Red Sox promote power-hitting IF prospect Mason White to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have promoted power-hitting infield prospect Mason White from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of SoxProspects.com.

White is currently ranked by both Baseball America and SoxProspects.com as Boston’s No. 27 prospect. The 22-year-old has reached the upper minors in his first full professional season after being selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round (118th overall) of last summer’s draft out of the University of Arizona. He received a $642,200 signing bonus and made his pro debut with Low-A Salem before moving up to Greenville, where he opened the 2026 campaign.

In 68 games for Greenville out of the gate this year, White batted .270/.362/.525 with 14 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, 42 RBIs, 36 runs scored, 31 walks, and 63 strikeouts over 282 plate appearances. The left-handed hitting slugger slashed .317/.417/.537 in 48 plate appearances against lefties and .261/.350/.522 in 234 plate appearances against righties.

Among 71 qualified South Atlantic League hitters entering play Saturday, White ranks ninth in isolated power (.254), 10th in slugging percentage and OPS (.887), 11th in batting average, 14th in wOBA (.386), 15th in wRC+ (121), 18th in swinging-strike rate (10%), 24th in on-base percentage, and 27th in strikeout rate (22.3%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, White primarily split his playing time with Greenville between second base and shortstop. In 35 starts at second, the 5-foot-11, 178-pounder committed two errors in 136 chances across 308 1/3 innings. In 27 starts at short, he committed one error in 87 chances across 237 1/3 innings. He also made five starts at DH.

White, who turns 23 in September, is the third member of Boston’s 2025 draft class to make the jump to Portland this season, joining third-rounder Anthony Eyanson and 13th-rounder Jack Winnay. Though there will be questions about how he adjusts to tougher, higher-quality pitching at Double-A, his promotion nonetheless helps the Sea Dogs address the void left by fellow infielder Marvin Alcantara, who was placed on the 7-day injured list on Friday.

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

How Red Sox IF prospect Mason White is faring with High-A Greenville

Led by Franklin Arias, the Red Sox have a talented group of infield prospects in their farm system. Lost in the shuffle, perhaps, is the club’s fourth-round pick in last year’s draft: Mason White.

Selected 118th overall last July following a decorated career at the University of Arizona, White signed with the Red Sox for an at-slot $642,200. The Tucson native then debuted with Low-A Salem before working his way up to High-A Greenville, where he returned for the start of his first full professional season out of camp this spring.

Nearly four months into the 2026 campaign, White has proven to be a stabilizing force in Greenville’s lineup. The left-handed hitting 22-year-old is batting .269/.356/.512 with 14 doubles, three triples, 13 home runs, 40 RBIs, 33 runs scored, 29 walks, and 63 strikeouts in 67 games (278 plate appearances) for the Drive. He is slashing .317/.391/.537 in 46 plate appearances against lefties and .259/.349/.507 in 232 plate appearances against righties.

Among 53 South Atlantic League hitters who have made at least 275 trips to the plate this season, White ranks seventh in isolated power (.244), slugging percentage, eighth in batting average and OPS (.868), 10th in wOBA (.380), 12th in swinging-strike rate (10.1%) and wRC+ (116), 20th in on-base percentage, and 21st in strikeout rate (22.7%), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, White has primarily split his playing time with Greenville this year between second base and shortstop. In 31 starts at second, the 5-foot-11, 180-pounder has committed two errors in 136 chances across 308 1/3 innings. In 26 starts at short, he has committed just one error in 85 chances across 228 1/3 innings. He has also made five starts at DH.

White, who turns 23 in September, is currently ranked as Boston’s No. 27 prospect by both Baseball America and SoxProspects.com. Baseball America tabbed him as the best power hitter in the Red Sox’ 2025 draft class, citing how he “swings with intent in any count or situation with firing hand speed and great torque.” SoxProspects.com, meanwhile, notes that he “hits the ball hard consistently, and can elevate to the pull side.”

Given his performance with Greenville so far this season, White should be in line for a new challenge in the form of a promotion to Double-A Portland sooner rather than later. The biggest question at that point will be how he adjusts to more advanced, higher-quality pitching in the upper minors. If he can continue to refine his hit tool, however, he could climb prospect rankings across the industry.

