Nick John

It isn't often that a Division III player gets drafted. Jason Gilman did just that, and it was thanks to his mindset and ability on the mound. The left-handed pitcher will begin his first professional season in 2026 and will look to continue from where he left off at Kean University. Talk Sox's Nick John sits down and has a conversation with the young hurler. View full video

“I would say it’s probably a very unique story.” Jason Gilman never imagined that one phone call after his season with Division III Kean University ended would change the trajectory of his baseball career. Gilman, who wound up being a 16th-round pick in the 2025 draft by the Boston Red Sox, recalled the events that brought him to pro baseball. “I was actually on my way touring University of Virginia and I get a call. I wound up answering it and it winds up being an agent... at the time, I would say advisor. I took it [the call]. Learning about the draft process, learning what it entails. I’m very new to the [draft] scene, I don’t know many people who were drafted around me. Being a D3 [athlete], it’s not like teammates get that look often. And this is actually 12 days before the draft,” Gilman explained. To say things quickly changed for Gilman is an understatement. His 2025 season was one of complete dominance for the left-handed pitcher, helping to lead Kean University to a 41-11 record and making it all the way to the NCAA Division III College World Series. Gilman himself pitched like an ace for the team, going 14-1 in 15 games, 14 of them starts. He finished the season with a 2.08 ERA in 112 1/3 innings and struck out 150 batters while walking just 32. And when it mattered most, Gilman stepped up. With his team facing elimination after losing their first game of bracket play in the finals, Gilman took the mound against top-seeded Johns Hopkins University and left everything out on the field. “We were facing elimination and we’re playing the number one seed. It was a do-or-die game and win or lose, I knew it would probably be my last outing at Kean. So, it was definitely leave it all out on the field,” the southpaw reflected. And he did just that. Leading the team from the mound, Gilman pitched a complete game, allowing three runs, two earned, on eight hits and striking out 14. He would not leave the mound until his team won the game, tossing a whopping 152 pitches as he led them to a 5-3 victory and keeping their championship dreams afloat. Although Kean lost the next game 5-4 and was eliminated by Endicott College, Gilman can always say he gave it his all. And while his plans for the draft changed drastically with less than two weeks to go, Gilman prepared for his future, committing to Ole Miss to play a fifth year of baseball at the NCAA level. Instead, the Red Sox called and altered everything. After signing, Gilman did not get into any games but instead was assigned to the team’s complex in Fort Myers. During his time there, he was slowly eased back into baseball shape and was placed on the same throwing program as others in his draft class. It was an opportunity to learn what it was like to be in a professional organization and what was expected from them. And, in a sense, it was a precursor to his first spring training. “It helped me a lot. I became familiar with the staff, the people, other players and my draft class. We started to create some bonds. It’s been helpful,” Gilman said about the two months down at the complex. But it wasn’t just forming bonds that occurred, as the team had Gilman begin to work on his physical conditioning. “If you look at me, I was one of the smaller pitchers in our draft [class]. Right away I needed to gain weight and throw harder. It wasn’t stuff right on the mound but taking care of your body, eating the right way and working hard in the weight room. As we got closer to spring training and in spring training, we’ve done a lot of stuff for velocity. That’s been my number one goal." And now that he’s had the taste of his first spring training, Gilman has better expectations of professional ball. A pitcher who only had Division III experience has now made his way to the best league in the world. He will likely pitch in affiliated ball once the minor-league season kicks off. For a pitcher who grew up loving baseball, nothing beats it. “I was a kid and I just started throwing a ball. Apparently, it was my first toy, so that’s pretty cool.” Pretty cool indeed. View full article

