The Boston Red Sox will likely be making moves this offseason, including (but not limited to) potentially going after pitchers Joe Ryan and Hunter Greene. If they’re going to bring in star talent, they’ll have to give up a lot of prospect value. We need to accept that.
To be clear, there’s no such thing as a completely untouchable prospect. There will always be people calling us "prospect huggers" for hoping the Sox retain some of their most promising young talent. Who are the prospects the Red Sox should do everything they can to keep this offseason?
Each prospect listed will have a reason for Boston to hold onto them, whether they're coming off a down season, have a clear path to help in the majors in 2026, or potential to raise their stock exponentially over the next eight months (just in time for the trade deadline).
5 prospects the Red Sox shouldn’t trade this offseason
Yhoiker Fajardo (RHP)
You might be tired of hearing it, but it bears repeating: the Red Sox traded a (at the time) 32-year-old reliever (Cam Booser) with 42 2/3 innings in the majors for Yhoiker Fajardo.
Fajardo was a lottery ticket, so it’s not like it was an obvious fleece at the time. However, it was confusing that the Chicago White Sox were trading for an aging reliever when the team isn’t close to competing.
Fajardo didn’t take long to make them regret their decision. The right-handed pitcher recorded a 2.25 ERA, .204 BAA, and 1.10 WHIP in 19 outings (17 starts) between the FCL and Single-A. He struck out 83 batters compared to 27 walks in 72 innings. Fajardo may have been the best pitcher in the system to not reach the majors in 2025.
We could be on the cusp of seeing the 19-year-old chart on some top-100 lists. However, it feels like we still haven’t scratched the surface. Even with his elevated prospect status, Fajardo would still likely be closer to a “lottery ticket” in a trade as he’s a pitcher with no experience above Single-A. Teams aren’t knocking down doors for someone who hasn’t proven themselves at any higher level of the minors.
Even just pitching in High-A next year, no matter the results, will make Fajardo a more enticing trade piece. Now, imagine if he continues to thrive. The Red Sox could have a blue-chip prospect on their hands.
Justin Gonzales (OF)
You could copy and paste the last paragraph for Fajardo and place it here. Justin Gonzales has all the makings of a stud prospect, but he’s only had 43 at-bats at the High-A level.
Between Single-A and High-A, the right-handed hitter slashed .285/.367/.394 with 23 doubles, two triples, and four home runs. Gonzales recorded 31 RBI, 50 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases.
There are two clear reasons to keep Gonzales at the moment. His value should only shoot up (and could do so rapidly). More importantly, though, the Red Sox don’t have a long-term answer at first base. Gonzales didn’t appear at the position in 2025, but it was his primary position in 2024. Listed at 6’4” (and still growing as a 19-year-old), that could be his permanent home in the future. Boston would love to have a solution for first base and a right-handed hitter with terrifying power.
Juan Valera (RHP)
Juan Valera was a top 100 prospect at one point in the 2025 season, and it’s easy to see why. The right-handed pitcher was 18 at the start of the year, pitching in High-A. He can hit 100 MPH with his fastball and possesses intriguing secondaries.
However, injuries and inconsistent play led to some struggles and Valera falling out of the rankings (especially after the draft added some elite prospects all around the league).
Valera finished the season with a 5.45 ERA, .281 BAA, and 1.39 WHIP in 10 starts with Greenville. He struck out 46 batters compared to 10 walks in 38 innings. Valera’s big issue was the home run ball, allowing six in his shortened season.
Maybe it wasn’t what people were hoping for, but we got to see the filth that Valera can throw. The Red Sox starting him in High-A after just 23 innings in Single-A last season should also give you an idea of how the organization views him.
Valera’s coming off an injury-riddled season with poor numbers. His value is only going to go up.
Johanfran Garcia (C)
Johanfran Garcia is on this list for a few reasons. The least important one is that fans desperately want to see the Garcia brothers (his older brother is Jhostynxon Garcia) in Red Sox uniforms at Fenway Park together.
More serious reasons are that the Red Sox are starving for catching prospects, and Garcia is easily their best. Coming off an ACL injury that forced him to miss over a full calendar year of action, Garcia mashed.
The right-handed hitter slashed .261/.328/.464 with seven doubles and 12 home runs between the FCL and High-A. He drove in 41 runs, scored 37 more, and stole one base in 58 games. Garcia had three walk-offs with Greenville, including two home runs.
It was massively encouraging to see Garcia get so much time behind the plate (caught 44 games and was the designated hitter in the other 14) following the injury. That certainly put to bed most of the fears that a knee injury would force the 20-year-old to first base.
Following Garcia, there’s something to love about Gerardo Rodriguez (22 games in Single-A in 2025) and Jorge Rodriguez (hasn’t played above the FCL). The Red Sox can’t really afford to lose their top prospect at the position.
There’s also an argument to be made that the 20-year-old’s value isn’t exactly high right now. He’s still not far removed from a year-long injury, and with what he showed in 2025, it’s reasonable to expect he could come out swinging in 2026, get to Double-A, and boost his stock.
Luis Perales (RHP)
Luis Perales is the prospect here who shouldn’t be traded because he’s most likely to factor in heavily to the 2026 season. Despite missing most of 2024 and 2025 (and never pitching above Double-A until September 17), Perales was being considered for a major league role until the very end of Boston’s season — that’s how highly the Red Sox view his talent.
There’s a legitimate argument to be made that Perales is the best pitching prospect in the system, even with the ascension of Payton Tolle and the arrival of Kyson Witherspoon. The righty pitcher can hit over 100 MPH with his fastball and has fantastic secondary pitches. Perales is someone the Red Sox could get a lot for as the headliner in a package. However, his value still isn’t as high as it could be, and I’d rather see him become an ace in Boston.