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

Trio of Red Sox prospects named 2026 Dominican Summer League All-Stars

Red Sox prospects Joskairo Ramirez, Anderber Urbina, and Isaac Velasquez have been named 2026 Dominican Summer League All-Stars. The trio of teenagers will represent the organization in Sunday’s DSL All-Star Game at the Rays’ academy in Guerra, just outside Santo Domingo.

All three of Ramirez, Urbina, and Velasquez are in their first professional seasons after joining the Red Sox as international free agents in January. Ramirez, a native of the Dominican Republic, received an $800,000 signing bonus, while Urbina, a native of Venezuela, and Velasquez, a native of Colombia, received $145,000 and $370,000, respectively.

Ramirez, 17, received the third-largest signing bonus in Boston’s 2026 international class and is enjoying a strong debut campaign with DSL Red Sox Red. Nicknamed “El Peluche” (“Teddy Bear” in English), the left-handed hitting outfielder is batting .293/.408/.505 (121 wRC+) with eight doubles, two triples, three home runs, 20 RBIs, 21 runs scored, six stolen bases, 15 walks, and 17 strikeouts in 29 games (120 plate appearances) this season.

Defensively, Ramirez has seen nearly all of his playing time this year come in center field. Across 26 starts there, the 5-foot-9, 175-pounder has committed one error and recorded one assist in 47 chances. He has also made two starts at DH. SoxProspects.com, which currently ranks him as Boston’s No. 56 prospect, notes that he “gets great jumps in center and reads the ball well.”

Urbina, also 17, is Ramirez’s teammate on DSL Red Sox Red. In 28 games for the rookie-level affiliate this season, the right-handed hitting infielder is slashing .312/.443/.505 (134 wRC+) with five doubles, two triples, three home runs, 16 RBIs, 28 runs scored, five stolen bases, 21 walks, and 16 strikeouts over 116 plate appearances.

On the other side of the ball, Urbina has seen playing time at every infield position besides first base. The 5-foot-9, 146-pounder has made 15 starts at shortstop, 10 starts at third base, and three starts at second base, committing five errors in 113 total chances. He is not currently ranked among the organization’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com.

Velasquez, who does not turn 17 until next month, is playing for DSL Red Sox Blue to begin his pro career. Through 26 games this season, the left-handed hitting infielder is batting .216/.376/.527 (112 wRC+) with three doubles, one triple, six home runs, 26 RBIs, 12 runs scored, one stolen base, 15 walks, and 25 strikeouts over 93 plate appearances. His six homers and 26 RBIs lead all of Boston’s DSL hitters.

Defensively, Velasquez has seen the lion’s share of his playing time this year come at shortstop. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder has made 23 starts at short for DSL Red Sox Blue, committing two errors in 59 chances. He has also made one error-free start at third base and one start at DH. Like Urbina, he is not currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as one of the system’s top 60 prospects.

(Picture: Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

How Red Sox OF prospect Enddy Azocar is faring with High-A Greenville

Top Red Sox outfield prospect Enddy Azocar headed into the MLB All-Star break on a high note after launching three home runs in High-A Greenville’s final two games against Greensboro over the weekend.

Azocar has experienced some growing pains since being promoted from Low-A Salem, where he batted .295/.344/.530 with six home runs and 26 RBIs over 39 games (180 plate appearances), in late May. In 34 games for Greenville since then, the right-handed hitting 19-year-old is slashing .228/.296/.441 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs across 159 trips to the plate.

Overall, though, Azocar has put together a solid body of work to begin his second season in the United States. Between Salem and Greenville, he is batting .264/.322/.489 with 21 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, 47 RBIs, 59 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 25 walks, and 82 strikeouts in 73 games (339 plate appearances). He has posted a .344/.400/.688 line in 70 plate appearances against lefties, compared to a .243/.301/.437 line in 269 plate appearances against righties.

Among 13 Red Sox minor leaguers who — regardless of level — have logged at least 300 plate appearances this year, Azocar ranks second in line-drive rate (27%) and speed score (8.2), third in isolated power (.225) and slugging percentage, and fourth in batting average, OPS (.811), wOBA (.362), and wRC+ (104), according to FanGraphs.

