Red Sox Short-Season Minor League Hitter of the Year: 2024

Not every prospect excels in a short-season league due to the limited season run (56 games) and young age of the players involved. After a season to mostly forget, the Red Sox faithful who most believe in player development as the path to championships should begin in the Florida Coast League (FCL) and the Dominican Summer League (DSL). Boston features three outposts for their youngest prospects, the FCL Red Sox and the DSL Red Sox Blue (north) and Red (west). The Red squad cruised to a division win at 42-14, but all three teams finished with a winning record amongst their peers. The records might be meaningless, but success breeds success. Therefore, lets take a closer look at who brought the offensive fire to these victorious efforts.

Before we get into the hitters that impressed this season, here are the previous winners of this award:

Before getting into this year’s top short-season hitters, here are some of the other hitters who received votes from the Talk Sox minor league writers. 

Honorable Mentions

• RF/1B - Edwin Brito, 17, DSL Red, 51 G, .252/.361/.450, .811 OPS, 6 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 32 RBI, 21 BB, 46 K
• C - Frederik Jimenez, 19, FCL Red Sox, 29 G, .308/.404/.500,.904 OPS, 5 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 12 BB, 22 K, 6 SB
• OF - Yosander Asencio, 19, FCL Red Sox, 43 G, .271/.393/.441, .834 OPS, 7 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 27 RBI, 25 BB, 48 K

Short-Season Hitter of the Year
Here are the top three players for the Red Sox Short-Season Minor League Hitter of the Year, with an almost unanimous first place selection!

3. SS - Justin Gonzales, 17, DSL Red Sox Blue (43 G) and Red (4 G)
47 G, .320/.391/.517, .908 OPS, 8 SB, 11 2B, 4 3B, 5 HR, 29 RBI, 19 BB, 20 K
Gonzales entered the scene as an international free agent signee in January of 2024 out of the Dominican Republic. At 6’4” and 210 pounds, the teenage corner outfield/infield prospect has the frame to display power, but also managed to show some speed on the bases.

When the time came for the DSL playoffs, Gonzales was moved to the Red team, and he delivered in the championship game with four hits, including a double and his ninth RBI of the postseason. Already delivering in the “clutch,” this young prospect is moving up the charts, and looks to continue his climb up the ladder in 2025.

2. SS/2B Yoeilin Cespedes, 19, FCL Red Sox
25 G, .319/.400/.615, 1.015 OPS 3 SB, 10 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 12 BB, 19 K
Cespedes’ season was cut short due to a broken hamate bone in his non-throwing left hand, which prevented his climb to A ball mid-season. Before the injury, Cespedes proved that his 5’8”, 181 pound, frame could rake, with a 1.015 OPS over 25 games. The 2024 campaign improved his second year slash line in every avenue except a small dip in batting average compared to 2023. In short, power grew while contact stayed mostly consistent.

It’s easy to see why the Red Sox are excited about the Dominican 2023 international free agent signee, as an infield prospect who is garnering comps in the DSL to Rafael Devers. How Cespedes is able to recover his high exit velocities and swing following the hand surgery will be an obviously key factor in both where he will start the 2025 season, and upon how high he can climb as the number seven prospect on the MLB’s Red Sox list looks to make an impact on the organization for years to come.

1. SS/2B - Franklin Arias, 18, FCL Red Sox (51 G)/Salem Red Sox (36 G)
FCL Red Sox - 51 G, .355/.471/.584, 1.055 OPS, 30 SB, 16 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 28 RBI, 34 BB, 36 K
Arias was the clear favorite for this honor, deserving of his mid-season call up to Low-A Salem. While the leap in competition led to a decline in offensive success for the 18 year old, his FCL season is still worth celebrating. The youngster international free agent 2023 signee out of Venezuela represents some of the best defensive chops at the middle infield positions amongst the prospect squad, and his hitting and speed pay tribute to his diverse skill sets at the plate and on the bases.

Ranked sixth on the Red Sox prospect list by MLB.com, Arias gives the Red Sox the luxury of having back up at a valuable position, which could unlock a quicker rebuild if desired through the trade route. Arias’ final week at Salem brought signs of his offensive talent, so starting there or in Greenville to start 2025 makes sense, but early arrival in Portland isn’t out of the question.

Congratulations to this year’s winners. How would you rank these players on your ballot? Should a different player have made the top 3? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. 

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!