The Boston Red Sox have made their final decision on who the No. 2 catcher will be, reassigning everyone but Connor Wong prior top Opening Day. From a track record standpoint, that makes sense; the was the starting catcher in 2024 and again in 2025 before an injury had him lose the job to Carlos Narváez. However, his performance across 2025 in spring training allowed a competition to form with veteran Matt Thaiss. A competition that Rob Bradford of WEEI said on air was a “legit competition” as of March 8. Wong in 2025 saw his stock within the organization fall due to two factors, the first being his broken left pinkie finger that occurred in early April, and then just an overall subpar season that saw him hit .190/.262/.238 with eight doubles and seven RBIs. After the season concluded, Wong underwent a right-hand carpal boss excision which some felt could have influenced his hitting. Coming back from a hand injury isn’t always easy for a batter, especially during the season, and while no one expected Wong to replicate his 2024 season, his regression in 2025 was much worse than anyone could have imagined. Thankfully for the Red Sox, Carlos Narváez stepped up during Wong’s absence and claimed the starting catcher’s position for himself. When Wong returned from the injured list in early May, Narváez remained as the starting backstop while Wong became the backup. Wong has struggled at times behind the plate when it pertains to blocking pitches and framing, though he did improve upon the latter last year. Prior to 2025, he was, at worst, average when it came to pop time and throwing out baserunners, but both areas of his game regressed in 2025. Offensively, Wong did not play enough to qualify for any rankings, but if he did, he would have been near the bottom of the league in exit velocity, hard-hit percentage, barrel percentage, squared-up percentage and launch angle sweet spot percentage. That's simply an unplayable profile for someone who isn't an elite defender behind the plate. While some have hoped that Wong could bounce back in 2026, his performance in spring training left many wondering if the Red Sox might go in a different direction. In 13 games of action, he hit .129/.229/.161, good for a 3 wRC+. Of course, it’s spring training and you shouldn’t look too much into statistics from it (remember how Trayce Thompson looked like one of the best hitters in the spring of 2025?), but you can’t help but wonder if Wong’s time as the backup catcher is nearing its end. The biggest factor that leads to this conversation is that Wong still has an option left. Should the Red Sox lose faith in his abilities, the team can stash Wong in Triple-A and see if they can’t get him back on track offensively. While he’s unlikely to put up numbers like 2024 again (.280/.333/.425 with 24 doubles, a triple, 13 home runs and 52 RBIs), he could be much closer to how he was in 2023 (.235/.288/.385). Not perfect, but serviceable as a backup. Thaiss, who is in camp as a non-roster invitee, signed a minor-league contract with the Red Sox on January 31. Prior to his demotion, he appeared in 10 games. While he also struggled offensive (.190/.346/.190 with one RBI), he made a lasting impression on the coaching staff with far-improved defensive work and a patient plate approach. Thaiss is not the greatest offensively with a career stat line of .210/.320/.332, but those numbers would be an improvement over Wong’s 2025 season and would come with a (marginally) better defensive catcher. In a previous statement, Alex Cora spoke highly of Thaiss, saying he was “impressing people here” per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. “His swing is really good. He’s left-handed. He’s been able to control the pitching staff. He’s a guy who has been catching our eye.” Besides Cora being impressed with how Thaiss has been in camp, the biggest reason that the conversation has grown is due to Thaiss’ upward mobility clause. If that clause is triggered, Thaiss can be offered to the other 29 teams and if one of them are willing to give him a roster spot, then the Red Sox are forced to either promote him or trade him to the team that offered him the spot. If no one offers him a spot, then he can still be sent to Triple-A and be stashed in Worcester. However, should the Red Sox look to add Thaiss to their active roster, there will need to be a corresponding 40-man roster move. For the past two seasons, the team has struggled to get offensive production from their backup catchers and have tried an array of players to fix the issue. Thaiss may not be perfect, but after a 2025 season that had the Red Sox try out options such as Blake Sabol and Ali Sanchez behind the plate due to injuries, Thaiss may end up being an upgrade for the backup position if chosen. For now, Wong remains Plan A, but his leash with the team is shorter than ever before. View full article

After a busy morning of finalizing roster decisions, the Boston Red Sox continued to whittle down the roster heading into the final day of spring training. Among the group were Zack Kelly, Tyler Uberstine, and Payton Tolle. Tommy Kahnle was also reassigned to minor league camp. Of those optioned, Kelly seemed to be a lock for low-leverage innings in the bullpen up until the signing of Danny Coulombe. With the announcement that Ryan Watson had made the team, it seemed likely that Kelly was going to be sent to Worcester, especially after the team said they might keep one of Johan Oviedo, Connelly Early or Tolle as a reliever to open the season. Uberstine was another player once considered for a long reliever role in the bullpen but instead was optioned back to Worcester where he will likely pitch out of the rotation. Tolle will join him there also pitching from the rotation as the duo will provide depth for the organization should injury or inconsistency hit. Kahnle, on the other hand, was reassigned to minor league camp, having joined the team on a minor-league contract. The organization must have felt he needed a bit more time to catch up with the other pitchers despite playing in the World Baseball Classic. Kahnle is a veteran of 11 seasons and has an assignment clause on May 1 and an opt-out on June 1. It is now all but guaranteed that both Early and Oviedo will have spots on the Opening Day roster. View full rumor

