Nick John

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

“There were a couple adjustments that we made just [with] my hands.” For Mikey Romero, the 2026 season has been a roller coaster of ups and downs, as he enters the All-Star break hitting .239/.302/.379 in 71 games. Despite that, Romero had one of the strongest months of his professional career during June, when he slashed .300/.375/.571 with five home runs and 12 RBIs, showcasing the offensive talent that the Boston Red Sox have long been betting on. That torrid run continued into July, where he would begin the month 4-for-13 before popping out a rib while attempting to do a weighted squat. Despite the team managing to pop the rib back into place, Romero would miss five games due to overall soreness and the team playing it safe. His first game back resulted in an 0-for-4 showing, but he followed it up by going 2-for-5 along with the walk-off hit in the bottom of the 10th on Sunday’s homestand finale. “Early in the year, I hit a lot of balls hard that weren’t falling. The launch angle I was hitting them at I felt like they were more like a line drive, right at people. Which is fine. But I feel like we kind of tried to get me to a spot where the balls I were hitting hard were more in the air so they would result in doubles and homers. The adjustment we made was moving my hands a little bit closer,” Romero explained when asked about his month-long success. The altered hand placement allows him to turn a bit better while swinging. He also credited a more patient approach at the plate for his success, as he walked nine times in 19 June games after walking just 15 times in his first 47 games. The infielder has stayed confident despite the early season slump. After opening the year with a 10-game hitting streak, he saw his monthly numbers plummet to a stat line of .179/.222/.310 with 20 strikeouts to four walks in 20 May games. That confidence paid off thanks to his strong June and the early results from five games in July. It's the kind of performance that could possibly put him back on track to play in the majors for Boston. “If you look at my underlying stuff, I’m one of the best hitters in minor-league baseball. But, obviously, that’s not how the game works. We want the stat lines to look and finally seeing stuff drop [for a hit], just for the mental [health=], that’s good. I hit the ball hard, but seeing it drop in and find holes, it’s been good.” Romero has been working on other aspects of his offense that may not show up in the box score, mentioning that he has worked on cutting down on his strikeouts. That really showed up in June, as he struck out just 15 times after doing so 40 times in his previous 43 games. Defensively, it’s been a season of learning. After the infielder spent spring training working with Isiah Kiner-Falefa and former manager Alex Cora to better learn second base, he’s taken those lessons to heart. And despite switching between second base and third base, Romero feels comfortable at both thanks to the vast number of innings he’s played since last season. “You’re going to get hit stuff harder at you [at third base]. For me, you’re just reacting at third base whereas at second base you have a little more time to get your feet going in the right direction. I’ve played so many innings and gotten so many balls at each position, I feel comfortable. The throw is different and that’ the biggest difference. Second base you can get into a habit of slinging the ball over and then you go to third base, and you are screwed a little because you gotta come back over the top. I’ve been focusing this year at second base is to feed from over the top and not just sling it over there.” Romero understands the ups and downs of a season; he experienced it when injured in 2023 along with coming back from that same injury in 2024. Last year, he had a great offensive season with Portland that saw some struggles upon his promotion to Worcester. If there’s anything he’s learned from over the years, it's that getting better is a process without linear development. “You can’t get too high or too low. I’ve been coming in every day and keeping the same mindset. Even if it’s frustrating, if I have an 0-for-4 and a couple barrels, it’s part of the game. And it’s not going to be the last time that happens.” View full article

