The Boston Red Sox have slowly built a dominant farm system. Even after the team’s “Big Three” all enjoyed promotion to the major league roster, the depth of the organization’s prospects is still exciting.
Hunter Noll reported in October 2024 that Boston was the proud owner of the American League East’s best farm system heading into this season, and MLB calls the Sox farm system the 11th best midway through the 2025 season. Colin McCarthy at Boston.com calls it the 5th best in baseball.
All this leads to the inevitable question: Who’s headed for Fenway in the near future, and who will act as trade bait to bring others to the table? Starting pitchers remain a clear target for Craig Breslow after failing to make a big splash at the deadline (although Dustin May’s last outing certainly turned heads), so these names might become incentives for teams like Pittsburgh, Miami, or Minnesota to move on from their frontline starters come wintertime.
3 Red Sox prospects who are slowly becoming offseason trade bait
Franklin Arias
Franklin Arias is Boston’s top prospect, and he’s listed as MLB’s No. 24. The 19-year-old signed with Boston in 2023 and is playing his games at the High-A Greenville Drive.
Arias is growing into a perceived lack of power in early scouting reports and already owns exceptional plate discipline as a teenager. He’s likened to a similarly-aged Marcelo Mayer in scouting reports, and plays the same position as the only member of the Red Sox’s “Big Three” who hasn’t signed an extension yet. Arias posted an excellent season, with a .278 batting average and 12 stolen bases to go along with his rangy defense. Arias is still a ways off cracking the big league roster, but his path is blocked by both a resurgent Trevor Story and Marcelo Mayer, who looks set to quash any talks of an extension for Story when his contract expires at the end of the 2027 season.
With both players delivering valuable defense on that side of the infield already, Boston will have quite the conundrum to work through if Arias manages to stick with the organization long enough to knock at the door. He’s likely to become an attractive piece of a deal to return pitching (or — gulp — a third baseman to replace Alex Bregman if the front office doesn't re-sign him).
Jhostynxon Garcia
Jhostynxon Garcia crushed 21 home runs this season and slashed .267/.340/.470. “The Password” is also took some reps at first base, establishing additional value that might help get him the nod to wear the Boston “B” in the future.
However, Garcia offers even more complications to an outfield mix that’s already overloaded with players. Rob Refsnyder remains a likely candidate to exit at the end of the season, and if trade talks surrounding Jarren Duran bear any fruit, there could be two fewer outfielders in the mix come spring training. But that still leaves Boston with Masataka Yoshida, who can’t consistently contribute in the field alongside three starter-caliber gloves (and elite defense out of at least two members of the unit).
If Garcia isn’t moved, he’s likely to contribute to a convoluted platoon situation either at first base or in the outfield. The result would be more of the same problematic lineup shuffling that has gone on this year, leaking into a new season. Certainly, that’s something Alex Cora and the front office will look to avoid. Garcia is a masher, and remains among Boston’s top prospects. He’s a solid option as a trade chip to return high-caliber starting pitching once again this offseason.
Payton Tolle
Perhaps the least likely of the bunch to be moved, Payton Tolle has been the subject of trade rumors throughout his short time in the organization. Drafted in 2024, the lefty has struck out 133 batters in 91.2 innings pitched over three levels of the minor leagues this year. He posted a 3.04 ERA across 20 appearances and at just 22, he’s already matriculated up into the Sox’s Triple-A affiliate. He posted an excellent, eight-strikeout MLB debut against the Pirates, but finished his seven total big league appearances with a 6.06 ERA and five home runs surrendered over 16.1 innings.
Tolle is a mountain of a (young) man. He stands at 6’6” and weighs 250 pounds. The hurler delivers pitches from an aggressively advantageous angle, and his mound presence is equal parts commanding and calm. Tolle’s survival within the Boston organization at the trade deadline is seemingly somewhat lucky since it’s reported that his was a name floated in the Joe Ryan trade talks.
Tolle appears set to be an impact arm for the Red Sox in the future, but other, more immediate needs might push the Sox to swap MLB’s No. 28 prospect for support elsewhere, considering Boston’s loaded pitching prospect class (six of the organization’s top 10).