Fans of the Boston Red Sox have witnessed the development of multiple headline-grabbing prospects over the last few years. Those headlines led to some fan favorites that many fell in love with.
We saw Ceddanne Rafaela steal hearts with his incredible defensive highlights. MLB's No. 1 position player prospect Roman Anthony has captured the imagination of fans. We've seen love for Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer. In the past, there was Kyle Teel, Triston Casas, Bryan Mata, and more.
Who will be the next crop of prospects fans fall in love with? Remember, we're not asking who will be the next most elite prospects, but just the ones fans will love.
Even if you look now, there are names like Jhostynxon Garcia, Johanfran Garcia, and Yordanny Monegro, three prospects that fans are enthralled by who are not at the top of the rankings. You can point to Franklin Arias and Yoeilin Cespedes as two prospects on the radar for many fans as well. So, who could join them in the near future?
Which Red Sox prospects could steal your heart next?
Justin Gonzales (1B/OF)
Justin Gonzales is already 6'4" as an 18-year-old. That alone will get fans talking, especially if he continues to grow.
The right-handed first baseman/outfielder slashed .320/.391/.517 with 11 doubles, four triples, and five home runs in the Dominican Summer League in 2024. Gonzales had 29 RBI, 29 runs scored, and eight steals in just 47 games.
Gonzales will likely start 2025 in the Florida Complex League but should make it to Low-A relatively quickly. He's a massive human being, and he could keep growing. Legitimate power potential from a right-handed bat is always fun. He'll be a spectacle.
Conrad Cason (SS/RHP)
Conrad Cason might be the easy slam dunk on this list. A shortstop and a pitcher? Sign me up. The 2024 eighth-round draft pick could have gone to Mississippi State to play college ball but decided to sign with the Red Sox instead.
They gave him a sizeable bonus, but it also makes you wonder if they told Cason he'd be able to continue pitching and playing in the field. That alone makes him exciting. Don't forget that he's an uber-athlete with great speed and some pop in his bat.
If you watch (presumably) Low-A Salem games this season, you could see the 18-year-old hit high-90s on his fastball to strike someone out one day, then make an electric play at shortstop and steal a base the next day, and then hit a home run on the third day.
Nelly Taylor
Will I ever shut up about Nelly Taylor? Probably not. Taylor is the closest thing you'll see to Ceddanne Rafaela when it comes to defense in the outfield. He provides highlights with his glove on a daily basis.
Taylor brings more than just an elite glove, though. He also possesses a good arm and plus-plus speed. Most importantly, we saw what he could do offensively after leaving Salem. When the left-handed hitting outfielder got promoted to High-A, he showcased some legitimate potential with the bat and a decent amount of pop.
🎶 I said give me two pairs, cause I need two pairs. So EYE can get to stompin’ in my Air Force Ones. BIG BOYS stompin’ in my Air Force Ones. 🎶
— Hunter Noll (@Hunter_Noll) June 26, 2024
Boston Red Sox prospect Nelly Taylor is a highlight factory in Single-A pic.twitter.com/raWse3uiHp
Taylor is poised to be a breakout star in 2025. While he might not become the best prospect in the system, he could become someone that fans love for his defense while his offense improves.
Yhoiker Fajardo
Yhoiker Fajardo is one of the newest members of the Boston Red Sox system. The right-handed pitcher was acquired in a trade with the Chicago White Sox (Boston sent over Cam Booser).
Fajardo is an 18-year-old who has only appeared in the DSL to this point. The numbers were encouraging, and racking up 64 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings certainly doesn't hurt.
Fajardo's pitch combination of a fastball with great movement that can already hit 95 MPH, and a good slider that generates whiffs, helps him separate himself.
The Red Sox have a lot of young, talented arms low in their minor league system. Fajardo already having two pitches to lean on gives a reason to believe he could fly up the rankings.
He'll likely start 2025 in the FCL, but we could see Fajardo in Low-A before the end of the year. If that happens, fans will love seeing his high strikeout numbers as his pitches continue to improve.
Dalvinson Reyes
Dalvinson Reyes is the third DSL guy on this list and potentially the best. The right-handed pitcher is an 18-year-old listed at 6'5, 200 lbs.
Reyes only threw 17 innings in the regular season of the DSL last season, but boy, were they impressive. He posted a 0.00 ERA, .140 BAA, and 0.59 WHIP. Reyes struck out 19 batters compared to just two walks. Reyes did allow two runs in 5 2/3 innings in the postseason, but even that was impressive.
Reyes possesses a fastball, a changeup, and a slider. While none of the three are standout elite pitches, all are advanced for his age and should continue to improve. He's already seen jumps in velocity on his fastball, and as he continues to grow, it's not wild to think he could sit in the mid-90s (currently low-90s).
Reyes is a lottery ticket prospect, as is anyone that young and far away from the majors. However, he feels like a lottery ticket where you already know the first two numbers match.