Defensively, Azocar has seen nearly all of his playing time come in center field this season after getting reps at all three outfield spots last year. Across 61 total starts (31 with Salem, 30 with Greenville), the athletic 6-foot-2, 195-pounder has committed two errors and recorded two assists in 137 chances over 537 1/3 innings. He has also made 12 starts at DH between the two stops.

A native of Venezuela, Azocar originally signed with the Red Sox for $40,000 as an international free agent in January 2024. He was relatively unknown at the time and truly did not get on most people’s radar until he arrived in Fort Myers for his stateside debut last year. Since then, he has emerged as one of the top position-playing prospects in the organization.

Baseball America currently ranks Azocar as Boston’s No. 6 prospect, while MLB Pipeline has him slightly lower at No. 10. Both outlets note that the teenager generates plenty of bat speed from the right side, allowing him to consistently produce triple-digit exit velocities. They also cite his above-average speed and project him to either stick in center field or develop into a strong right fielder in the long run.

Azocar, who does not turn 20 until February, is expected to return to Greenville when the High-A season resumes on Friday. Depending on how he continues to fare with the Drive and how aggressive the Red Sox want to be with his development, it would not be surprising to see him reach Double-A Portland before his age-19 campaign draws to a close. The club took a similar approach with No. 1 prospect Franklin Arias last year.

(Picture of Enddy Azocar: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Red Sox’ Ronald Rosario named Eastern League Player of the Week

Red Sox catching/first base prospect Ronald Rosario has been named the Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of July 6-12, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Rosario appeared in four of Double-A Portland’s six road games against New Hampshire last week. The right-handed hitter went 8-for-16 (.500) with four home runs, nine RBIs, four runs scored, one stolen base, and one strikeout. He homered once in Game 1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader, went deep twice on Friday, and left the yard again in Sunday’s series finale.

Following this hot stretch, Rosario is now batting .278/.324/.462 with six doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 26 RBIs, 22 runs scored, two stolen bases, 10 walks, and 41 strikeouts through 43 games (170 plate appearances) for Portland this season, his second at the Double-A level. He is slashing .229/.289/.371 in 38 plate appearances against lefties and .293/.333/.488 in 132 plate appearances against righties.

Defensively, Rosario has primarily split his playing time this year between catcher and first base. Behind Nate Baez and Johanfran Garcia on Portland’s catching depth chart, the 5-foot-11 backstop has thrown out four of 24 would-be base stealers over 15 starts. At first base, where he trails Brooks Brannon on the depth chart, he has committed four errors in 129 chances across 17 starts. He has also made eight starts at DH.

Rosario, 23, originally signed with the Red Sox for $50,000 as an international free agent in July 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, however, the native Venezuelan did not make his professional debut until 2021. He split his first two seasons in pro ball between the rookie-level Dominican Summer and Florida Complex Leagues before graduating to full-season ball in 2023. This past January, he received his first invite to major league spring training and ultimately broke camp with Portland.

Rosario has never been viewed as one of Boston’s premier catching prospects but has provided the organization with solid depth behind the plate over the years. He is slated to reach minor league free agency at the end of the season, though the Red Sox bringing him back on a new contract for 2027 is not out of the realm of possibility.

(Picture of Ronald Rosario: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

How top Red Sox prospects Franklin Arias, Anthony Eyanson fared in All-Star Futures Game

Top Red Sox prospects Franklin Arias and Anthony Eyanson played supporting roles in the American League’s 6-1 win over the National League in Sunday’s All-Star Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park.

Arias started at second base and served as the American League’s two-hole hitter to begin the seven-inning showcase in Philadelphia. The right-handed hitting 20-year-old went 0-for-2 with an RBI and a strikeout. He drove in the game’s first run on an RBI groundout that scored Leo De Vries in the top of the first.

After cleanly fielding the only ball hit his way and recording a putout in the bottom of the third, Arias struck out to lead off the fourth inning in his second and final plate appearance of the afternoon. He was then replaced at second base by Max Anderson in the middle of the fifth.

