Nick John

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

If you were to have Braiden Ward and Usain Bolt (at his peak) race, some Boston Red Sox fans may say that the former would have a chance to win that matchup. As hyperbolic as that sounds, that’s just how exciting Ward has looked while on the basepaths this spring. Nearly halfway through march, Ward has taken advantage of the ample playing created by virtue of the Red Sox having so many players (including all the outfielders expected to be on the Opening Day roster) participating in the World Baseball Classic. As of this writing, Ward has appeared in 15 games and managed to utilize his speed to produce otherworldly numbers; he’s hitting .448/.543/.483, good for a 180 wRC+. Using his speed to get on base, Ward has immediately shown the kind of threat he can be on the basepaths, racking up 16 stolen bases, including two during Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers. With those 16 stolen bases, Ward leads all of baseball during spring training and it isn’t close — Jared Oliva of the San Francisco Giants currently sits in second place with seven. Entering the 2021 Draft, Ward was viewed as not just the best athlete out of the Pacific Northwest, but very likely the fastest player in the entire draft class. Dating back to his 2019 season in the Cape Cod League, Ward had been clocked at 6.20 seconds for a 60-yard dash. When he was running out of the box, he would regularly post times between 4.0 and 4.1 seconds. If he began running mid-swing, his times typically clocked in between 3.8 and 3.9 seconds. In conclusion, he's fast. Ward himself proves that the old adage "speed makes errors" is absolutely correct with how he's terrorized teams on the basepaths this spring. Ward was acquired for Brennan Bernardino in what many viewed as a trade with the Colorado Rockies to simply clear up a 40-man roster spot. Now, with his performance so far in spring training, Ward may be earning a long-term place within the organization. The outfielder may not have much power (just one double in 29 at-bats this spring), but his game was never built around being a slugger. Instead, he’s known for his contact skills thanks to a short swing that is direct to the ball. Each time he comes to bat, he attempts to put the ball in play and let his speed create chaos, something he’s been able to do this spring. Prior to being traded, Ward had spent five seasons in the Rockies organization, appearing in 414 games and hitting .275/.395/.382 with 53 doubles, 18 triples, 14 home runs and 118 RBIs. He also stole 211 bases during that span, including 57 just in 2025. Ward isn’t just about his speed, capable of playing great defense in center field as well. Since being drafted, he’s showcased defensive versatility as he’s been able to play all three outfield positions along with some second base and third base. With the Red Sox, he’ll likely stick to just the outfield with Worcester barring injuries, since his speed and athleticism help him display great range on the grass. Though he's not quite a big-league caliber hitter just yet, Ward is very much a candidate to help the team down the stretch, much like fellow outfielder Nate Eaton did last year. Given Ward’s speed, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see him on the major-league roster once they expand to 28 players in September. His speed is so valuable to have at a moment's notice, and he would fill the same role the likes of Quintin Berry and Dave Roberts provided in the playoffs: a speedster off the bench to put pressure on the opposing team late in the game. Someone like Ward could be a weapon off the bench that could impact games even without getting an at-bat. Between his speed and defense, Ward is the kind of player teams look for once September, and more importantly, October, roll around. Indispensable with the different combinations they provide to a manager in the late game, his presence would give the Red Sox another path to generating runs if the offense is stagnating. Ward is going to spend most of the year with Worcester, but don’t be surprised when his name is announced as an eventual call-up. It may not be for a long stint, but seeing him run around the outfield grass and bases at Fenway Park will be a highlight for fans in 2026. View full article

Talk Sox's top prospect rankings have reached their latter half, now focusing on the Boston Red Sox's top 10 prospects heading into the 2026 season. Be sure to check out 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) Boston Red Sox Top Prospects: No. 6 Mikey Romero It’s been a long and hard road for Mikey Romero since being a first-round pick by the Red Sox back in 2022. The infielder, who was drafted as a shortstop, only got to play in 19 games after getting drafted, finishing red hot for the Salem Red Sox with a .349/.364/.581 stat line along with four doubles, three triples and 11 RBIs. The 2023 season wouldn’t go as well for the infielder, as he suffered a back injury heading into spring training that would end up becoming a stress fracture and cost him nearly the entire season. In total, he would only appear in 34 games between the Florida Complex League, Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville, where he hit a combined .214/.294/.286 with five doubles, two triples and 13 RBIs. Then, 2024 began in much the same fashion, with Romero opening the year on the injured list before beginning to look like a first-round prospect. He hit .271/.312/.509 in 78 games between the Complex League, High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland. He also finally showcased his power potential with 24 doubles and 16 home runs. Now, after a 2025 season that saw Romero appear in a career-high 111 games where he hit a combined .245/.300/.452 between Portland and Worcester, he is knocking on the door of the majors. Offensively, Romero is an aggressive swinger who tries to hunt fastballs early in the count while also occasionally chasing secondary pitches. He needs to work on limiting his chase rate. However, he’s been able to make solid contact despite his aggressive approach, especially against right-handed pitching. His hit tool could improve with a better approach, but he'll likely never be an annual .300 hitter. Power wise, Romero had been described as having “sneaky power," though after back-to-back seasons of 16 and 17 home runs (all while playing no more than 111 games), that “sneaky” title may need to be removed from the description of his game. The strength he added prior to 2025 also helped him tap into his power as he hit a career-high 33 doubles. He can really drive the ball when he manages to pull it; a larger focus on ideal launch angles and elevation will be key for him to jump into the 20-homer tier of prospect. Defensively, Romero has not had the cleanest of developments in the minor leagues. While drafted as a shortstop, due to his average hands and fringy range along with a barely average arm, he was moved off of shortstop while with Portland. Since then, he’s split time at second base and third base, with they keystone being his most likely final destination due to his arm being more passable there. It also doesn't help that his speed is below average, but he can get around it due to his great baserunning instincts. With this being his first non-roster invite to spring training, Romero will have plenty of time to make an impact with the major-league coaching staff, especially with a large portion of the major league team having left for the World Baseball Classic. However, as has been shown with many talented players, the issue will be if Romero can stay on the field for large portions of the season. Already he’s missed time in spring training due to back tightness, but he returned to game action as of March 8. Romero may not be the player many envisioned when he was drafted, but the talent is still there for him to be a bat-first second baseman who can give you double digit home runs on an annual basis. He just needs to remain healthy. Romero, barring a string of injuries to the major-league roster, will open the season with Triple-A Worcester. He'll get plenty of playing time between second base and third base, and unless he's traded, will likely make his major-league debut at some point this season. Romero provides the team with quality infield depth that they'll be able to call upon when either an injury or poor performance strikes the major-league team. View full article

