Nick John

Jason Delay takes immense pride in his defensive capabilities. Since being taken by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2017 MLB Draft, Delay has put a focus on his glove, using his years of experience along with an incredible work ethic to make himself the best catcher he can be. Currently serving as one of four catchers on the Worcester Red Sox, Delay has appeared in 58 games while hitting just .227/.328/.343 (78 wRC+) with 13 doubles, two triples, two home runs and 28 RBIs. That production is pretty much in line with what he's done in the majors throughout his career (69 wRC+), though no one has ever mistaken him for a true slugger. It all comes down to his work behind the plate, not at it. Through the first half, the 31-year-old catcher tied for fifth in all of Triple-A in framing runs, sitting at a value of 3.48. For those unaware, framing runs is a metric that measures a catcher’s ability to turn borderline pitches into strikes, with 0.125 runs being added for each gained strike or lost. If Delay’s 3.48 was to be compared to catchers in the majors during that window, he would be sitting just outside of the top 10. On top of that, he has been one of the top catchers in the minors when it comes to his success with the ABS system. An understanding of the strike zone along with years of experience helping him. Though, for Delay, sometimes winning an ABS challenge isn’t always a sign of great catching. “To be honest, being good at challenges isn’t something I take a lot of pride in. Just because if I’m challenging pitches that are in the strike zone, that means I’m not getting them called [as] strikes. I would prefer to be good at receiving, good at framing. It’s been a strength of mine for years and it’s something I take pride in,” the veteran backstop explained. It's obvious why he's prideful of his abilities. In 2022, when he appeared in 57 games with the Pirates, his framing value was at +4, only for the value to increase in 2023 where in 70 games he sat at +7. Delay admits that entering each game he studies the umpire behind the plate to prepare for his own game calling and to be ready on the receiving end of the pitches being thrown to him. In his first 41 games behind the plate, he managed to steal 52 called strikes for his pitchers, the 11th-most in Triple-A. On the flip side, he lost only 36 called strikes, many that would be overturned through an ABS challenge. “I do my own homework on the umpires, where their cold zones are within the [strike] zone, so I know going into any game,” Delay told a media scrum in Worcester. “I am looking at the iPad pretty much between each inning to see, like, that pitch I thought was close, did it clip? Was it out of the zone? Doing that for years now, that’s probably how I started to win the zone. And if it’s a close pitch, I’ll kind of look into the dugout and they have a lot of feedback too.” “Delay’s a smart guy. Just smart in general, he’s a Vanderbilt guy, but the baseball IQ is there,” acting Worcester manager Iggy Suarez said. “That’s something he tracks on his own. When he challenges, if he’s going to miss it’s going to be pretty close and if he does miss, it’s a spot where we’re trying to grab a strike, stop an inning or take a chance. He’s coming in and asking, peeking in the dugout to see what the pitch was. And you can tell if he misses one, he’s kind of like ‘that could have helped us out.' I can only imagine how the pitchers feel knowing that [when] this guy rips a challenge, it’s going to probably be a strike.” For Delay and fellow catcher Matt Thaiss, it isn’t just their on-field contributions that have paid dividends for the organization. Being a veteran catcher that spent multiple years in the bigs, Delay offers a viewpoint for the younger pitchers in Worcester hoping to make it to The Show themselves. The experience is comforting for the pitchers, knowing that they’re throwing to a catcher who has experienced the top level of competition. Delay provides an edge for the pitchers not just when it comes to calling a game, but also the preparation he does before the game. “Just the way he prepares and how he goes about it, there’s no panic. Young catchers start panicking and call aggressively. Guys that have experience like Delay, whether he’s struggling at the plate or not, he’s gonna be dealing behind the plate. So, to have that experience at the big-league level will be good for guys,” Suarez explained. And Delay has been good, helping both young pitchers and veterans alike each time he gets behind the plate. That experience and his defense could be beneficial to a playoff team come September, something that Delay might be thinking in the back of his head even if he won’t say it. As part of his contract he signed prior to spring training, he has one remaining opt-out clause remaining. The first was June 30, though he chose not to exercise it. The next comes on August 15, at a time where more teams may be inquiring about his defensive skills. It would be easier to find a path to the majors as a defensive third catcher for the month of September, a role that could be alluring to the veteran backstop after spending nearly two years in the minor leagues. If the Red Sox want to keep someone like that in the organization, they may have to reward his defensive prowess with a trip to Boston. View full article