Arias is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 3 prospect in baseball. The Venezuelan-born infielder has enjoyed a breakout season at Double-A Portland, slashing .325/.411/.596 with 16 doubles, one triple, an organizational-leading 18 home runs, 48 RBIs, 47 runs scored, five stolen bases, 34 walks, and 41 strikeouts through 70 games (309 plate appearances). He has also provided the Sea Dogs with strong defense at shortstop, committing just three errors in 195 chances across 50 starts.

Eyanson, meanwhile, was one of 10 pitchers used by the American League on Sunday. The 21-year-old right-hander worked a scoreless third of an inning after relieving Kendry Chourio in the bottom of the fourth. With one runner on and two outs, he issued a six-pitch walk to the first batter he faced before getting Luis Pena to fly out and retire the side. In all, he threw 12 pitches (five strikes). His fastball sat at 92-94 mph, and he mixed in four sliders and a curveball.

Though he was not on the mound long, Eyanson was ultimately credited with the winning decision. He was the pitcher of record when the American League took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth. Five relievers then combined to toss three scoreless innings the rest of the way.

Eyanson is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 2 prospect and the No. 33 prospect in the sport. At this time last year, the California-born righty had not yet even signed his first professional contract after being selected in the third round of the 2025 draft out of Louisiana State. He has since added power to his arsenal and owns a 1.29 ERA with 71 strikeouts to 21 walks through 13 outings (12 starts) spanning 55 2/3 innings between High-A Greenville and Portland to begin his first full pro season.

Both Arias and Eyanson are expected to return to Portland from Philadelphia when the Sea Dogs’ season resumes on Friday. However, it may not be long before either of the top prospects receives a promotion to Triple-A Worcester as the next step in their development.

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

Red Sox OF prospect Skylar King hits for cycle in hometown

Red Sox outfield prospect Skylar King hit for the cycle in Low-A Salem’s 14-5 win over Columbia on Tuesday night.

King, a Columbia native, batted leadoff for the RidgeYaks in Tuesday’s series opener against the Fireflies at Segra Park, located less than five miles from where he went to high school (Brookland-Cayce). The 22-year-old made an immediate impact, crushing a home run on the second pitch of the game for his 10th homer of the season.

After tripling in the second inning, grounding out in the fourth, and doubling in the fifth, King led off the top of the eighth, needing only a base hit to complete the cycle. He did just that, shooting a line drive into left field for a single on the first pitch he saw from Fireflies reliever Henson Leal.

King struck out in his final plate appearance, but it did little to overshadow an otherwise memorable night in his hometown. The left-handed hitter finished 4-for-6 with three RBIs, two runs scored, and the first cycle by a Salem player in 21 years, according to the team.

Following Tuesday’s performance, King is batting .378/.417/.733 with three home runs and nine RBIs in his last 11 games (48 plate appearances) dating back to June 23. Overall, he is slashing .231/.321/.409 (92 wRC+) with 11 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 34 RBIs, 40 runs scored, 25 stolen bases, 28 walks, and 52 strikeouts through 66 games (278 plate appearances) for Salem this season. That includes a .185/.274/.370 line against lefties and a more solid .245/.335/.420 line against righties.

Among 65 qualified hitters in the Carolina League entering play Wednesday, King notably ranks sixth in pull rate (51.6%), 13th in isolated power (.178), 14th in strikeout rate (18.7%), 21st in slugging percentage, 23rd in wSB (0.7), 25th in swinging-strike rate (11.3%), and 26th in speed score (6.8), per FanGraphs.

Defensively, King has seen playing time at all three outfield positions for Salem this season. The athletic 6-foot-1, 180-pounder has made 29 starts in right field, 26 starts in center field, and eight starts in left field, committing six errors and recording four assists in 138 total chances between the three spots. He has also made two starts at DH.

King was Boston’s 15th-round selection in the 2025 draft out of West Virginia. As the 448th overall pick, the former Mountaineer received an at-slot $150,000 signing bonus before making his professional debut for Salem last August. He is not currently ranked among the organization’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com, which describes him as having “a solid floor with his speed and defensive ability, but upside will be determined by how his bat develops.”

Given how he has fared at Low-A in recent weeks, it would not be surprising to see King — who does not turn 23 until November — earn a promotion to High-A Greenville at some point during the second half of the season. In the meantime, he will look to keep it rolling with Salem.