On April 7, 2025, the Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers completed a surprise trade. The Red Sox, flush with starting pitching depth, traded Quinn Priester and in return received two minor-league players and a Competitive Balance Round A pick. There wasn't a ton of drama surrounding the deal; Priester was in Triple-A and the Red Sox had other, young pitchers who could provide depth for the rotation. It made sense for Craig Breslow to take a swing at acquiring two young prospects that could help replenish the farm system after an offseason that saw multiple players get shipped out. The argument against the trade back then was that the Red Sox had put time and effort into helping develop Priester after trading for him less than a year prior. In that deal, they had moved 2020 first-round pick Nick Yorke to the Pirates and immediately kept Priester in Triple-A until the final series of the season. They worked on his pitch arsenal and pitch shape and in the offseason wanted him to gain weight and put on muscle. Upon arriving at spring training, he had done what they asked. Despite that, the pitcher was optioned to Worcester to open the 2025 season and after just one start where he allowed two runs in four innings, he was traded to the Brewers, who needed starting pitching help at the time. Unfortunately, later in the year, the Red Sox's rotation began to falter and injuries led to young pitchers like Connolly Early and Payton Tolle needing to step up. It just so happened that Priester immediately responded to Milwaukee's pitching lab, compiling an impressive campaign: he pitched in 29 games (24 starts) and went 13-3 with a 3.32 ERA. He managed to strike out 132 batters in 157 1/3 innings. The players the Red Sox acquired, Yophery Rodriguez and John Holobetz, weren’t exactly lighting the world on fire either. The biggest value from that trade wound up being the pick the team acquired and eventually used to draft Marcus Phillips. Because of this, the trade was deemed a failure. At the time, Rodriguez was the only player of note the Sox received, and in his first month he looked rather impressive, hitting .257/.409/.414 with two doubles, three triples, a home run and eight RBIs while walking 17 times. He would unfortunately fall off in May and June before showcasing his talents once more in July, which only gave way to a .147/.234/.235 line in August. Despite being just 19 years old, many were ready to call Rodriguez a bust. Fortunately, he bounced back to begin 2026 and showed the flashes of the potential that Breslow saw in him. In 19 April games he slashed .310/.380/.662 with seven doubles, six home runs and 12 RBIs and at one point led the entire organization in home runs. The outfielder also showcased great defense in left field. Unfortunately, much like in 2025, Rodriguez saw a decline at the plate as the season has gone on. May was especially tough as he struck out 19 times and slashed just .192/.270/.385. He's working with an 85 wRC+ while repeating High-A, though he's still just 20 years old. For Rodriguez, to reach his true potential, he’ll need to improve his pitch recognition as he already makes consistent contact on pitches thrown in the zone. Holobetz arrived as a player to be named later in the trade and was immediately sent to High-A Greenville. He had some quick success there, tossing 63 innings and striking out 62 batters before being promoted to Portland. At that stop, he appeared in six games and tossed 37 2/3 innings and only walked five batters. The right-hander used a four pitch mix of his fastball, slider, curveball and changeup to succeed in Double-A. Despite his success, he’s likely destined for the bullpen as someone who lacks a strong complementary pitch to a good fastball. Nevertheless, the right-hander has remained in the rotation to continue his development as a starter and so that he can pitch more innings than if he were in the bullpen. In 2026, he tweaked his slider a little, giving it more of a bullet shape, but it hasn’t moved the belief in it being nothing more than an average offering. In 2026, Holobetz has made 15 appearances and tossed 72 innings with a 4.75 ERA and 26.2% strikeout rate. Much like Rodriguez, Holobetz got off to a fantastic start in 2026 as he allowed just six runs over his first 22 innings. Unfortunately, May was a step back as his innings fell to 19 and he allowed 21 runs, 16 of them earned. Since then, Holobetz has continued to improve as he’s bounced back in June and the discussion about an eventual promotion Worcester has resumed. The final piece of the trade, Marcus Phillips, is the one that could really make the difference. Phillips is an incredibly talented pitcher who has high reliever risk. Taken 33rd overall, Phillips is best known for his flamethrowing tendencies, thanks to a fastball that tops out at close to 101 mph For Phillips, he’ll be developed as a starter due to the raw stuff of his pitches. However, unless he works on his control issues, he’s likely destined for the bullpen. In college, he walked 49 batters in 103 innings during his two seasons with Tennessee. So far in 46 innings with Greenville, he’s given up 37 walks. Of the three players acquired for Priester, Phillips is the most talented of them. However, he also has the highest risk of being a bust. Should the Red Sox manage to turn him into a dominant reliever or a back-end starter, then this trade becomes a success for the Red Sox. But even if two of the three players they received fail to pan out, the trade isn't a total disaster. Despite Priester’s great 2025 season, 2026 has been a struggle as he opened the year on the injured list and his rehab appearances didn’t go too well (15.75 ERA). Things got so bad that he would go on to have thoracic outlet decompression surgery on June 22. The surgery typically sidelines a pitcher eight to 10 months, putting his 2027 season into question as well. From that point of view, many could argue that the Red Sox were at least right to make the trade, even though it’s impossible to predict an injury of that degree. Even without that foresight, they received three interesting prospects for one really good season of Priester and two injured years. In Breslow’s case, that should be considered a legitimate success. View full article