The 2026 MLB Draft has come and gone, as the Boston Red Sox made 19 selections while Craig Breslow kept to his usual strategy of drafting pitchers and supplementing them with position players. While that manifested in a different manner from Breslow’s usual style, the organization still drafted 11 pitchers. Of the 19 picks, 17 were signed as the organization was unable to come to terms with 15th-round pick Chase Frey and 18th-round pick Ethan Offing. While names like Jake Schaffner, Owen Hull, Martin Shelar and Kaleb LaFavor have been mentioned a lot due to their talent and money tied into them, there are plenty more who have a chance to become key prospects within the organization. Today, we’re going to look at three underrated prospects that will make an immediate impact in the farm system. #3: Wills Maginnis, SS, Round 11 Maginnis is a high floor but lower ceiling prospect who should enter the system with the ability to play all over the field. His hitting followed the theme of great bat-to-ball skills that the organization targets with their position players. The infielder has a solid contact tool and good plate discipline which leads to him getting on base often, though he has below-average power that could improve over time if he adds mass to his body and gets under the ball more. To go along with his hit tool, his defense is his carrying tool, as he has the ability to play second base, shortstop and third base. Maginnis could remain at shortstop full time as well thanks to his footwork, athleticism and above-average arm. After spending two seasons at Georgia State, there’s a chance he’ll play some affiliate level baseball with Salem or possibly even Greenville before the season concludes. #2: Lucas Davenport, RHP, Round 5 Breslow likes pitchers who are tall, have a great fastball, and possess elite extension. Davenport checks off all three boxes. Standing at 6-foot-6, Davenport wields a high-90s fastball that gets on hitters quick thanks to a huge stride off the mound. This is a pitcher who will attack hitters with his fastball, cutter, slider and a changeup that’s a work in progress. Of his pitches, the slider is the best, as it sits 81 to 83 mph and has late break that generates whiffs in the zone. While being a work in progress, his changeup has shown amazing depth and could eventually become an above-average pitch. The fifth-round pick also has a deceptive delivery that keeps batters uncomfortable and off-balance. The right-hander pitched two seasons for Baylor, including his final season as a starter. He'll begin his pro career in the rotation, though he has the raw stuff to succeed in the bullpen. His addition to the system will provide the Red Sox with a talented pitcher that should flourish in Breslow’s pitching lab. #1: Jacob Webster, SS, Round 12 Webster is the only prep player on this list, but he has great potential and could end up being one of the top players from this draft class if his hit tool develops. Drafted as a shortstop, the 18-year-old is incredibly athletic and a switch-hitter. Tall and lean, he should add muscle upon joining the organization and being put on their training program. Where most of Webster’s value will come from early on is his speed and power, with the former being viewed as a future plus tool for the young infielder. The Red Sox do not have much power in the organization, and Webster could help provide some in the lower minors. Defensively. he moves well and has quick hands. Though due to the likelihood of growing even more, there’s a good chance he moves to third base , here he should remain a good defender. The infielder is a high-risk, high-reward prospect entirely because of his underdeveloped bat-to-ball skills. Should he develop as the Red Sox hope, he could turn into a 20-20 threat thanks to his speed and power profile. The Red Sox don’t have many players like that in the minors and Webster could help transform their middle infield prospect depth. View full article

The Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals completed a trade late Saturday night as left-handed pitcher Connelly Early was traded for infielder Curtis Mead. The trade helps fill both teams' holes as Early will slot into a Washington rotation in need of help while Mead's bat will slot into the Boston lineup nicely. The trade is a one-for-one deal with no other parts involved. Mead is coming off of a strong first half with Washington, where he put up a stat line of .256/.351/.505 with 17 doubles, one triple, 17 home runs, and 48 RBIs. A right-handed hitter, Mead will slot in nicely behind Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras while lengthening the lineup. This season, Mead has showcased an ability to be patient at the plate and not chase, with his whiff rate a low 17.9%, showing an ability to put the ball in play often while also walking to get on base. Mead follows the mold of hitters that Breslow is interested in, pulling the ball 47% of the time. He is also near the top of leaderboards for Pull Air percentage, sitting at 22.8%. Should that continue with his time in Boston, Mead should be able to take full advantage of the Green Monster in left field. Mead doesn’t come without some issues. The two biggest being his low exit velocity and his poor defense. While Mead makes contact often, his average exit velocity is sitting at just 88.1 mph. Despite that, he has been able to barrel the baseball up at an 11.1% rate. The infielder seems like a perfect candidate for Boston’s bat speed program during the offseason. The other major issue is his defensive ability. As of the trade, his Fielding Run Value sits at a negative eight, placing him in the fourth percentile of major league baseball. Mead plays first base, second base, and third base, but has mostly played third base with Washington. In 47 appearances at the hot corner, he’s made four errors and only turned five double plays. His range is some of the worst in baseball this season, sitting at a negative nine. Mead has broken out this season after hitting just .233/.299/.321 across 90 games last season with Tampa Bay and the Chicago White Sox. For Mead, the Red Sox get a middle-of-the-lineup bat who is only 25 years old and under contract through the 2030 season for cheap money. It doesn’t come without a cost, as Early was a fast riser through the system and showed he could pitch at the major league level. The Red Sox will need to decide how their infield will now align and whether Caleb Durbin will remain at third base and Mead will slot into second base or if the two will swap positions in the lineup. View full article

Worcester, MA — For Hayden Mullins, it's been a long road to the majors Despite dealing with multiple injuries earlier in his baseball life, the left-handed pitcher managed to get drafted and work his way through the minor leagues, and is now on the cusp of the big leagues after making his Triple-A debut July 8 for Worcester. Getting picked by Boston was one of the best surprises of his young career. “It was awesome. I’m sitting there in an elbow brace, three days out of surgery. So I’m sitting there hoping a team takes a chance and I’m grateful it was the Red Sox,” Mullins explained when asked about his draft experience. Since that fateful day, Mullins has flashed the potential to rack up strikeouts thanks in part to his fastball-slider combination. The fastball, despite topping out around 95 mph, manages to jump on hitters and shows life to it that makes it appear faster. When paired with his slider, he has two pitches that he can generate whiffs with. In 257 innings in the Red Sox organization, he managed to strike out 341 batters. After a few months filled with ups and downs, Mullins finally got the call to be promoted to Worcester. Pitching in the first game of a doubleheader, he debuted in Triple-A with three innings, allowing one earned run on four hits and four walks. The lone run came on a home run in the first inning. He also struck out three batters while generating eight whiffs on his slider. “Just essentially lean on those two pitches [fastball and slider], initially. He’s got good stuff. I think it’s a matter of if it gets in the zone early, he’s going to be able to use those as more strikeout pitches vs, let’s get in the zone with those pitches. This past outing it was an initiative to get in the zone and let it play and sure enough it [the slider] induced a lot of whiffs,” Worcester pitching coach Dan DeLucia said about the outing. Prior to his promotion, Mullins had his worst start of the season, tossing just one inning where he surrendered five runs. Before that, the month of June had been just as rough, allowing 13 runs in 14 innings. During that span, he surrendered 18 hits and 11 walks. “I worked with Mullins in 2023 coming back from his Tommy John rehab, but I think right now he’s working on rebuilding his confidence. He had an excellent month of May and over the month of June things ticked down a little bit from a stuff standpoint. His zone rates decreased a little, so first time here we were making more of a push to get in the zone,” DeLucia explained. “The biggest thing is to regain that confidence. His stuff is going to play no matter where it is, he gives himself the best chance if he’s able to get in the zone early and often. That’s the initiative. It’s not always easy to throw in the strike zone but fine ways to rebuild the confidence by getting back in the zone.” For Mullins, the nerves of a new level clearly got to him, as he landed his pitches in the strike zone just 35% of the time. Despite that, he was still able to generate batters to chase on 26% of his pitches out of the strike zone. “I would have liked to see more strikes,” acting Worcester manager Iggy Suarez admitted. “But