In an exclusive interview with Talk Sox, 2025 10th-round pick Maximus Martin talks about how his first spring training has gone, his time in college, and his first moments as a professional baseball player. He also talks about how he played for multiple teams during his time in college. View full video

Talk Sox's top prospect rankings have reached their latter half, now focusing on the Boston Red Sox's top 10 prospects heading into the 2026 season. Be sure to check out our previous rankings here: Part 1 (Nos. 16-20) Part 2 (Nos. 11-15) Part 3 (No. 10) Part 4 (No. 9) Boston Red Sox Top Prospects: No. 8 Dorian Soto Signing with the Boston Red Sox as an international free agent in 2025, Dorian Soto received the highest bonus of their entire class. Thanks to his ability to play shortstop and penchant for producing solid contact, many viewed Soto as a rising prospect before he signed. The 18-year-old played his first professional season in the Dominican Summer League last year, appearing in 47 games and showcasing his tremendous bat. In that span, he managed to hit .307/.362/.428 with 10 doubles, two triples, two home runs and 18 RBIs. As a hitter, Soto bats from both sides of the plate and displays solid bat speed along with strong barrel control for someone of his age. Scouts have viewed Soto’s swing decisions as being quite advanced, while his contact skills remain one of his premier skills. Soto’s 90th percentile exit velocity reached 102 mph as a 17-year-old thanks in part to his ability to generate bat speed with a sometimes long swing. While aggressive, the shortstop has strong bat-to-ball ability which allowed him to have a strikeout rate of just 16% despite being aggressive at the plate. Though he's a true switch hitter, Soto showed better results as a left-handed batter as he slashed .311/.372/.432 compared to a stat line of .294/.324/.412 as a right-handed batter. Whether a wrist injury that limited his ability to bat from the right side of the plate had an effect on his production is yet to be known. Soto has shown average raw power in his first season, though scouts expect that to inflate as he grows older. His 6-foot-3 frame is impressive, and he still has room to grow and fill out, which will add more power to his game. Defensively, Soto is primarily a shortstop, but it is unknown if he will be able to stick there considering he’s already 6-foot-3 and still growing. Last season, he showcased natural movements at shortstop but also saw some time at both third base and second base. Should he be moved off of shortstop, third base seems to be his likely landing point due to his strong arm and potential power. The only real negative about Soto at the moment appears to be his speed, as it’s been viewed as his worst tool that could drop to below-average territory as he continues to grow. Soto is very young and it’s hard to project what he could end up as, but his potential is through the roof. In a best-case scenario, he'll be batting in the middle of the Red Sox's lineup in a few years. Of course, that all depends on how he develops over the next few seasons. Soto will begin 2026 in the Florida Complex League as he adjusts to playing stateside for the first time in his career. The young infielder could very well follow in Justin Gonzales’ footsteps of playing very briefly (Gonzales played exactly one game) in the Complex League before heading to Low-A Salem. View full article

The injury bug has struck another member of the Boston Red Sox organization: Isaac Stebens will spend the season on the injured list. As first reported by SoxProspects’ Andrew Parker, Stebens will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in early March. Stebens was drafted out of Oklahoma State in the 16th round of the 2023 draft and split 2024 between Salem and Greenville. In 2025, the right-hander spent the entire season with Greenville where he appeared in 38 games and tossed 50 1/3 innings. After the season concluded Stebens, was one of the Red Sox representatives for the Arizona Fall League where he appeared in eight games and tossed seven innings. Stebens was one of Greenville’s most dominant relief arms and had a good chance of opening the season with Double-A Portland. Instead, he will look to recuperate from his surgery before attempting to rehabilitate from his injury. View full rumor