Red Sox 2024 Offseason Top Prospects: #6, Franklin Arias

#6 SS Franklin Arias (Salem Red Sox)
The Red Sox signed Franklin Arias as an international free agent in 2023, and at 17 years old, he laid waste to the Dominican Summer League, running a .350 batting average and an 89% contact rate. In 2024, after spending 51 games terrorizing the Florida Complex League to the tune of a .355 average and a 181 wRC+, Arias was promoted to the low-A Salem Red Sox. Over 36 games in Salem, he ran a 111 wRC+. Split between the FCL and Salem, Arias slashed .309/.409/.487. He has spent most of his time at shortstop and the remainder at second. Arias is listed at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, and he isn't the toolsiest of prospects. His bat speed doesn't wow you, and although he stole 35 bases this season, he doesn't have game-changing speed either. His superpowers are patience and plate discipline. While his average wasn't sky-high during 2024, he shows the ability to put the bat on the ball and play gap-to-gap.

What will make Arias stand out, and the reason he was voted so highly, is his glove. He turned 23 double plays at short in 2024. He committed seven errors on the season as well; four of them throwing errors. That being said, he is very much a glove-first infielder who profiles as a bench utility player as he currently stands. He should fill out a bit as he ages, which might help him add at least some power to his game and give him the chance to be a starting shortstop. Back in August, Ben Spanier reported that Arias was, "getting to some in-game pop thanks to a quick, whippy swing that allows for an aggressive cut when he gets his “A” swing off."

The other limitation is that Arias is blocked at pretty much every level of the Red Sox system at the moment. The Red Sox are flush with middle infielders, which makes it possible that Arias could end up as part of a trade package in the coming months. If he can improve his pitch recognition, Arias has the chance to be a solid defender and an on-base threat. Whether he does so with the Red Sox remains to be seen.

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