(Picture of Skylar King: John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox promote pitching prospect Hayden Mullins to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox have promoted pitching prospect Hayden Mullins from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester, as was first reported by Tommy Cassell of The Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

Mullins was slated to start Worcester’s series opener against Rochester at Polar Park on Tuesday, but it was postponed due to inclement weather. The 25-year-old left-hander will now presumably get the starting nod and make his Triple-A debut in either Game 1 or 2 of Wednesday’s scheduled doubleheader.

Mullins is reaching the minors’ highest level for the first time following an up-and-down start to his season with Portland. In 12 outings (11 starts) for the Sea Dogs out of the gate, the southpaw posted a 5.85 ERA with 73 strikeouts to 31 walks over 47 2/3 innings in which Eastern League opponents batted .215 against him. That includes a .182 mark against left-handed hitters and a .236 mark against right-handed hitters.

Among 49 pitchers who entered play Tuesday having thrown at least 45 innings in the Eastern League this year, Mullins ranked first in strikeouts per nine (13.78), second in strikeout rate (34.8%), fourth in swinging-strike rate (15.7%), sixth in batting average against, 16th in FIP (4.16), and 17th in xFIP (4.13). On the flip side, he also ranked 28th in WHIP (1.43), 40th in ERA, and 46th in walks per nine (5.85) and walk rate (14.8%), according to FanGraphs.

Mullins is currently ranked by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 21 prospect, placing 12th among the system’s pitchers. The Tennessee native was originally selected by the Red Sox in the 12th round (369th overall) of the 2022 draft out of Auburn. He signed for just $97,500 but did not make his professional debut until the following August, as he was recovering from the Tommy John surgery that cut his junior season short.

After splitting the remainder of the 2023 campaign between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem, Mullins spent all of 2024 and the first part of 2025 with High-A Greenville before arriving at Portland last April. He fared well in his first stint with the Sea Dogs despite missing time in May due to shoulder fatigue, forging a 2.44 ERA across 18 starts (84 2/3 innings) en route to being recognized as the team’s Pitcher of the Year.

Even in light of that production, Mullins was somewhat surprisingly left off the Red Sox’ 40-man roster last November, leaving him available to other clubs in December’s Rule 5 Draft. He did not get picked, however, and remains in the organization without occupying a 40-man spot.

Listed at 6-foot and 194 pounds, Mullins possesses plus extension and features a 93-94 mph fastball that is capable of reaching 96 mph. The lefty also mixes in an 81-85 mph slider, a 77-80 mph sweeper, an 81-83 mph changeup, and a recently-implemented cutter. His secondaries are considered by Baseball America to be “inconsistent,” even though they “can all miss bats.”

Mullins, who turns 26 in September, 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. Barring a trade or another move between now and then, he can further strengthen his case for a roster spot with a strong showing down the stretch at Worcester.

(Picture of Hayden Mullins: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox prospect Blake Wehunt earns second consecutive Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honor

Red Sox pitching prospect Blake Wehunt has once again been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Wehunt, who took home the honor last week, turned in another award-winning performance for Double-A Portland on Sunday afternoon. Despite issuing four walks and hitting one batter in his start against Altoona, the 25-year-old right-hander struck out nine and allowed just one hit over five scoreless innings at Hadlock Field.

Finishing with 89 pitches (47 strikes), Wehunt generated 11 whiffs and topped out at 96.2 mph with his fastball. He also earned the win as the Sea Dogs blanked the Curve, 10-0, behind four additional scoreless, one-hit frames of relief from fellow righty Jedixson Paez, who fanned eight to record his first professional save.

Following Sunday’s outing, Wehunt is now 4-4 with a 3.38 ERA and a 66-to-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 12 starts (48 innings) for Portland this season. After missing time in April with a left hamstring strain, he has limited Eastern League opponents to a .230 batting average. That includes a .267 clip against left-handed hitters and a .196 clip against right-handed hitters.