The Boston Red Sox have seemingly decided upon their bench for Opening Day, as Nate Eaton has been optioned to Triple-A Worcester according to MassLive's Chris Cotillo. Eaton was in a competition with Andruw Monasterio for the final bench spot, but in the end, it was Monasterio who won it. What may have swung the decision towards Monasterio was his ability to play second base and the potential to platoon with Marcelo Mayer by hitting left-handed pitching well. Eaton signed as a minor league free agent prior to the 2025 season and played well enough to garner a call up to Boston. In 41 games with the big-league club, Eaton hit .296/.348/.383 with four doubles, one home run, four RBIs, and nine stolen bases. He can also play all three outfield positions and third base will provide excellent depth in Worcester. He will likely be one of the first players called up should injury or inconsistent play occur. The Red Sox's bench now should look as such come Opening Day: Connor Wong, Masataka Yoshida, Andruw Monasterio, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. In other roster-related news, Ryan Watson was informed Monday that he made the team. Watson was a Rule 5 pick over the winter and was required to be on the active roster in order to remain with Boston. In response, Boston optioned Tyler Samaniego to Worcester per MassLive's Chris Cotillo. The roster is nearly complete, as the only spots remaining is who out of Johan Oviedo, Connelly Early, and Payton Tolle will be the final member of the rotation and who might be the final bullpen arm. View full rumor

