Former Red Sox Top Prospect Is Flashing Signs Of Potential After Several Injury-Filled Seasons

As the temperature heats up, so too is Red Sox prospect Miguel Bleis, as the outfielder has been on a tear lately. Bleis, a former top prospect in the Red Sox system twho originally signed for $1.5 million as an international free agent in 2021 as a 16-year-old, has seen his fair share of struggles in pro ball. Despite that, he’s beginning to put together his best season since being promoted out of the Florida Complex League.

As the first week of June has come to an end, Bleis has managed to turn not just his season, but also his chances of being a top prospect, back around. While the right-handed outfielder is unlikely to reach the heights of his former status that saw him enter 2023 as the 88th ranked prospect by Baseball America, there is a good chance he could show the talents that once made him a highly-touted prospect, such as his amazing power, speed and defense that have been hampered by injuries throughout his professional career.

Since signing with the Red Sox in 2021, Bleis has dealt with a lower back injury that ended his season early in 2022, a left shoulder subluxation that led to season-ending surgery in June of 2023, and minor injuries in 2024 such as a root canal and finger sprain. Even in 2025, he began the year hurt as he dealt with a quad injury.

There’s a good chance that the quad injury he began the year with played an impact on his early-season struggles, as the outfielder only hit .231/.310/.519 in 13 games in April. He did manage to hit four home runs and drive in 15 RBIs, but also struck out 22 times in just 52 at-bats. The good news is Bleis’ numbers improved the longer the season has gone on, as he started to hit better in May, though at a peculiar expense of his power.

Across 23 games last month, Bleis managed to increase his numbers to a stat line of .256/.333/.390 to go along with two home runs and 15 RBIs. He also showed off his speed a bit more, as he swiped six bases in the month. Most importantly, perhaps, was that his strikeout rate dove — he struck out two less times in 30 more at-bats this month.

And, as June begins to heat up, so too is Bleis, as he is off to a torrid start. The young outfielder is slashing .350/.409/1.000 to go along with four home runs, eight RBIs and two more stolen bases, while having only struck out four times in 20 at-bats. Overall on the season, Bleis has appeared in 41 games and is hitting .260/.355/.513 with 10 home runs and 38 RBI. He’s also stolen 11 bases and has tied the number of hits he had with Greenville last season with 40, all of this being done in just 154 at-bats.

Due to his high number of strikeouts in April (22 in 52 at-bats), his percentage on the season may be a little skewed, as it sits at 26.6%, a number that is 5.2% higher than last year and 3.5% higher than his percentage in Greenville for 2024. One positive way to look at it, however, is that since the start of May, his strikeout percentage is only 23.5% in his last 102 at-bats. His walk percentage is also another area to look at, as he’s now walking at just under at 9.8%, an improvement over his 7.7% rate in Greenville for 2024.

Bleis also has an issue with using the whole field, typically pulling the ball most of his at-bats as the percentage of all his batted balls is currently 65.7%. The young outfielder is very pull happy and might be using the wall in left field of Fluor Field to help his numbers as there’s a vast difference between his home and away splits. So far in 2025 he’s hitting .284/.366/.580 at home and while on the road those numbers drop down to .227/.292/.424.

Despite the struggles, Bleis is still young and has showcased flashes of his potential at every stop of his minor league career. There’s a reason the Red Sox gave him the largest bonus in their 2021 international free agent class, and his recent display at the plate is helping to show it. Should Bleis manage to stay healthy, then there’s a good chance he develops into the player everyone thought he could be, but that is a big "if" for a guy who hasn't managed a fully healthy season once since signing.

His previous struggles could have been due to recovering from various injuries and being unable to put things together, but now that he’s played close to 100 games in High-A Greenville, Bleis seems to be turning a corner and making a push for a promotion to Double-A Portland. That might sound too aggressive for a young guy with injury issues, but the Red Sox need to see how he fares against more advanced competition, especially seeing as how he will be Rule 5 Draft eligible this coming offseason. Should the Red Sox not protect him, there’s a chance another team will swoop in and take him, especially with his prospect pedigree.

If Bleis can stay healthy and continue to improve as the season continues, the decision may become a bit easier for the Red Sox if they want to protect him or even possibly move him in a deal to improve to the major league roster.

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