With MLB Pipeline’s recent top 100 prospect update, fans of the Boston Red Sox noticed a bit of a problem: the team doesn’t have much going on in terms of position player prospects.
The Sox are well represented on the pitching side with Payton Tolle (No. 19), Connelly Early (No. 56), and Kyson Witherspoon (No. 86) on the lust. The only hitting prospect included is Franklin Arias, ranked 31st.
Unsurprisingly, people pointed out the lack of position players added in recent drafts. They discussed how other prospects close to the top 100 would likely include pitchers, such as Juan Valera, Anthony Eyanson, Marcus Phillips, and Jake Bennett.
What about the hitters, though? Despite many talking heads heralding the pitchers and discussing the shortcomings of Boston’s position player prospects, there is plenty to be excited about in that area. Let’s focus on a few who could join the pitchers on that top 100 list.
5 Boston Red Sox position player prospects who could make their way into the top 100 prospect rankings in 2026
Henry Godbout
Let's get this out of the way immediately — Mikey Romero is not on this list. It’s not that he doesn't deserve it, but that I think if he was playing well enough to earn a top 100 spot, he’d be in Boston (or used in a trade). The Red Sox have question marks in their infield, so Romero at the top of his game would be a legitimate solution.
As for Henry Godbout, the Red Sox used the 75th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft on the Virginia product, and the early returns have been awesome.
Godbout slashed .341/.473/.477 with six doubles in 13 games. He drove in five runs, scored six more, and stole one base. The now 22-year-old drew nine walks and only struck out six times.
Godbout is a plus defender with solid speed and athleticism. His swing generates a lot of line drives, and he seems to be a perfect fit for the Red Sox system to improve his already positive launch angle, exit velocity, and other under-the-hood statistics.
With a full offseason in the program, Godbout could hit the ground running in 2026. We saw a small glimpse of his talents last year, and they had fans very excited. If he takes a step forward, Godbout’s going to be a big name in minor league baseball.
Enddy Azocar
Enddy Azocar didn’t put up big numbers upon his promotion to Single-A during the 2025 season. You could attribute that to his age (he turns 19 on February 24) or his lack of experience (31 games in the DSL and 14 games in the FCL). The “Salem factor” is also in play. We’ve seen a lot of major talents not put up big numbers in Single-A with Salem’s pitcher-friendly ballpark, only to explode upon leaving. Roman Anthony will always be the shining example of this.
Azocar receives plenty of hype from people in the organization, and that’s because they have access to the numbers that we don’t see. They’re seeing his bat speed, his exit velocity, his launch angles, and more.
Azocar slashed .202/.273/.314 with nine doubles, one triple, and six home runs in 71 games with Salem last year. The right-handed hitter drove in 26 runs, scored 34 more, and stole 11 bases. If he can cut back on his strikeouts and draw a few more walks, the potential is very clear.
Azocar’s physicals are all there. He has solid power, fantastic speed, and a good arm. We saw flashes of a good defender, which certainly won’t hurt. It’s the potential power/speed combination that could help Azocar ascend to stardom.
We’ll see a promotion to High-A at some point in 2026. When that happens, Enddy Azocar has a chance to put up gaudy numbers and grab the attention of prospect rankings everywhere.
Dorian Soto
Dorian Soto is the only player on this list who hasn’t played in at least Single-A. The switch-hitter slashed .307/.362/.428 with 10 doubles, two triples, and two home runs in 47 games in the DSL. He drove in 18 runs, scored 27 more, and stole one base.
Soto is the guy that fans with some knowledge of the system are probably the most excited to see come stateside. Not turning 18 until February 14, it’s hard to envision Soto starting 2026 in Salem. He’ll likely head to extended spring training, then go to the FCL. However, don’t be shocked if Soto hits the ground running when he gets to Single-A.
Mainly a shortstop, Soto has spent some time at third base and second base as well. He’s seen as a solid defender with a great arm. There’s serious talent in his bat, with some legitimate power potential. Soto even has enough speed to swipe some bags. And his 6’2”, 180 lb frame (according to MiLB) has plenty of room to fill out, add some muscle, and reach that power potential (likely at the cost of some speed/athleticism).
Soto’s already seen as an intriguing prospect in the media before even getting to Single-A. If he can click there quickly, there’s no reason he can’t make that Arias jump into the top 100.
Johanfran Garcia
Johanfran Garcia somewhat quietly had a fantastic return-from-injury campaign in 2025. The right-handed hitter slashed .249/.327/.428 with four doubles and nine home runs in 46 games in High-A last season. He drove in 28 runs, scored 27 more, and stole one base.
That would’ve been impressive no matter what, considering he missed a year of playing time due to a knee injury, but two specific things add to the story.
First, Garcia had only appeared in 29 Single-A games prior to the season. So that was his first taste of High-A. Second, Garcia played a majority of his games (35) as a catcher. When the season began, many were wondering if he’d be able to stick at the position due to the injury.
Garcia is a solid defender with a strong arm behind the plate. He has legitimate power and a flair for the dramatics (three walk-offs in 2025). Coming off the injury, it didn’t seem like Garcia was in his best shape. With a full offseason, don’t be shocked if we see a motivated, healthy, and trimmed-down Garcia in 2026.
If he comes to camp ready to go, Garcia could be set for big things this season. Remember, he was a higher-ranked prospect than his older brother (Jhostynxon Garcia) before going down with that knee injury in 2024. There’s no reason he can’t find his way back onto the national radar sooner, rather than later.
Justin Gonzales
We saved the most obvious one for last. Justin Gonzales is special. He’s a massive human being with terrifying power and athleticism that shouldn’t be allowed in that frame.
Gonzales went to Single-A after just one game in the FCL last season and proceeded to mash at the level. The right-handed hitter slashed .298/.381/.423 with 23 doubles, two triples, and four home runs in 81 games with Salem. He drove in 27 runs, scored 45 more, and stole 11 bases.
For someone with his power and size, Gonzales does not strike out much. He has a fantastic eye and elite plate discipline. The only glaring issue at the moment is his tendency to his the ball on the ground. If he can elevate the ball, pitchers everywhere will have trouble sleeping.
Gonzales struggled in 11 games in High-A, but we’re not going to worry about a sample size that long. More impressive were his numbers in Single-A. Doing what he did at 18 was eye-opening. Doing it while playing half his games at Salem’s hitter’s nightmare of a ballpark should lead to a statue of Gonzales being erected outside the stadium.
Gonzales will probably end up a first baseman. That will likely hurt his prospect status a bit. However, he has plus-plus power and will always post high OBPs.
Even if Gonzales doesn’t improve his elevation that much, he’ll be flirting with the top 100. If he gets loft on the ball, he could be Boston’s highest-ranked prospect by the end of the season.