I would think first start in Triple-A and probably a little bit of the jitters and excited to be up here. Was a little bit around the zone but I think he settled in a little bit and was better in the zone. We expected him to give us some innings and he did that. Would we have wanted more? Of course. But I think he handled himself well, things could have unraveled very quickly and very badly after the first inning. But he was able to calm himself down and kind of let him know you could pitch up here.” Suarez admitted that while he would have loved to get five or six innings out of Mullins during the first game of the double header, especially with their pitching already thin entering the day, it just wasn’t a realistic expectation. Not with a pitcher making his Triple-A debut with a new catcher, new league and new strike zone compared to his time in Double-A. But the final two innings impressed him. Despite the confidence in Mullins and his performance, the left-hander was optioned back to Portland on July 12 as Worcester needed more pitching for their series finale with Rochester. “He can hang a little bit up here. Just kind of let that energy and confidence flow through. I think he handled himself pretty good." View full article

With the Red Sox having gone on an unprecedented 14 game winning streak that brought them out of the basement of the American League and into a current playoff position, they have gone from being sellers and have become buyers. Looking at the roster, it’s clear that the team will need outside additions if they hope to capitalize on their streak of capsulizing play and make it back to the playoffs for the second season in a row. With the manner that Craig Breslow built not just the active roster but the entire 40-man, the organization has been able to deal with injuries to key players like Garrett Crochet, Roman Anthony and Trevor Story. But, if they want to truly challenge the upper echelons of the American League, they should look to strengthen areas of potential weakness. Below we’ll be ranking the biggest areas of need for the organization as the trade deadline quickly approaches. #4: Catcher After coming off of an impressive rookie season that surprised fans, Carlos Narváez has not been able to quite replicate it during his second season with Boston. The catcher has dealt with poor performance on the field that has seen him hit .200/.266/.294 with just six doubles, three home runs and nine RBIs in 55 games. More concerning has been the increase in strikeouts as the catcher has struck out in 31.7% of his at-bats. Even defensively he’s taken a slight step back. While his ability to block and frame has remained consistent, his pop time has increased from 1.92 seconds to 1.99 seconds, something that seems small but has allowed 29 of 36 attempted stolen bases to be successful for the runner, good for an 80.5% success rate. Last season baserunners were only successful 70% of the time. As a backup, Connor Wong has been efficient, appearing in 45 games and hitting .277/.374/.370 with eight doubles, one home run and 15 RBIs. Defensively he’s been one of the worst catchers in baseball. The issue that is keeping this from being higher on the list is that trading for a catcher mid-season can be tricky when dealing with the pitching staff. Both Narváez and Wong (and Mickey Gasper in Worcester), have caught the pitchers in Boston all season and know how to work with them. A new catcher would be thrown into the mix and have to learn the pitchers’ tendencies while in the middle of a playoff race. While guys like Hunter Goodman and Shea Langeliers are enticing, they both are more likely to be an offseason trade should Breslow throw his hat into the ring for them. #3: Left-handed Reliever Currently the Red Sox have three left-handed relievers in their bullpen: Jovani Morán, Eduardo Rivera and Aroldis Chapman. They also have Alec Gamboa and Tyler Samaniego waiting in Worcester if needed along with Joe La Sorsa who is on the injured list. Despite that depth, the team really only has one left-handed reliever they can use at any point in the game, that being Morán. Rivera has been used as an opener since being recalled to the team and Chapman is reserved solely for late game situations. While the solution could be fixed by recalling one of Gamboa or Samaniego permanently from Worcester, it might be best to acquire a veteran left-handed reliever with playoff experience. Gamboa has been a great success story but has just eight career innings at the major league level and the majority of them have been in blowout games. He hasn’t shown what he can do in tightly contested outings. Samaniego on the other hand showcased success in his 20 1/3 innings in Boston, allowing just six earned runs and becoming an important piece in the bullpen before the numbers game sent him back to Worcester. However, the underlying numbers hinted towards a regression for Samaniego and since being optioned to Worcester has allowed eight earned runs on 20 hits and five walks in 14 1/3 