Article: Red Sox Future Values Big Board: Ranking The Trade Value Of Red Sox Players, #16-20

[Alex Mayes]

There will be much to talk about over this offseason if the front office is to be believed when they say they are primed to spend again. With that in mind, let's look at 20 of the top trade values within the Red Sox's system, starting with numbers 16 through 20. 

The general consensus around the Red Sox’s farm system is that it is one of the strongest in the game. MLB.com has them seventh, Fangraphs has them third, and ESPN has them sitting tenth. Since the organization hired Chaim Bloom and subsequently let him go for Craig Breslow, there has been a focus on building from within and promoting young stars as quickly as possible. That has been evident in the young talent that has made their way to Boston over the last few seasons, going as far back as Rafael Devers’ debut in 2017. Now, the farm system has grown in leaps and bounds from where it once was, and players are knocking on the door to the big leagues that should excite fans. 

However, with that young talent comes questions. Can the Red Sox keep all their homegrown players? Should they? Who is available in trade talks? With these questions in mind, I decided to sit down and list prospects and big leaguers and rank them in terms of big-picture value to the team. Some familiar names will be on this list, and we’ll address the “Big Four” as we get to them. 

Without further ado, here is the first installment of my big board future value rankings for the Boston Red Sox's entire system based on age, upside, team control, and cost.

#20 Vaughn Grissom, 2B
Season age in 2025: 24
Years of team control: 6

We won’t rehash the trade that brought Vaughn Grissom here now; that’s not what this series is for. Grissom spent more time in Triple-A Worcester than he did with the Boston this season, thanks partly to a left hamstring strain suffered during spring training, the flu, and a right hamstring strain in June. Once healthy from the last injury, Grissom was optioned to Worcester to work on his timing again. In Triple-A, he slashed .259/.385/.373, while in the majors, his slashline was .190/.246/.219. Bluntly, those numbers in the majors tank his value to organizations that aren’t the Boston Red Sox. There’s room for growth here, and Grissom looked like he was starting to figure things out when he was brought back to Boston to close the season. A strong spring training and solid season at second would easily shoot him up this list next offseason, though.

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#19 Rafael Devers, 3B
Season age in 2025: 28
Years of team control: 9

I know, but there’s value here. Rafael Devers is the cornerstone of the Boston Red Sox, and they would be insane to trade him, but stranger things have happened. The value here is mainly confined to the Red Sox themselves, as Devers is the middle-of-the-order power threat and plays a passable third base for the foreseeable future. In 2024, Devers slashed .272/.354/.516. These are not bad numbers by any means, but not the typical Devers slash line. The shoulder injuries this season kept him from his full potential in 2024, but a full offseason to recover should put him back in top-tier form and allow him to step fully back into his on-field leadership role. Look for Devers to be a man on a mission next season, especially if the front office commits to spending like the statements make it seem. 

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#18 Richard Fitts, RHP
Season age in 2025: 25
Years of team control: 3

Richard Fitts made his MLB debut in September, appearing in four games. He didn’t allow a run going into the final start of the season and posted a 1.74 ERA on the season, going 0-1. We’ve written about Fitts here at Talk Sox a couple of times this offseason already, and we think there is a decent chance he comes out of spring training as part of the rotation if no more pitching additions are made. Fitts has been able to pitch effectively during his brief stint in the majors this past season, but his hard contact rate and the lack of ability to miss bats leaves something to be desired. He has some adjustments to make to stick as a back-end rotation starter, but the potential is there. 

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#17 Mikey Romero, SS
Season age in 2025: 21
Years of team control: 5

Mikey Romero shot up prospect rankings this year, thanks in part to an incredibly strong debut in Double-A Portland. He cooled off some but flashed a ton of potential on both sides of the baseball. He slashed .265/.306/.508 between Salem and Portland in 2024. While you’d like to see the average be higher, he flashed some power that people didn’t expect and showed that his glove would play at every level of the game. The issue is he’s effectively blocked at every level of the organization, regardless of how he performs. It wouldn’t be a shock to see the Red Sox capitalize on his quick rise through the ranks and use him in a trade this offseason.

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# 16 Yoeilin Cespedes, SS
Season age in 2025: 19
Years of team control: 4

Yoeilin Cespedes was promoted to Salem during the summer but never saw any action at that level, as a broken hamate bone in his left hand sidelined him as soon as he was called up. Before the injury with the FCL Red Sox, Cespedes slashed .319/.400/.615. He has raw power, which should continue as he grows within the system. He will likely need to move off of shortstop as he climbs the ranks, but much like Romero above, he’s effectively blocked at every level ahead of him. Cespedes is another name that should draw interest in the trade market this offseason, as young, powerful middle infielders don’t just grow on trees. Look for his name to start being thrown around as talks get more serious for starting pitchers. 

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[moonslav59]

Grissom would probably just squeak into my top 30 (or 25th.)

Fitts above Romero.