Among the 49 pitchers who have thrown at least 45 innings in the Eastern League this year, Wehunt ranks third in strikeouts per nine (12.38), strikeout rate (33.7%), and xFIP (3.37), sixth in WHIP (1.19), seventh in ERA, eighth in FIP (3.59), 10th in batting average against, 15th in walks per nine (3.00), 16th in groundball rate (45.5%), and 17th in walk rate (8.2%), according to FanGraphs.

Wehunt is regarded by Baseball America as Boston’s No. 22 prospect, ranking 13th among the system’s pitchers. The Georgia-born chicken farmer was originally selected by the Red Sox in the ninth round (268th overall) of the 2023 draft out of Kennesaw State. He signed for just $100,000 that July and quickly climbed the organizational ladder during his first full professional season in 2024 before a lat strain limited him to 63 1/3 innings with Portland last year.

In addition to a mid-90s fastball that can reach 97 mph, the 6-foot-7, 240-pound Wehunt features a wide-ranging group of secondary offerings, including an 89-91 mph cutter, an 83-86 mph sweeper, and an 85-87 mph splitter. His other secondaries are considered by Baseball America to be “more change-of-pace pitches that can be effective in sequence.”

Wehunt, who turns 26 in November, is the first player in Portland franchise history to earn Eastern League Player/Pitcher of the Week honors in consecutive weeks. Given his recent success — along with the fact that he will become Rule 5-eligible after the season if he is not added to Boston’s 40-man roster — a promotion to Triple-A Worcester would appear to be a logical next step in his development.

(Picture of Blake Wehunt courtesy of the Portland Sea Dogs)

Red Sox sign well-traveled righty Sam McWilliams to minor league contract

The Red Sox have signed free agent right-hander Sam McWilliams to a minor league contract, per the club’s MLB.com transactions log.

McWilliams has been assigned to Triple-A Worcester. The 30-year-old righty is returning to affiliated ball after spending parts of the past two seasons with the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League. In 27 relief appearances for the Toros to begin the 2026 campaign, he posted a 3.04 ERA with 42 strikeouts to 12 walks over 26 2/3 innings before being released Wednesday to pursue this opportunity.

McWilliams is a former eighth-round draft pick of the Phillies out of Beech High School (Hendersonville, Tenn.) in 2014. The Florida native was traded to the Diamondbacks for Jeremy Hellickson in November 2015. He was then dealt to the Rays alongside Colin Poche in May 2018 to complete Arizona’s acquisition of Steven Souza Jr.

After being left off Tampa Bay’s 40-man roster at the end of the 2018 season, McWilliams was plucked by the Royals with the second overall pick in that December’s Rule 5 Draft. He failed to make Kansas City’s 2019 Opening Day roster, however, and was subsequently returned to the Rays, where he remained through 2020 before reaching free agency.

Not long after hitting the open market, McWilliams inked a major league contract with the Mets in November 2020. He opened the 2021 season with New York’s Triple-A affiliate before being designated for assignment and claimed off waivers by the Padres that June. San Diego then managed to sneak him through waivers and outright him to the minor leagues, allowing him to become a free agent again at the end of the year.

McWilliams landed a minor league contract with the Reds in March 2022 but was released three months later to work as a sales representative for Blast Athletics, a sports fundraising application. He returned to pitch for the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican Pacific League following the 2023 season, then signed a minors pact with the Cubs in January 2024. Seven months later, Chicago released him. He briefly caught on with the Brewers before they cut him loose in July 2025, prompting him to join the Toros de Tijuana.

All told, the well-traveled McWilliams has spent time with the Phillies, Diamondbacks, Rays, Royals, Mets, Padres, Reds, Cubs, and Brewers organizations without ever having pitched in the big leagues. In 89 career appearances (13 starts) across four seasons at the Triple-A level, he owns a 7.76 ERA with 197 strikeouts to 110 walks over 157 2/3 total innings.

This season in Mexico, McWilliams has reached 99 mph with his whiff-inducing upper-90s fastball. The 6-foot-7, 230-pound hurler features a sinker, slider, and curveball, and has added a cutter and sweeper to his arsenal, according to Chris Langin of Unfiltered Labs.

McWilliams, who turns 31 in September, is slated to join the WooSox for the remainder of their series in Syracuse this weekend, giving them another experienced option in the bullpen.

(Picture of Sam McWilliams: Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)