For the third straight season, Craig Breslow and his scouting department oversaw a draft where they stuck to their guns and drafted players that fit the stereotypical mold they prefer. However, unlike the previous two drafts, this was the first time scouting director Jake Bruml led the charge, having been named the new director of amateur scouting last year. Bruml's perspective could be felt, but this was still a typical draft class for this organization. The Red Sox selected more pitchers than position players much like the previous two drafts. This time it was a bit more even, as only 11 of the 19 selections were pitchers. They did veer off course slightly, selecting six prep players with the highlights being third-round pick Jace Mataczynski, ninth-round pick Martin Shelar, and 10th-round pick Kaleb LaFavor. The latter two are likely to receive over-slot deals in an effort to keep them from heading to the college ranks. From the pitching angle, it was no surprise the direction that the organization went in, mainly drafting tall, strong pitchers with elite extension. The first college arm the organization drafted, Lucas Davenport, came in the fifth round. As of his latest college season, he measured 6-foot-6 and was known for elite extension and a fastball that topped out at 98 mph. Of the 11 pitchers drafted, only two of them were listed to be shorter than 6-foot-2, that being seventh-round selection Kide Adetuyi and 19th-round selection Luis Calderon (though the latter may have some room to grow, being just 19 years old). Pitching-wise, the plan has always been simple, and Breslow has a track record of turning this style of pitcher into true prospects as he showed with 2024 selection Payton Tolle. Offensively, the Red Sox went in a direction that a few teams across baseball have already moved towards. While most teams continue to focus on power at the major-league level, forward-thinking franchises like Milwaukee and Tampa Bay have shifted to a focus of getting on base by having their lineups contain players with great bat-to-ball skills and the ability to walk. The Red Sox chose to follow that idea when it came to the draft, selecting multiple college bats that either ranged from above-average to elite when it came to bat-to-ball skills, including their first two selections in Jake Schaffner and Owen Hull. Schaffner, who many felt was a reach at 20, will most likely sign an under-slot deal with the team that will allow them to sign high upside but risky selections such as Shelar and LaFavor. Schaffner made elite contact during his lone season at UNC and hit .356/.467/.552 with 19 doubles, eight triples and six home runs while walking 45 times to just 32 strikeouts. It’s a change in philosophy compared to the hitters that were selected in 2025, when guys like Jack Winnay and Mason White were chosen more for their potential power. One player who could be an interesting prospect to follow is 12th round selection and prep player Jacob Webster out of Oak Hills High School in California. Listed at 6-foot-4 and weighing 190 pounds, Webster was drafted as a shortstop but has two-way player potential. As a pitcher in high school, he had a fastball that got up to 90 mph. While it takes more than a good fastball to be a professional pitcher, it would be a shame to not look at his pitching potential as well. As a position player, he’s likely to stick at shortstop but could also make a move to the outfield if needed. Offensively, he’s a switch-hitter who has shown power from the right side of the plate. Yet the biggest steal of the draft may have been getting Shelar at 274 overall. Coming into the draft, DiamondCentric’s Jamie Cameron had the prep outfielder as the No. 77 overall prospect in the class, which should have made him a day one pick Concerns over his ability to sign due to a commitment to Mississippi State allowed him to fall to the Red Sox nearly 200 selections later. Thanks to the early selections of Schaffner and Hull, the team will have extra money to offer a player like Shelar in hopes that he signs with the organization. He would be worth taking the chance on, as he has some of the best bat speed and raw power in the entire 2026 prep class and has constantly been able to barrel the baseball despite an unconventional swing. He isn’t just good on offense either, as he has good speed and an above-average arm that could render him an All-Star if everything breaks right in his development. With the draft now over, it was clear that the Red Sox entered it with a clear plan in mind to bring in talented, high-floor players. The organization will do the work to increase their respective ceilings, with the specific development from the pitching lab and bat speed programs. While day one left some questioning the team’s approach, the totality of this class should have the entire fanbase buying into the scouting department's know-how. View full article