The Spring Breakout game has come and gone, as the Red Sox prospects unfortunately fell to the Orioles prospects in what was a close game. The idea behind the game is a great one, as it gives all 30 major league teams a chance to showcase their top prospects in a game worth little beyond bragging rights for the young players. For any Red Sox fan, the roster was a look into the organization's possible future, as it was filled with both players knocking at the major league level and newcomers poised to make their own mark. Among the players on the roster that fans were excited to see were infielders Franklin Arias, Henry Godbout, and Mikey Romero, along with outfielders Allan Castro and Justin Gonzales. On the pitching side, fans got to see the likes of Anthony Eyanson, Marcus Phillips, and Kyson Witherspoon make appearances. Despite the Red Sox ultimately losing 3-1, there were plenty of highlights and things to be excited about. We’re going to go over a few players who put on a good display during the showcase. Anthony Eyanson – Talk Sox’s No. 10 Prospect Eyanson, who was taken in the third round of the 2025 draft, may have been the Red Sox's most dominant pitcher in the game. Despite pitching only one inning, Eyanson looked nearly unhittable on the mound as it took just 14 pitches to strike out the side. Relying on his cutter, four-seam fastball, and curveball, Eyanson threw 10 of his 14 pitches for strikes. Of the 10 strikes, two were called while the rest were the result of the batters swinging. Eyanson generated four whiffs, three of them on his cutter. Eyanson’s fastball was a pleasant surprise, as the pitch averaged 99.1 mph in his lone inning of work. He threw the pitch five times and, unfortunately, was unable to generate a single whiff with it. He did, however, top out at 100.2 mph in the inning. He also managed to get batters to chase the pitch on 50% of the batters’ swings. The curveball was used the least, but it was the pitch he turned to in order to get each of his three strikeouts. It broke well, having a vertical break of -16 inches and a horizontal break of six inches, breaking in on left-handed batters, including a called third strike to the final batter he faced. While it would have been nice to see Eyanson pitch a second inning (and had it gone to the bottom of the ninth, he likely would have), you can’t help but be impressed by his lone inning. The big question will be whether that velocity will hold up over multiple innings, or if he was letting it fly because it was just one inning. Regardless, the fact that he and the Red Sox turned a fastball that was around 93-95 mph in college into one that topped out at 100.2 mph in less than one year is impressive and points to a bright future for the pitcher. Marvin Alcantara – Unranked Alcantara was an interesting player in the game. Not ranked by Talk Sox (or any other sites that have Top 30 prospect rankings), Alcantara was previously viewed as one of the top position players on the Red Sox's 2022 Dominican Summer League team. While offensively he’s yet to replicate the results in affiliate ball, he has shown improvement, hitting .271/.344/.331 with four doubles, one home run, and 15 RBIs in 32 games with High-A Greenville before a promotion to Double-A Portland. While he struggled offensively with Portland (.226/.289/.298) in 87 games, he was only 20 years old at the time. Alcantara is also a much better defender than he is a hitter, being viewed as potentially being an above-average defender at both middle infield positions. During the game, Alcantara struck out in his first at-bat but made up for it during his second and final at-bat in the sixth inning. Taking a 93.5 mph fastball that was left over the heart of the plate, Alcantara drove it on a line drive into the right-center gap for a double. Off the bat, Alcantara’s hit had an exit velocity of 98.8 mph, showcasing that while he may not have much power in his game, he could still develop into a doubles hitter if he manages to improve his hitting ability. The Orioles' pitcher at the time was Nestor German, the 12th-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline. More importantly, Alcantara’s defensive showing was where he made four plays, including a double play, and was involved in a runner being thrown out while trying to steal second base. Alcantara’s defense has always been his calling card, and it was on display Friday night. While Alcantara will likely be playing second base in Portland this season due to Franklin Arias being there, his defense shouldn’t take a hit, and in theory, the middle infield duo should provide Portland with some of the best defense up the middle in Double-A. If his hitting comes around and he can be like the hitter he was in Greenville to begin 2025, the Red Sox could have another intriguing middle infield prospect. Jake Bennett – Talk Sox’s No. 12 Prospect Bennett, who was acquired for Luis Perales from the Washington Nationals back in December, is part of the 40-man roster and could potentially see time with Boston at some point in 2026. Tasked with being the starting pitcher of the Spring Breakout game, the left-hander did not disappoint. Tossing two innings, he allowed just one hit while striking out two batters. Bennett used five of his pitches, tossing his four-seam fastball, changeup, cutter, sinker, and slider for a total of 25 pitches. Though he had different plans for his pitches depending on the batter. For left-handed batters, Bennett relied on his cutter, sinker, and slider, as these were the only pitches he threw. Against right-handed batters, he didn’t throw one sinker or slider and only threw one cutter. Instead, he tossed his fastball and changeup 18 times. His fastball showcased great movement, averaging 13 inches of ride and 12 inches of glove-side run. The pitch averaged a spin rate of 2,172 RPM and was used for the only two strikeouts Bennett had on the day. One positive with his fastball was that it topped out at 95.1 mph, and he gained velocity on it during the game, going from 93.5 mph in the first inning to 94.8 mph on average in the second inning. Unfortunately, it did not generate much whiff on the six swings he got it to generate, only getting one whiff. He also gave up a hard-hit ball at an exit velocity of 102.9 mph that fortunately ended in an out. Despite that, it might have been his best pitch as he threw it for a strike 91% of the time, including four times for a first-pitch strike. For Bennett, his changeup looked good despite being used just six times. It generated a whiff on the three swings and was hit twice, but very weakly. The pitch had an average exit velocity of 60.2 mph and was chased out of the strike zone 40% of the time. The changeup had four inches of vertical break and 12 inches of glove-side run. The only real blemish on the outing was the hit Bennett allowed on a cutter. While it was just a single, the ball was crushed at 106.6 mph, which was fortunately hit into the ground by Orioles hitter Enrique Bradfield Jr. The pitch caught too much of the plate despite being down and away from the batter, and Bradfield Jr. shot it past Alcantara and Freili Encarnacion. Bennett will still have some things to work on in 2026, especially after missing time in 2023 and all of 2024. Last season, he pitched 75 1/3 innings after returning from injury, making 19 appearances, and was also sent to the Arizona Fall League to make up for the time he lost. While he’s made strides, Bennett is still developing as a pitcher, and 2026 will be a big year for him. Overall, the Spring Breakout once again showed that Boston’s ability to develop prospects on both sides of the ball has improved greatly over the last half-decade. The future looks to be bright for the organization, so long as they can agree on which prospects are key to the organization and which can be moved to improve the immediate team. View full article

Was in consideration to be added to.the active roster in September last season due to a lack of options. Then Breslow got Ali Sanchez back from the Mets. Could be someone that is bounced back and forth between majors and minors as a utility depth piece. Can't see him sticking on a major league team at the moment

