Top-5 Red Sox prospects signed on the international market
By Sean Penney
Red Sox pitching prospect Wilkelman Gonzalez
Wilkelman Gonzalez signed with the Red Sox out of Venezuela in 2018. The right-handed pitcher topped out in the mid-80s with his fastball at the time but packing on some muscle over the last few years has helped him ramp up his velocity to the 92-96 mph range.
His mid-80s changeup pairs much better with the fastball now that he’s gained some velocity on the heater. Gonzalez also throws a curve in the upper-70s. He still needs to work on finding consistency with those secondary pitches but they have the potential to be plus pitches.
Gonzalez impressed during his time in the Florida Complex League last season, going 4-2 with a 3.60 ERA, 1.057 WHIP and 11.8 K/9 in eight games (seven starts). He only made four starts following a promotion to Low-A Salem but he dominated in that small sample to the tune of a 1.53 ERA, 1.189 WHIP and 10.2 K/9.
Developing his secondary pitches will be key to sticking in the rotation. Gonzalez won’t be able to get by as a starter without at least three reliable options in his arsenal. He has the upside to be a middle of the rotation starter if he doesn’t transition to the bullpen.