After going after bats on day one of the 2026 MLB Draft and then going pitching heavy for the beginning of day two, the Boston Red Sox drafted with a mixture of the two ideas for the latter half of the draft. Over the remaining 10 rounds, they selected four positional players and six pitchers. Also, unlike in 2025 where they focused mainly on college players, Breslow appeared to be interested in a few high school prospects as he drafted three of them in the remaining 10 rounds after taking three in the first 10. Of the four position players taken in the final 10 rounds, three were drafted as shortstops, while the other was an outfielder. Round 11: Wills Maginnis, SS, Georgia State Maginnis, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound infielder, was a 2026 All-Sun Belt First Team selection and was committed to transferring to Arkansas prior to being selected. Drafted by the Red Sox as a shortstop, the infielder has experience at first base, third base and a little in the outfield as well, giving him plenty of versatility. During his sophomore season with Georgia State, Maginnis put up a stat line of .306/.404/.486 with 13 doubles, one triple, eight home runs and 42 RBIs in 56 games. Much like the selections from day one, Maginnis has strong bat-to-ball skills as he struck out just 36 times in 216 at-bats. He also has room to grow in the power department. Round 12: Jacob Webster, SS, Oak Hills High School Webster follows in the same way as the other shortstops Breslow has focused on this draft: tall, athletic, and room to grow. Currently, he’s 6-foot-4 and weighs 190 pounds. Despite being drafted as a shortstop, there’s a possibility he could begin his career as a two-way player as he was also a pitcher in high school with a fastball that got up to 90 mph. He's committed to Loyola Marymount University so the Red Sox will have to convince him to sign. Offensively, he’s a switch-hitter who has shown power from the right side of the plate. Defensively. he should be able to stick at shortstop but could also move to the outfield, assuming he opts to focus on hitting. Round 13: Mason Lei, RHP, Illinois-Chicago Much like the other pitchers Breslow has targeted, Lei is a large man, standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 220 pounds. He has good control and limits the walks. In his lone season pitching at Illinois-Chicago, he made 16 starts and tossed 96 2/3 innings while walking just 19 batters. He also struck out 86 in that same span and threw two complete games. He has a fastball that comes in at the low-90s, and it’s paired with a sharp slider that usually sat 79 to 80 mph. Scouts believe there is more swing and miss in his arsenal than he showed in college. Last year, he was named All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team and made the All-MVC Tournament Team. Round 14: Jase Evangelista, RHP, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Evangelista comes in a bit smaller than most picks by Breslow, standing at just 6-foot-2 and weighing 195 pounds. Despite that, he has shown development that should intrigue many as after years of work, his fastball now sits in the mid-90s. Prior to being drafted, Evangelista was transferring to play for Texas A&M after previously planning to transfer to Texas Tech. During his time with UNLV, the right-hander showcased impressive swing-and-miss ability as he produced a 47% whiff rate last year. Making 19 appearances out of the bullpen, he tossed 46 2/3 innings while striking out 64 batters against 18 walks. Currently, he possesses a fastball, curveball, and cutter but in an interview during his time in college said he wanted to develop two more pitches at the pro level. Round 15: Chase Frey, LHP, Grand Canyon University Frey fits the mold of a Breslow pitcher very well as he stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 215 pounds. He still has room to add velocity and held opponents to a .226 batting average in 67 2/3 innings in 2026. Overall, he made 13 appearances with 12 being starts, striking out 69 batters and walking 17. Over the summer, he was pitching in the Cape Cod League where he threw 21 2/3 innings for Orleans and allowed just four earned runs while striking out 25. There is room for added velocity, but his secondary offerings will need the most work. He is committed to transferring to Oregon, so the Red Sox will need to convince him to sign. Round 16: Colton Coates, SS, Louisiana Tech Coates comes in at 6 feet even and 195 pounds and was drafted as a shortstop despite having mostly played first base and third base with Louisiana Tech. In 58 games last season, he hit .330/.447/.488 with 13 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 28 RBIs. Most importantly, he showcased the same skill set that Breslow has been targeting this draft: an ability to recognize pitches and a great understanding of the strike zone. He worked 45 walks to 30 strikeouts as part of his breakout campaign. He is a switch-hitter and played all four infield spots this past season. He also showcased an ability to limit swing-and-miss in his game. He has above-average speed and thanks to his range and arm should be able to play up the middle. This is a high-floor prospect with room to grow if he adds more pop to his game. Round 17: Alex Kranzler, RHP, Vanderbilt The 21-year-old right-hander stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 219 pounds. Last year, he made 19 appearances for Vanderbilt tossing 43 2/3 innings while striking out 54 batters. At the time of the draft, he was playing summer baseball for the Trenton Thunder where he made five starts and tossed 23 innings while allowing just six earned runs. He throws a sinker that averages around 95 mph but can top out at 98 mph. He also has a changeup, slider and cutter. During his time with Vanderbilt last year, opponents hit just .225 against him. He also had a strikeout per nine innings of 11.1. Despite a different looking delivery, he manages to pound the strike zone with his sinker. Round 18: Ethan Offing, OF, Dutch Fork High School The Red Sox returned to the high school ranks once more as they took Offing, their second high school outfielder, in round 18. The right-handed hitter stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 190 pounds. He showcases a lot of athletic upside to go along with speed that allows him to fly on the base paths. In the outfield, he has shown quick jumps to get to the ball and also played shortstop in high school. He’s viewed as a potential plus defender in centerfield. He’s a player who was picked as a project, mainly due to how far his hitting will need to develop. He is currently committed to Clemson, and it could take a lot to sway him from that decision. Round 19: Luis Calderon, RHP, El Shaddai Christian High School The Red Sox went back-to-back on high school players as they drafted Calderon in the 19th round. Calderon is a 19-year-old pitcher out of Puerto Rico and is smaller than the other pitchers taken by Breslow. Currently, he stands 6 feet and weighs 160 pounds but should be able to add to that as he grows and adds muscle. He has a three-pitch mix currently that is made up of a fastball that topped out at 93 mph in January, a cutter and a slider. He also played outfield, though there seems to be no interest by the Red Sox in trying him as a two-way player. He currently has a commitment to Dodge City Community College. Round 20: Aiden VanDeHatert, LHP, Dallas Baptist VanDeHatert continues the trend of Breslow drafting big pitchers. The left-hander stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 190 pounds with big extension. His sinker has room to add velocity as it currently sits in the low-90s. He also throws a slider and changeup. Last year, he made 17 appearances for Dallas Baptist where he tossed 31 innings and struck out 35. Over the summer, he was playing for Greeneville of the Appalachian League where he made five appearances and tossed 13 2/3 innings. What are your thoughts on the Red Sox 2026 Draft? Leave us know in the comments below! View full article

