Article: Red Sox Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year: 2024

[Steve Trefz]

Today, we continue to hand out our proverbial Talk Sox hardware. Who were the top relief pitchers for the Red Sox minor-league ballclubs in 2024? 

Earlier in the week, we named Juan Valera as the Red Sox Short-Season Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Today, we will discuss the most exciting relief pitchers in the Red Sox other minor league affiliates.

The Talk Sox minor league writers and video providers were asked to vote on these awards. RHP Isaac Stebens (Salem/Greenville), LHP Zach Penrod (Portland/Worcester/Boston), and LHP Zach Fogell (Salem/Greenville) all received votes and offer examples of hope for the future. Before getting into the top three vote getters in 2024, here are the three vote getters who earned Honorable Mention. Unfortunately, two of the three are currently pitching for other clubs.

Honorable Mention

• LHP Lucas Luetge, 37, Worcester: 31 G, 0 GS, 6 SV, 3.02 ERA, 1.176 WHIP, 41.2 IP, 36 H, 13 BB, 47 K   (Opted out of minor league contract in August 2024 after not being promoted)
• RHP Ryan Zeferjahn, 26, Portland/Worcester: 7/18 G, 0/1 GS, 0.00/5.47 ERA, 0.878/1.50 WHIP, 13.2/24.2 IP, 9/20 H, 3/17 BB, 22/31 K  (Traded to Los Angeles Angels for RHP Luis Garcia)
• RHP Reidis Sena, 23, Greenville/Portland: 28/7 G, 0/0 GS, 3/2 SV, 3.56/7.94 ERA, 1.25/1.853 WHIP, 48/11.1 IP, 36/13 H, 24/8 BB, 67/17 K

Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year
Here are the top three vote-getters for Red Sox Full-Season Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year

3. RHP Robert Kwiatkowski, 27, Portland/Worcester (32 G/4 G)
36 G, 2 GS, 4 SV, 2.86 ERA, 1.106 WHIP, 78.2 IP, 62 H, 25 BB, 71 K
Kwiatkowski has experienced every stop on the Sox minor league circuit since he was signed in 2020 as a free agent out of Marshall. The fact that he went undrafted in the five round 2020 COVID draft still sticks with him, and he hopes to erase all doubt that he is a major leaguer. The 6’1”, 190 pound, righty has managed to improve with each promotion since 2022, but no improvement was more significant than his jump to AAA Worcester in 2024. In an admittedly small sample size of four games, Kwiatkowski nearly doubled his strike out to walk ratio, and he looked like a man who was ready to make the next leap in 2025.

A middle and long reliever by trade, Kwiatkowski averaged two innings of work in his outings. How his setup utilization will translate to his 2025 usage in Worcester remains to be seen, but as a 27 year old there is no time to waste. If the need arises, Kwiatkowski should get the call up.

2. RHP Luis Guerrero, 24, Worcester/Boston (42 G/9 G)
42 G, 0 GS, 2 SV, 3.31 ERA, 1.307 WHIP, 54.1 IP, 39 H, 32 BB, 79 K (Worcester)
In 2021, the Red Sox selected the 6’0”, 215 pound, right handed Guerrero out of Chipala College in Florida. The Dominican native worked his way up the minor league ladder in succession until 2023. After making the leap from Greenville to Worcester to start the season, Guerrero struggled out of the gate to a 7.71 ERA in his first six outings. Upon arrival in Portland, he regained form. Starting 2024 in Worcester also proved to be the appropriate step up, and Guerrero excelled.

There are many ways to measure success, but making the leap to the majors only one year after being demoted in the minors definitely points to the inner strength of Guerrero. His near-100 mph heater, nasty slider, and disappearing splitter also point to good things! Odds are that Luis’ minor league days are over, and the Red Sox bullpen is about to fully begin. His 0.00 ERA and 0.800 WHIP in nine major league games bode well for this future success.

1. LHP Mike Sansone, 24, Salem
20 G, 3 GS, 3 S, 3.11 ERA, 1.009 WHIP, 72.1 IP, 64 H, 9 BB, 68 K
They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, in this case it was the often pitching keen Rays who let one get away. The Rays signed the undrafted 5’9”, 195 pound, left-handed pitcher to a 2022 minor league contract out of Fairfield University in Connecticut. After a year in rookie ball, and another at the Tampa minor league Charleston A squad. Sansone achieved modest success one inning at a time in 2023, but didn’t reveal enough promise to stay in the organization. Enter Boston, and they are glad they did!

Sansone spent 2024 working mostly out of the Salem bullpen in long relief. Outings of three to four innings were commonplace, and that extra workload suited Sansone very well. He tripled his innings output, while simultaneously lowering his statline in every metric desired. Towards the end of the season, Sansone worked some as an opener as well, and he has potential in climbing the organizational ladder. Portland would be the logical starting point for Sansome in 2025, and it will be interesting to see how his emergent talent is utilized there. Will he continue to be stretched into a more traditional starter’s role? Or will his success in long relief play better into another bullpen strategy for the future? Either way, Red Sox fans can be happy that Boston has apparently found a gem hiding in the local Pioneer Baseball League.

Congratulations to the young pitchers we discussed today on great showings. For 2024, Mike Sansone definitely earned and deserved our choice for Talk Sox Minor-League Relief Pitcher of the Year.

 

What do you think Red Sox fans? Is there someone that we missed? Who are you most excited about for both the short-term and long-term future of the squad?

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[moonslav59]

Very informative article. Thanks.

Bailey Horn had some awesome minor league numbers, this year.

[mvp 78]

46 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Very informative article. Thanks.

Bailey Horn had some awesome minor league numbers, this year.

They were "awesome" in a different manner when he was with the Charlotte Knights. Overall, it was a 4.54 ERA, 727 OPSa and a 1.387 WHIP in AAA. He did well against LHB in AAA, but couldn't put it together at all in MLB (1097 OPS vs LHB). 

[mvp 78]

NIce to see Kwiatkowski get some love. Well earned!