Player of the week awards were handed out for each league in the minors on Monday. And two Boston Red Sox prospects earned hardware for their impressive performances.
Allan Castro in Double-A won the Eastern League player of the week. The switch-hitting outfielder had two hits in every game, and went 12-for-24 with three doubles, one triple, and one home run. He drove in six runs and scored five more.
A few levels down, Justin Gonzales might've just officially put his name on the map with his first ever such recognition.
The right-handed hitting outfielder slashed .400/.500/.700 with three doubles and a ridiculous moonshot of a home run. He drove in four runs, scored three more, and stole two bases. Gonzales even walked as many times (3) as he struck out. In doing so, the 18-year-old was named the Carolina League player of the week.
Gonzales was promoted to Single-A on May 6. Though he struggled out of the gate, he was still getting on base thanks to an advanced eye for his age.
Congrats to Allan Castro & Justin Gonzales on their Player of the Week honors! pic.twitter.com/hE8Ud4lRAU
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) July 8, 2025
Red Sox prospects Allan Castro, Justin Gonzales win Player of the Week honors
It didn't take too long for Gonzales to find his footing. By the end of the month, he was flirting with a .250 batting average. He wasn't showing much power, though. By June 20, he dipped to a .235/.360/.296 slash line.
That's when things started to change. Gonzales has gone 18-for-50 (.360) with five walks, five doubles, one triple, and one home run ever since. His series against the Lynchburg Hillcats this week was the perfect example of how much he's progressed.
We got to see the highlight reel power that we were all expecting. Gonzales continued to draw walks while limiting strikeouts. He had three doubles to showcase his line-drive power and three multi-hit games to showcase his ability to do more than just hit 500-foot homers. He even stole two bases for good measure.
Gonzales is an 18-year-old listed at 6'4", 210 lbs. He's playing mostly center field this year with some corner outfield sprinkled in. While he hasn't played first base yet this year, that was his main position in 2024.
Gonzales already seems bigger than his listed size, and he's likely not done growing. With that in mind, first base might be best suited for him. For now, though, the athleticism plays in the outfield. Whether he's in the outfield or at first base, he's going to mash, and he's going to continue improving. Enjoy watching him grow (literally).