innings. The team would be wise to look for a left-handed reliever who can provide middle relief. #2: Power Bat While ideally the power bat the team brings in would be right-handed, any power would be welcomed at this point in the season. Of the current starting lineup for the Red Sox, only Willson Contreras has 20 or more home runs and only Caleb Durbin, Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu have 10 or more. Currently the team is ranked last in home runs with just 95 and could use some thump in their lineup for a potential October playoff series. Last year in the Wild Card round it was shown how the team lacked offensive firepower when it was needed and while the additions of Contreras and Durbin have been fine additions, a true home run hitter to slot in behind Contreras and Abreu would help transform this lineup into one that should be feared. They also rank in the bottom half of the American League when it comes to RBIs, on-base percentage, slugging and OPS. They are also second to last in walks, only better than the Toronto Blue Jays. They need a hitter that will make opposing pitchers pay when a mistake is thrown. Despite that, the Red Sox have done well with hitting doubles as they’re second behind the Kansas City Royals. They’ve just struggled to get the runner in from second base. #1: Starting Pitching Depth This one may seem crazy considering the talent in the rotation. Sonny Gray has put together a Cy Young candidate season, Ranger Suárez who’s expected back from the injured list soon was an All-Star, and rookies Connelly Early, Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett have performed admirably. All of this while Crochet has not pitched since late April and Johan Oviedo and Kutter Crawford have made a combined one appearance. Brayan Bello was also ineffective, being optioned to Worcester before rejoining Boston in what has been a seldom used bullpen role. That’s it for starting pitching depth. Due to injuries, Boston has had to rely on Patrick Sandoval to give them innings after being out of the league for nearly two years. They’ve also turned to Rivera to provide them with innings as an opener. After those two the Red Sox have no healthy starters remaining as both Gamboa and Tyler Uberstine were converted from Worcester’s rotation into bullpen roles to be ready in case of a call up to Boston. In regard to the injured players, Suárez is likely to be back before the end of the Baltimore series, but Crochet hasn’t thrown and Oviedo is just getting back to throwing. Even Crawford was shut down after his original rehab appearance. Despite that, the rotation has done a phenomenal job at carrying the Red Sox for most of the season. However, there’s no telling when Bennett, Tolle or Early could experience a drop off in performance as they are all reaching or have passed their career highs for innings pitched. The Red Sox would be wise to acquire a backend starter who can provide them with innings and a chance to compete while relieving the pressure from the young arms. View full article

Thanks. This one was a bit tough since at the time of the vote Bennett was still eligible since he was under 50 innings. I also thought about including LaFavor and Shelar but without seeing them play (Schaffner and Hull I can at least find multiple highlights of), I mostly kept my Top 20 with the same players but their orders rearranged.

There's absolutely no denying that when it comes to the Boston Red Sox, starting pitching kept the team afloat during the tough stretches of the season and has also carried them through their strong stretches. Riding a nine-game winning streak into the All-Star Break, the team got strong pitching performances from their rotation throughout the season, but especially in late June through mid-July. Despite an injury to ace Garrett Crochet that has kept him out of action since April 25 and limited him to just six starts, as well as a rather lackluster season from Brayan Bello, the rotation hasn’t skipped a beat. Led by a group of left-handers comprised of Ranger Suárez, Connelly Early, Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett, not to mention surprise ace Sonny Gray, the pitching staff kept the team just half a game out of the playoff spot while also submitting the eighth-best rotation ERA in all of baseball during the first half. However, as the team returns from the break, they may be forced to get creative with the rotation during the second half of the season. Crochet has yet to make any substantial progress in his return from the injured list and he has since been joined there by Early and Suárez, as both landed on the IL shortly before the break. The team’s depth might also be at its limit, as Patrick Sandoval made his Red Sox debut starting on July 9. The team was also forced to throw a bullpen game on July 11, recalling Eduardo Rivera (who gave them 3 2/3 innings of one-hit baseball) to cover the outing. While Bennett and Tolle have been very good and have become reliable starting options for Boston, there