The Red Sox are promoting top outfield prospect Justin Gonzales from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as first reported by Mike Rodriguez of Rompiendo Sports.
Gonzales is moving up to the upper minors after recording his first professional multi-homer game in Greenville’s 10-5 win over Hub City on Sunday. The 19-year-old slugger is experiencing a power surge, having already nearly doubled his career home run total entering 2026, and is being rewarded for it.
In 89 games for Greenville this season, Gonzales batted .271/.391/.463 with 12 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs, 58 RBIs, 68 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 56 walks, and 79 strikeouts over 422 plate appearances. The right-handed hitter slashed .248/.368/.445 in 348 plate appearances against righties and .383/.500/.550 in 74 plate appearances against lefties.
Among 65 qualified hitters in the South Atlantic League, Gonzales ranks eighth in on-base percentage, ninth in wOBA (.389), 10th in wRC+ (121), 12th in OPS (.854), 13th in swinging-strike rate (10%), 15th in batting average and strikeout rate (18.7%), 17th in slugging percentage, 19th in walk rate (13.3%), 27th in isolated power (.191), and 31st in line-drive rate (23.7%), according to FanGraphs.
Defensively, Gonzales saw the majority of his playing time with Greenville come in right field. Making 70 starts there, the hulking 6-foot-6, 277-pounder committed four errors and recorded seven assists in 130 chances. He also made seven starts at first base, where he committed one error in 44 chances, one error-free start in center field, and 11 starts at DH.
A native of the Dominican Republic, Gonzales originally signed with the Red Sox for $250,000 as an international free agent in January 2024. He was named a Dominican Summer League All-Star and the organization’s Latin Program Position Player of the Year in his professional debut, then made the jump stateside in 2025. After appearing in just one Florida Complex League game last May, he moved up to Low-A Salem — where he was recognized as a Carolina League Post-Season All-Star — and ultimately to Greenville to close out the campaign.
Gonzales, who does not turn 20 until December, is currently regarded by Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 2 prospect behind only infielder Franklin Arias. He briefly cracked Baseball America’s Top 100 earlier this season, but has since fallen out of the rankings. MLB Pipeline, on the other hand, ranks him as the No. 79 prospect in the sport.
In Portland, Gonzales will join a roster that includes other notable prospects such as Johanfran Garcia, Brooks Brannon, Mason White, Jack Winnay, Henry Godbout, Miguel Bleis, and Yoeilin Cespedes. The Sea Dogs are also expected to welcome Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony for a rehab assignment beginning Tuesday, when they open a six-game series against Reading at Hadlock Field.
(Picture of Justin Gonzales: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)