Talk Sox's top prospect rankings for the 2026 season has nearly reached the top as the final two are unveiled, featuring a young arm making some Top-100 noise after pitching in the postseason last year with Boston. Be sure to check out all of our previous rankings here: Part 1 (Nos. 16-20) Part 2 (Nos. 11-15) Part 3 (No. 10) Part 4 (No. 9) Part 5 (No. 8) Part 6 (No. 7) Part 7 (No. 6) Part 8 (No. 5) Part 9 (No. 4) Part 10 (No. 3) Boston Red Sox Top Prospects: No. 2 Connelly Early The 2025 season saw the Boston Red Sox's pitching development finally pay off in a big way, as their young pitchers helped get the team through the final month of the season and back into the postseason for the first time since 2021. One of those pitchers was Connelly Early, a 2023 fifth-round draft pick. Early, who made his MLB debut in September, pitched admirably down the stretch as he made four starts and struck out 29 batters in 19 1/3 innings. He walked just four and allowed five earned runs; his performance led manager Alex Cora to hand him the ball as the starting pitcher in the win-or-go-home game three of the Wild Card series. Prior to that, Early split 2025 between Portland and Worcester, going 10-3 with a 2.60 ERA in 21 games, 18 of them starts. He threw 100 1/3 innings in that span and struck out 132 batters. Early, who throws from the first-base side of the rubber, has some effort in his delivery but manages to repeat it with a consistent release point. Like most pitchers that the Red Sox have targeted in the past few years, he also has plus extension during his release. Early relies on a five-pitch arsenal that is made up of a fastball, changeup, slider, curveball and sweeper. His fastball, while averaging just 92-95 mph, topped out at 97 mph and there was an increase in velocity from 2024 that saw the pitch sitting in the low-90s. It has shown more bat-missing ability as he runs up the radar gun, but it's always been designed to help set up his changeup. That off-speed offering is an above-average pitch thanks to having arm-side run and his low release height. Typically in the mid-80s, he uses a kick-changeup grip and has advanced feel in the pitch, as he throws it often to both left-handed and right-handed batters. When at its best, the pitch will tumble out of the zone, generating whiffs. His slider averaged 84-87 mph in 2025 and he’s able to land it in the zone. Despite that, it doesn’t miss many bats and is instead used to generate weak contact from opposing batters. His curveball tends to sit in the low-80s at best and has more vertical break. It isn’t consistent, however, sometimes flashing plus movement and other times wobbling toward the plate. Both breakers have above-average qualities but aren't considered in that realm just yet. His sweeper is his newest pitch, having started working on it in 2024, and it improved as the season went on. It averaged around 80-83 mph and is mainly used against left-handed batters. Much like the curveball, it can show bat-missing ability, but he needs to gain more consistency with it in terms of landing it in and around the strike zone. Entering the 2026 season, Early is seen as a mid-rotation starter who flashes the upside of a number two or three starter. If he can gain consistency on his three weaker pitchers, that ceiling could rise. The biggest question mark for Early so far is if he can keep the velocity up as he goes deeper into games and across an entire season. The fact he can throw three to four pitches for strikes consistently helps his case in the immediate term. While many would love to see Early in Boston to open the year, due to their depth the team acquired over the offseason, he is likely headed to Worcester. If the Red Sox keep Early in Worcester for five weeks to open the season, they’ll gain an extra year of control on Early. This would keep him from becoming a free agent until after his age-30 season, something that could change rotation plans down the road. Regardless of where Early starts the season, he’ll be up in Boston as one of the first pitching-related promotions and will end up playing a huge role in how the 2026 season goes down. View full article

As spring training gets closer to concluding, the Boston Red Sox have continued to shape their Opening Day roster. On the first day of March Madness, the team optioned and reassigned multiple players to the minor leagues. The team wound up optioning two players, including one member of last year's roster in Nick Sogard. He was joined by Tsung-Che Cheng. Sogard appeared in 30 games last season for Boston, providing defensive versatility for the organization while also securing a few clutch hits at the plate. Overall, he hit .260/.317/.344 with eight doubles and nine RBIs. Sogard also played a big role in the Red Sox's Game 1 win over the New York Yankees in the Wild Card Series. Cheng, who was selected off waivers from the Nationals, is only 24 years old and made his debut last season with the Pirates. He went hitless in seven at-bats. Cheng was never expected to compete for a roster spot and instead will serve as depth in Triple-A. Players who were reassigned to minor league camp include utility players Max Ferguson and Tyler McDonough, infielder Mikey Romer, outfielder Allan Castro, and first baseman and catcher Nathan Hickey. View full rumor