Not entirely sure but I think the 10th round pick might also be an overslot.

Martin Shelar is an overslot. Kid's power is for real but he has a commitment to Mississippi State.

The Boston Red Sox selected pitcher Lucas Davenport with the 156th pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. Davenport pitched two years at Baylor and was a redshirt as a freshman. Overall, he appeared in 29 games and made 13 starts over his two seasons. Davenport follows the mold of pitchers that Craig Breslow likes, standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 230 pounds. Davenport uses his size well and generates great extension and his mechanics creates deception. His fastball sits 93 to 95 mph and has topped out to 98 mph, but the shape could use some tinkering, something the Red Sox have done in the past with pitchers. His secondaries include a mid-80s cutter that has depth and could be a true weapon for him. He's also got a slider, which is his best pitch as it sits 81 to 83 mph and has late lateral break. It won’t produce great chase rates, but he can generate whiffs in the zone with it. He also throws a changeup that has amazing depth and could become an above-average offering at the next level. Davenport will be a pet project of Breslow’s pitching lab in an effort to enhance his pitch arsenal. If he can turn his fastball into a more consistent primary offering, he has a good chance to remain as a starter. View full rumor

That's interesting. Didn't realize that about Winnay. I'm looking forward to the end of July as I'll be up in Portland watching some of the guys there. Definitely will keep an eye on him

With the 67th overall pick in the draft, the Boston Red Sox selected Owen Hull. Hull is a sharp riser on the college side after an impressive postseason run as part of North Carolina’s CWS squad. After spending his first two collegiate seasons at George Mason, the 6’4" outfielder made the transition to the ACC look seamless and set himself up as a day one pick. Hull hits from the left side and has a bit of an unorthodox-looking swing. There is some swing and miss in the profile, but the damage on contact is impressive. He controls his at-bats well and takes plenty of walks, rarely expanding the zone in collegiate ball. Hull has a chance to stick in center field with plus speed. It’s a fringe-average arm, but the range and glove will play in center, at least during the onset of his professional career. Hull hit .393/.500/.615 with 9 home runs (38 extra base hits), a 14.8 BB%, a 15.1 K%, and a 146 wRC+ in 2026. Hull spent his first two seasons in college with George Mason before transferring to North Carolina. Appearing in 69 games with UNC, the left-handed hitter showed an ability to get on base along with great bat-to-ball skills. He flashed some power, hitting 27 doubles, two triples and nine home runs all while driving in 87 runs. Thanks to a combination of great baserunning and speed, he swiped 18 bases. The outfielder also showed an understanding of the strike zone, walking 48 times while striking out in 49 at-bats. During his time with UNC, he finished second in Division I in hits (103), and RBIs and third in doubles Despite that, there is some concern from scouts in regards to his swing. At times it gets rigid and his bat speed could be better, something the Red Sox could target with their bat speed program. Despite that, he makes hard contact easily and with his raw power could be a 20 home run hitter at his best. Defensively, he mainly played right field prior to joining UNC, where he shifted to center field. Despite still learning the position, he has the speed to remain and his arm shouldn’t be a concern there. View full article