, 33 runs scored, two stolen bases, 25 walks, and 15 strikeouts in 45 games (172 plate appearances). He was named a DSL Mid-Season All-Star via injury replacement and earned All-Star Game co-MVP honors after hitting a crucial pinch-hit home run.

Coming off such an impressive debut campaign, Primera arrived for his first season in the United States with momentum on his side. The 19-year-old began 2026 in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, slashing .427/.549/.718 with six doubles, eight home runs, 29 RBIs, 30 runs scored, four stolen bases, 22 walks, and 13 strikeouts in 32 games (134 plate appearances). That performance earned him a promotion to Low-A Salem in late June.

Fresh off receiving FCL Player of the Month honors for June, Primera initially had a difficult adjustment to full-season ball, collecting just one hit in his first five games with Salem. He then broke out with a three-hit performance on July 7 and did not miss a beat for the next two months.

In 46 games for the RidgeYaks altogether, Primera hit .329/.466/.494 with 10 doubles, one triple, five home runs, 24 RBIs, 36 runs scored, two stolen bases, 26 walks, and 23 strikeouts over his final 206 plate appearances of the year.

Overall, then, Primera slashed .367/.499/.581 with 16 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 53 RBIs, 66 runs scored, six stolen bases, 48 walks, and 36 strikeouts in 78 games (340 plate appearances) between the FCL and Salem this season. He posted a .379/.509/.607 line in 269 plate appearances against right-handed pitching and a .321/.457/.482 line in 71 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.

Among 38 Red Sox minor leaguers who — regardless of level — logged at least 300 plate appearances in 2026, Primera led in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS (1.080), wOBA (.504), wRC+ (176), and strikeout rate (10.6%). He also ranked third in swinging-strike rate (7.8%), eighth in walk rate (14.1%), and 11th in isolated power (.213), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Primera unsurprisingly saw most of his playing time between his stops in the FCL and Salem at catcher. In 49 total starts behind the plate, the 6-foot, 230-pound backstop allowed eight passed balls and committed 13 errors while throwing out 32 of 191 would-be base stealers. He also made eight starts at first base, committing one error in 50 chances, and 20 starts at DH.

After beginning the season unranked, Baseball America now has Primera as Boston’s No. 3 prospect behind only infielder Franklin Arias and outfielder Justin Gonzales. Last month, the publication identified him as having top-100 potential, citing a combination of offensive and defensive skills that give him a high ceiling.

Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham also spoke highly of Primera in a recent conversation with MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith. Abraham credited Primera for his selflessness and ability to handle a pitching staff.

“Just a young guy [who] has improved in all facets on and off the field. He’s gotten stronger, he’s eating well, he’s gotten in better shape,” said Abraham. “And then, just baseball-wise, defensively, he’s improved his receiving, he’s improved his throwing, he’s hitting the ball harder. Better swing decisions. All the things that you want.”

The Red Sox, as noted by Smith, want Primera to grow bigger and stronger over the course of the offseason while maintaining the kind of conditioning necessary to handle the demands of catching every day.

“Just continue to hit the ball hard,” Abraham said. “He’s an offensively driven backstop. If he hits the ball hard, he’s going to get opportunity. And then defensively, I would just say continue to receive well. That’s obviously something that drives value as a catcher, and he did a good job with it this year, but something that he can continue to improve on.”

Primera, who will not turn 20 until next June, is currently projected by SoxProspects.com to return to Salem for the start of the 2027 season. That said, if he continues to build on what he accomplished this year, it would not be surprising to see him work his way up to High-A Greenville early on.

(Picture of Franklin Primera: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Former Red Sox prospect Anthony Eyanson named 2026 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year

Former Red Sox prospect Anthony Eyanson was named the 2026 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year by Minor League Baseball on Monday. Like his one-time teammates Franklin Arias and Brooks Brannon, he was also selected as an Eastern League All-Star.

Eyanson, the top prospect the Red Sox sent to the Orioles as part of the Adley Rutschman trade on August 3, made quite an impression in his first full professional season.

Selected by the Red Sox with the 87th overall pick in the 2025 draft out of Louisiana State via UC San Diego, Eyanson signed for a well-over-slot $1.75 million last July. Fresh off playing a key role in LSU’s national championship run, the California native did not immediately debut for an affiliate after signing.