Onto the podium we go. We've finally arrived at the top three of Talk Sox's 2026 prospect rankings for the Boston Red Sox, this team featuring a young shortstop with an exceptionally high floor. Be sure to check out all of our previous rankings here: Part 1 (Nos. 16-20) Part 2 (Nos. 11-15) Part 3 (No. 10) Part 4 (No. 9) Part 5 (No. 8) Part 6 (No. 7) Part 7 (No. 6) Part 8 (No. 5) Boston Red Sox Top Prospects: No. 3 Franklin Arias When the Red Sox signed Franklin Arias as an international free agent, they did so with the thought of him evolving into a Gold Glove shortstop. Since then, he’s consistently surprised the organization with his ability to put the ball in play, turning himself into a top prospect within the organization. The 2025 season took his outlook to a whole other level. Playing as a 19-year-old, Arias showcased his abilities out of the gates, opening the season with Salem before becoming one of the youngest players in High-A with Greenville. His performance there allowed him to finish the season with Double-A Portland, roughly 4.5 years younger than the average player. In 116 games between the three levels, Arias hit .278/.335/.388 with 27 doubles, one triple, eight home runs and 66 RBIs, all while playing elite defense at shortstop. Arias’ ability to make contact is thanks in part to his quick hands and a swing that is line-drive oriented. The young infielder also has great barrel control and a feel for contact. Despite all those positives, however, he does not have the best bat speed and needs to improve his approach at the plate, as he can get too aggressive. Arias has a habit of attacking fastballs early in an at-bat as he tries to hit the ball all over the field. With secondaries, he sometimes has difficulty recognizing the pitch out of a pitcher's hand, leading to high chase rates, though some of that is balanced out by strong in-zone contact skills. Power-wise, he has meager over-the-fence pop and it’s not a big part of his game. He can, however, produce great exit velocities for his age. Arias is a gap hitter due to his line-drive approach and scouts have described his power as below average. Speed is also not a big part of his game, as he’s viewed as having below average speed. While he can go first to third on a single or second to home, he will never be viewed as a speed threat. He does make up for his lack of speed with quality baserunning instincts, but he won't derive a lot of his value on the basepaths. Defense is what Arias is best known for. The infielder is mainly a shortstop but has also seen some time at second base. He has great range and is comfortable playing all angles when charging the ball. He also has the ability to make difficult plays look rather routine. Still just 20 years old, he’s viewed as one of the best middle-infield gloves in all of the minor leagues. Arias’ value will be determined by how his hit tool continues to develop. Already he’s shown that he can handle shortstop at an elite level, but should his bat not continue to develop, he might peak as a defense-first utility infielder. If his offense continues to improve, he can become a quality starting shortstop despite his lack of power and speed. Arias will open the season with Portland, where he’ll man the six. In 2025, he only got to play 10 games there and the organization will want to see how he handles a prolonged exposure to higher-level pitching. Given his youth, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he spent the entire season with Portland. If he gets promoted, it would likely be in a similar situation to his schedule last year — a late season showcase against the next minor-league level. View full article

The Boston Red Sox made an addition to their relief corps Tuesday night as they came to an agreement with veteran right-hander Tommy Kahnle on a minor league deal, according to New York Post Sports’ Jon Heyman. The right-hander has been a factor in several bullpens since breaking into the majors back in 2014 with the Colorado Rockies. For his career, Kahnle has appeared in 456 games for the Rockies, Yankees, White Sox, Dodgers, and Tigers, compiling a 3.61 ERA and 436 2/3 innings pitched. In that span, he struck out 502 batters. 2025, however, was a bit of a down year for Kahnle as he appeared in 66 games with the Tigers and tossed 63 innings with a 4.43 ERA, his highest since 2018. Kahnle, however, was a dominant reliever in both 2023 and 2024 with the Yankees. The Red Sox have tried several times to sign Kahnle, but each attempt ended in failure for the franchise until now. Kahnle will likely spend the final week of spring training in major league camp attempting to win the final bullpen spot. It is likely that he will open in Triple-A, depending on his conditioning, and with it being so late in spring training to join an organization. Kahnle provides the Red Sox with another veteran arm to potentially help the bullpen should it struggle. View full rumor

