Red Sox 2024 Offseason Top Prospects: #8, Yoeilin Cespedes

#8 SS Yoeilin Cespedes ( FCL Red Sox)

It feels like we’ve been talking about Yoeilin Cespedes as a blue-chip prospect for quite some time. The middle infielder has been hyped since signing with the Red Sox out of the Dominican Republic as an international free agent for $1.4 million, the organization’s largest signing bonus of that IFA class. That was January of 2023. Now just 19 years old, Cespedes has only 71 games of professional baseball under his belt, but over that span, he has shown why many scouts believed him to be among the best pure hitters of his class. 

In 2023, Cespedes played 46 games in the Dominican Summer League. He was named a Mid-Season All-Star and finished with a slash line of .346/.392/.560, for a wRC+ of 145. He hit six home runs, drove in 38 runs, and was named the team's Latin program position player of the year.

Cespedes started 2024 in the Florida Complex League, again showcasing his excellent hand-eye coordination with a slash line of .319/.400/.615. He smacked five home runs and drove in 24 runs in just 25 games, after which the Red Sox decided to promote him to Low A Salem. But before he could take the field, however, Cespedes experienced soreness in his left hand and was diagnosed with a broken hamate bone. Just two weeks after winning FCL Player of the Week, his last game of the season was on June 21.

What to Like:
The hit tool. The baseball IQ. The potential. 

Cespedes has what it takes to eventually become the organization's top prospect. Scouts have raved about his hand speed, and he's carved up the DSL and FCL. He showed a tremendous ability to get on base and started hitting the ball harder during his 25 games in 2024.

What to Work On:
Defense. 

Cespedes split his time evenly between shortstop, second base, and designated hitter in 2024. In 10 games at shortstop, Cespedes committed five errors. The Red Sox are expected to continue playing him at shortstop for the time being, but he could end up getting moved off the middle infield altogether, which would depress his value in a big way. Cespedes is also extremely aggressive at the plate, and he will likely have to work on his plate discipline as he climbs the ladder and gets challenged by more advanced pitching.

What’s next:
The Red Sox expect Cespedes to make a full recovery. He should be ready for the start of the 2025 season, at which time he will presumably pick up where he left off, beginning the year in full-season ball with the Salem Red Sox. In late October, Cespedes posted a video to Instagram showing him taking batting practice, so it appears to be full steam ahead.

Baseball America and MLB Pipeline already have Cespedes ranked as a top-10 prospect in the organization. With the Red Sox entering win-now mode, it’s conceivable that Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow packages the young slugger for a top-of-the-rotation starter. According to SoxProspects, Cespedes is not projected to reach the majors until around 2028, giving him ample time to develop into one of the more promising prospects not just in the organization, but in all of baseball.

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!