Instead, as noted by The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, Eyanson embraced “the team’s strength and conditioning program as well as velocity training,” while also raising his arm slot “to create an average release height of about 6 1/2 feet.” Those adjustments paid dividends when Eyanson arrived in Fort Myers for his first spring training.

After earning All-Spring Breakout Second Team honors, Eyanson broke camp with High-A Greenville. The 21-year-old right-hander allowed just one earned run in five starts (20 1/3 innings) for the Drive, netting April’s South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month award before being promoted to Double-A Portland in early May.

Though he was not as dominant, Eyanson still managed a 1.69 ERA with 60 strikeouts to 23 walks in 11 outings (10 starts) spanning 48 innings for the Sea Dogs. He was selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game on July 12, where he earned the win. Nineteen days later, he recorded the first 10-strikeout game of his professional career. Three days after that, he was one of five players dealt to the Orioles in the Rutschman blockbuster.

Eyanson remained in the Eastern League with Double-A Chesapeake after joining the Orioles organization. The young righty then closed out his 2026 campaign by posting a 2.03 ERA with 47 strikeouts to nine walks in six starts (31 innings) for the Baysox.

Between Portland and Bowie, then, Eyanson forged a sparkling 1.82 ERA with 107 strikeouts to 32 walks in 17 outings (16 starts) spanning 79 innings in which opponents batted .192 against him. Among 46 Eastern League pitchers who threw at least 75 innings this year, he led in ERA, strikeout rate (34.6%), swinging-strike rate (17.9%), and xFIP (3.26). He also ranked second in opponents’ batting average, third in FIP (3.30) and WHIP (1.08), fourth in strikeouts per nine (12.19), and seventh in groundball rate (51.5%), according to FanGraphs.

Overall, Eyanson posted a 1.54 ERA (2.93 FIP) with 141 strikeouts to 35 walks in 22 total outings (21 starts) and 99 1/3 innings between High-A and Double-A this season. Opposing hitters slashed .175/.255/.277 in 380 plate appearances against him altogether.

Eyanson, who turns 22 next month, is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as Baltimore’s No. 2 prospect and the No. 46 prospect in baseball. The 6-foot-2, 208-pound hurler was up to 92-95 mph with his fastball this season after reaching triple digits with it in spring training. He also features a tight mid-80s slider, an upper-70s curveball, an upper-80s cutter, and a mid-80s splitter.

In addition to winning Eastern League Pitcher of the Year, Eyanson is also up for Minor League Baseball’s 2026 Pitching Prospect of the Year and Minor League Debut of the Year. The winners will be determined as part of next Monday’s fourth annual MiLB Awards show.

(Picture of Anthony Eyanson: Al Bello/Getty Images)

Red Sox power-hitting prospect Brooks Brannon named 2026 Eastern League All-Star

In addition to Franklin Arias, Red Sox power-hitting prospect Brooks Brannon was also named a 2026 Eastern League All-Star by Minor League Baseball on Monday.

Brannon spent all of 2026 with Double-A Portland after first reaching the level last summer, though his season debut was pushed back until late April due to a broken left hamate bone that required surgery in March.

Despite the delay, Brannon went on to have the best season of his professional career to date. In 93 games for the Sea Dogs, the right-handed hitting 22-year-old batted .280/.355/.560 with a team-leading 28 doubles, two triples, a team-leading 22 home runs, a team-leading 70 RBIs, 50 runs scored, two stolen bases, 39 walks, and 115 strikeouts over 398 plate appearances. He slashed .298/.371/.566 in 311 plate appearances against righties and .218/.299/.538 in 87 plate appearances against lefties.

Among 47 qualified hitters in the Eastern League this season, Brannon ranked first in isolated power (.280) and slugging percentage, second in line-drive rate (27.8%), OPS (.915), and wOBA (.392), third in wRC+ (133), sixth in batting average, and 13th in on-base percentage, according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Brannon saw the lion’s share of his playing time for Portland this year come at first base. Making a team-leading 77 starts at first, the 5-foot-11, 210-pounder committed six errors in 518 chances. He also made 13 starts at DH and went the entire season without logging any innings behind the plate, a first for him.

To go along with Eastern League All-Star honors, Brannon was also the recipient of the Sea Dogs’ 2026 Charlie Eshbach Citizen of the Year award earlier this month for “his outstanding commitment to the community and those around him.”

