One of the Boston Red Sox's biggest offseason priorities will be to shore up the pitching staff. Free agent departures in the rotation and bullpen add to Boston's preexisting need for improvement.
The Red Sox have some crucial depth in the organization already, though. Minor league pitchers Richard Fitts and Quinn Priester made late-season starts for the Sox after the trade deadline acquisition James Paxton's injury. Next season, another breakout minor league arm could see his day in the big leagues.
2024 Minor League Pitcher of the Year winner Hunter Dobbins dreams of earning a roster spot next season. He should be placed on the 40-man soon — Dobbins is Rule-5 draft eligible and if he isn't added to Boston's roster by the evening of Nov. 19, another team could snatch him up.
Christopher Smith of MassLive interviewed Dobbins, who hopes to increase his command this winter to have the best chance to make Boston's 2025 squad. He boasts a 99-mile-per-hour fastball at his peak velocity but needs to fine-tune his strike zone.
Red Sox fans may see breakout pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins in the major leagues in 2025
Your 2024 #RedSox Minor League Award Winners! pic.twitter.com/sn3ymYRaKn
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) September 27, 2024
Dobbins isn't an elite strike-thrower, but he still misses bats. He posted a 3.08 ERA with 120 strikeouts and 48 walks over 125.2 innings between Double and Triple-A. He allowed just two homers on the season, one at each level.
It's possible Dobbins could make the Opening Day roster in a similar role Cooper Criswell played in 2024 — although the same could also be said for Priester and Fitts, so he'll have some competition. Criswell pitched a solid season of long relief and made spot starts whenever the Sox needed him and Boston's three Triple-A hurlers could be well-suited to the same job.
Besides his blistering fastball, Dobbins carries four other breaking pitches, which could make him an ideal fit for Andrew Bailey's coaching style. Bailey encourages players to throw more breaking pitches and avoid fastballs unless their stuff is elite. With a bit more work on his command and additional Triple-A experience, Dobbins may soon be in that category.
The 25-year-old righty is sure to be added to the 40-man roster in time to protect him from the Rule-5 draft, but fans will have to wait and see if he cracks the Opening Day roster in a bullpen role.