Red Sox Promote Justin Gonzales to Salem, Antonio Anderson to Greenville

The Boston Red Sox promoted a pair of talented prospects Tuesday afternoon, as first baseman and outfielder Justin Gonzales was promoted to Salem after just one game played in the Florida Coast League this season. Joining Gonzales in the upwards mobility elevator is infielder Antonio Anderson, from Salem to Greenville, as reported by Beyond the Monster's Hunter Noll .

Gonzales, who is 18 years old and measures 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, was signed as an international free agent in January of 2024 and has only impressed since joining the organization. Playing for the Dominican Summer League in 2024, Gonzales hit .320/.391/.517 in 47 games. During that time, he also hit five home runs and drove in 29 RBI en route to being named the 2024 Latin Program Position Player for the Red Sox. During his time in the DSL, he was named an All-Star and later became the playoff MVP after hitting .444/.471/.519 in seven playoff games to help the DSL Red Sox take home the organization’s first DSL title since 2016.

Per FanGraphs, out of 91 qualified DSL hitters, Gonzales ranked within the top 20 for multiple offensive categories. He ranked ninth for batting average, eighth for slugging percentage, 10th in strikeout rate with a 10.4% rate, 14th in OPS at .908 and was 20th in wRC+ with 140.

In the field ,Gonzales has spent time at first base and the corner outfield spots, though he mostly spent last year at first where he played 236 innings. During spring training, he spent some time working on center field and has shown the range needed to handle the position long-term.

Gonzales opened the season in extended spring training before playing his first game stateside with the FCL Red Sox. In his debut, he went hitless, striking out twice and driving in a run on a groundout. Despite the very short stint, the Red Sox felt he was ready for the next level of competition and promoted him to Salem.

Gonzales has a short swing and shows solid barrel control for someone of his size. Despite the young age, he also has an advanced approach as he has a good understanding of the strike zone. What will determine how he eventually progresses as a prospect will be how his in-game power develops. Currently, he’s projected to have plus in-game power, as the ball jumps off his bat and he’s shown an ability to drive the ball out to all parts of the field.

Anderson, on the other hand, was drafted by the Red Sox in the third round of the 2023 draft as a shortstop, though he’s mostly played third base since being drafted. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 205 pounds, he began to play exclusively third base in spring training of 2025, though he's since started to play some first base for Salem this season.

In 2023, Anderson played only 12 games between the FCL Red Sox and Salem Red Sox, hitting a combined .167/.239/.214 in 42 at-bats. The young infielder drove in four runs while striking out 15 times in his debut season. 2024 was much of the same offensively, though Anderson showed an ability to get on base more. In 108 games with Salem, he wound up hitting .186/.311/.270 in 404 at-bats. He also had five home runs and 34 RBIs while walking 69 times and striking out 122 times. He mostly played third base, though he still appeared at shortstop 23 times that season.

It seems that Anderson’s bat has finally woken up to begin the season in 2025, as through 22, games he was hitting .345/.436/.488 prior to his promotion to Greenville. The switch-hitter has also hit a pair of home runs and driven in 17 RBIs in 84 at-bats.

Anderson has a tall, well-built frame that has added strength at the cost of his athleticism since he originally signed. Offensively, he starts differently based on the side he’s hitting from. As a left-handed hitter, he will start wide and use a leg kick to help time the pitcher, while batting right-handed, he will start narrow and instead use a toe tap. When it comes to his power, he seems to showcase more of it from the right side of the plate, though his ability to hit for power in-game will depend on his ability to make consistent contact.

Now in Greenville, Anderson will have a chance to split time between first and third base as he continues to work on the foundation he’s built to begin the season in Salem. Should he continue to develop, Anderson could become a power-hitting corner infielder that either comes off the bench or is sent up-and-down between the minors and majors as the Red Sox need him.

With the two move, the Red Sox continue to stay busy with promoting prospects early in the season. Their aggressive nature is a promising sign for the health of the farm system, as young talent continues to rise closer to the big leagues.

Interested in learning more about the Boston Red Sox's top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!