should be concern as both pitchers are on pace to quickly surpass their career highs for innings pitched. Bennett, who is in his first full season since undergoing Tommy John surgery after 2023, has already thrown a combined 87 innings between Triple-A and the majors. In 2025, he threw a combined 95 1/3 innings between his time in Washington’s minor leagues and in the Arizona Fall League. Add to it that his career high was 117 innings while with Oklahoma back in 2022, and the Red Sox may choose to play it safe down the stretch with the exciting rookie. Tolle is in a similar situation, as his career high (set in 2025) was 108 innings between his time in the minors and majors. So far in 2026, he has thrown 99 innings, and the team showed concern in his latest start before the break by having him on a pitch count. In that outing against the New York Mets, he was limited to just 66 pitches while going just 3 2/3 innings. Even Connelly Early was getting close to passing his career high in innings prior to his injury. His previous career high was 119 2/3 innings set in 2025; in 17 starts this year he was already at 91 2/3 innings before elbow inflammation shelved him. Unfortunately, the team doesn’t have many options to choose from to provide innings should they choose to rest the young pitchers. Kutter Crawford, who was expected to provide depth and quality innings this year, has yet to pitch since his lone rehab start back on April 11. It seems he’ll be unlikely to provide any assistance to the team for the second straight season. Likewise, offseason trade acquisition Johan Oviedo is in no better shape, having been on the injured list since April 3 and yet to begin a rehab assignment. While he avoided surgery for a right flexor strain, he’s been taking part in a throwing program that he started in mid-June. There is no timetable for his return either. Even Suárez isn’t safe from the injury bug, as he landed on the IL with a left adductor strain though the hope is that he would only miss one start. And yet, there’s been no discussion of when he will return to the rotation. With that, the remaining 40-man pitchers available in Worcester are either injured or have been shortened to be ready for bullpen roles. Zack Kelly, who has provided key innings out of the bullpen, is on the IL and rehabbing in Fort Myers, while left-handed reliever Joe La Sorsa is dealing with a concussion. The healthy options include left-handed pitchers Alec Gamboa and Tyler Samaniego, though the latter is purely a relief pitcher. The former, who began the year as a starter, has now exclusively pitched out of the bullpen due to the organization needing him to be ready for any potential call-up. The biggest issue with that strategy was doing the same with Tyler Uberstine. Uberstine, who has been a starter for most of his professional career, made his major-league debut out of the bullpen before returning to Worcester and spending a good portion of the season on the injured list. Upon his return, the organization had him pitch from the bullpen, serving a multitude of roles from one inning, two innings and even bulk outings. The recent designation for assignment of Jack Anderson by the Red Sox was also done at the worst time; in need of a 40-man spot for Sandoval’s return, the organization DFA’d Anderson. The right-hander had previously given them eight good innings out of the bullpen early in the season and while he was having an inconsistent campaign in Worcester, he was an option to provide innings. Instead, he was claimed by the Minnesota Twins. At this point, the likes of John Holobetz, Blake Wehunt or even Anthony Eyanson could be added to the 40-man roster to provide some innings. While it would be a jump to go straight from Double-A to the majors, those three might be able to give Boston a start or two each, which could be key down the stretch. Last season, the team did turn to Tolle and Early after just a short stint in Triple-A to provide them key innings in a playoff race. It wouldn’t be out of the question to see it happen again. Still, Breslow should look to the trade market first and foremost if he feels the team is serious about competing for a playoff spot this season. There should be a few depth pitchers available in a trade, and so long as he doesn’t overpay for one like he did for Dustin May, the arm (or arms) he brings in should help lighten the load for the young pitchers. View full article

Franklin AriasAnthony EyansonKyson WitherspoonJustin GonzalesJake BennettEnddy AzocarHenry GodboutSadbiel DelzineJuan ValeraFranklin PrimeraMarcus PhillipsJohanfran GarciaDorian SotoMikey RomeroYoeilin CespedesBlake WehuntTyler UberstineJohn HolobetzJake SchaffnerOwen Hull

A baseball lifer, Cole Tolbert, did everything to get into professional baseball. Unfortunately, after his first taste of it, the experience would be put on hold due to Tommy John surgery. Now in 2026, Tolbert is once more on the mound as he pitches for the Salem RidgeYaks as his professional career has resumed. View full video