“Throughout the season, Brannon consistently demonstrated a willingness to give back, including volunteering at the free youth baseball clinic hosted by the Red Sox Foundation at Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field, where he worked directly with young players and signed autographs for kids,” the team wrote in a statement. “He also shared his personal experiences with fans during the Sea Dogs’ Faith & Family Night. Whether interacting with fans at the ballpark, supporting staff members, or encouraging his teammates, Brannon consistently displayed genuine care, compassion, and kindness, making a positive impact both on and off the field.”

Brannon was originally selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round (279th overall) of the 2022 draft out of Randleman High School in North Carolina. A highly-regarded catching prospect at the time, he received a well-over-slot $712,500 signing bonus to forgo his commitment to UNC. Prior to this season, in which he matched a career-high in games played and set a new career-high in plate appearances, he had struggled to stay on the field consistently due to a slew of injuries.

After opening 2026 as SoxProspects.com’s 53rd-ranked Red Sox prospect, Brannon has since moved up 15 spots to No. 38 in the organization. As the publication notes, the fact that Brannon has seemingly moved away from catching puts “far more pressure on his hit tool to improve and allow him to tap into his impressive power,” which requires more contact and less chase to “play to its potential.”

Brannon, who will not turn 23 until next May, 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. If Brannon remains in the organization — either by being added to the 40-man roster or by going unselected in the Rule 5 Draft (if there is one) — SoxProspects.com currently projects him to return to Portland to start 2027. In that scenario, however, he should have the chance to reach Triple-A Worcester before long.

(Picture of Brooks Brannon: Bryce Mosmen/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)

Top Red Sox prospect Franklin Arias named Eastern League MVP

Red Sox infield prospect Franklin Arias has been named the 2026 Eastern League MVP, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday. He was also selected as an Eastern League All-Star and recognized as the league’s top MLB prospect.

Arias opened the 2026 season with Double-A Portland after first reaching the level last September. The right-handed hitting 20-year-old batted .318/.407/.587 with 17 doubles, one triple, 19 home runs, 52 RBIs, 50 runs scored, five stolen bases, 37 walks, and 46 strikeouts in 75 games (332 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs before being promoted to Triple-A Worcester in late July.

Among 65 Eastern League hitters who logged at least 330 plate appearances this season, Arias led in OPS (.994), slugging percentage, strikeout rate (13.9%), wOBA (.423), and wRC+ (153). He also ranked second in batting average, isolated power (.269), and swinging-strike rate (7.5%), and third in on-base percentage, according to FanGraphs.

Shortly after representing the Red Sox at the All-Star Futures Game, Arias arrived at Triple-A on July 25. From there, he slashed .331/.388/.506 with 11 doubles, six home runs, 39 RBIs, 28 runs scored, four stolen bases, 16 walks, and 28 strikeouts in his final 42 games (188 plate appearances) of the year for the WooSox.

Overall, then, Arias hit a stout .323/.400/.557 with a career-high 28 doubles, one triple, a career-high 25 home runs, a career-high 91 RBIs, a career-high 78 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 53 walks, and 74 strikeouts in 117 games (520 plate appearances) between Portland and Worcester this season. He posted a .326/.398/.573 line in 399 plate appearances against righties and a .314/.405/.505 line in 121 plate appearances against lefties.

Defensively, Arias saw most of his playing time this year come at either shortstop or second base. Between his stops in Portland and Worcester, the sure-handed 5-foot-11, 180-pounder made 75 starts at short and 16 starts at the keystone, committing just five errors in 350 total chances. He also made 18 starts at DH.

Arias originally signed with the Red Sox for $525,000 as an international free agent in January 2023. Viewed as one of the top defensive shortstops in his signing class, the Venezuelan native made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League, impressing at the plate before bursting onto the scene in his first season stateside, earning 2024 Florida Complex League MVP, Top Prospect, and All-Star honors. He held his own while advancing multiple levels last year, but truly broke out in 2026 by adding strength and refining his approach to unlock more power.

Arias, who turns 21 in November, is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 2 prospect in baseball behind only Milwaukee’s Jesus Made. The publication named him the Red Sox’ Minor League Player of the Year on Monday, citing his baseball IQ and newfound ability to hit the ball harder and at better angles.

Barring a trade or other surprise move this offseason, Arias will likely return to Worcester to begin the 2027 campaign, with an opportunity to make his major league debut sooner rather than later.

(Picture of Franklin Arias: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

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)