Talk Sox's top prospect rankings for the 2026 season has officially reached the elite tier of prospects, featuring a young arm making some Top-100 noise after getting selected in the first round by the Boston Red Sox last summer. Be sure to check out all of our previous rankings here: Part 1 (Nos. 16-20) Part 2 (Nos. 11-15) Part 3 (No. 10) Part 4 (No. 9) Part 5 (No. 8) Part 6 (No. 7) Part 7 (No. 6) Part 8 (No. 5) Boston Red Sox Top Prospects: No. 4 Kyson Witherspoon The Red Sox were lauded for a strong performance during last year's annual amateur player selection process, especially during the first day of the draft. The biggest steal of that day could be argued as any of the three pitchers the Red Sox drafted, however, none stand out more than the first player who fell right into their laps. Drafted 15th overall, Kyson Witherspoon was viewed as a consensus top-10 talent prior to the event. Fortunately for the Red Sox, the right-handed pitcher from Oklahoma State slipped and ended up available right in the middle of the first round. Witherspoon dominated in his final season at Oklahoma to the tune of a 10-4 record and 2.65 ERA in 16 starts. In that span, he threw 95 innings and struck out 124 batters, thanks in part to his velocity and secondary pitches that have scouts drooling over his potential. Witherspoon, who turned 21 in mid-August, made significant strides during his college career and is already implementing some changes in Boston. One of the more notable alterations to his profile was the addition of a sweeper he worked on over the winter with Driveline, and the pitch is already flashing some impressive break. No prospect with the Red Sox averaged close to 20 inches of horizontal break with a sweeper, but Witherspoon’s managed that after one offseason of working on the pitch. The rest of Witherspoon’s arsenal is made up of a fastball, cutter, slider, curveball and changeup. Unlike other pitching targets by the Red Sox, his extension is under six feet (averaged around 5.7 feet). However, he’s able to repeat his delivery easily and hides the ball well throughout his throwing motion. His fastball averaged 95 to 97 mph in college, which he maintained during his first two innings of game action in minor-league spring training. His velocity seems to have improved since being drafted (in terms of maintaining upper-echelon consistency), which will pair well with his strong command. However, the pitch gets its bat-missing ability from its velocity and not its shape. His cutter was used often in college as a pitch he threw for consistent strikes. Velocity-wise, it averaged between 88 and 91 mph, though it's shown an ability to miss bats while also inducing batters to chase outside the zone. Likewise, his slider is a pitch he was able to use to generate whiffs, especially against right-handed batters. Both pitches have plus tendencies and are viewed as being potentially above average. The curveball, on the other hand, is seen as a middling offering, and that's if he learns to consistently land it in the zone. In college, it sat 78 to 82 mph and is considered to have good depth on its break. When he’s able to command and control it he can generate a few whiffs. His changeup is certainly the one that needs the most development (ignoring the new sweeper). The pitch has managed to reach the low-90s, but it was his least used offering in college and lacks the fade/tail to really dominate lefties down and away. Overall, Witherspoon has a chance to join the likes of Payton Tolle and Connolly Early as pitchers who moved through the system quickly. He's got a projectable mid-rotation future, though there's no denying the ace upside occasionally flashing in his profile. His fastball, despite being viewed as his best pitch, could also be in line for some tweaking should the Red Sox want it to have a different shape. Witherspoon, barring a surprise placement, will open the season in Greenville much like Tolle did the year prior. Though, should he dominate High-A batters, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he is promoted to Portland by some point in June. The Red Sox have been aggressive the last few years when it comes to promoting prospects that are performing well, and it shouldn’t be any different with the draft class of 2025. View full article

All offseason, the Boston Red Sox were looking for a left-handed reliever to add to their bullpen, and with the regular season just two weeks away the team has signed one. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal was the first to report that the Red Sox and free-agent reliever Danny Coulombe came to an agreement Thursday night on a one-year deal. The contract is said to be a major-league deal, meaning he'll join the 40-man roster. The contract is worth $1 million according to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. Coulombe had a season of two halves in 2025. Beginning the season with Minnesota, the reliever was one of the best left-handers in the game as he appeared in 40 games and tossed 31 innings. In that span, he allowed just four earned runs on 21 hits and nine walks. He also struck out 31 batters. However, after getting traded to Texas at the trade deadline, he didn’t perform as well. Appearing in 15 games, he struggled in 12 innings as he allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits and nine walks. Prior to 2025, he spent two seasons in Baltimore where he was once more a dominant bullpen arm. In 94 games with Baltimore, he tossed 81 innings and allowed just 23 earned runs. He also walked just 17 batters and struck out 90 in that span. With the Red Sox's 40-man roster full, the team is placing Romy González on the 60-Day Injured List to open up a spot. View full rumor