Have you ever seen a pitcher who could get the crowd going with a simple motion? Get his teammates fired up with a single pitch and maybe a high knee? Infuriate the opposing team so badly during a playoff game that they have to be held back at the end of an inning because of a finger wag?
If not, can I interest you in Yordanny Monegro?
The Boston Red Sox pitcher had been one of the most electric pitchers in baseball up until he suffered an injury that forced him to get Tommy John surgery last season. Monegro last pitched on June 13, 2025, against Somerset in Double-A. 441 days later, the 23-year-old took the mound in High-A.
Monegro was greatly missed. The Red Sox entered the year with an overabundance of pitching prospects. They had so many that they had to place multiple pitchers a level lower than expected just to squeeze everyone in. Among those pitchers were the 2025 draftees Kyson Witherspoon, Anthony Eyanson, and Marcus Phillips.
Juan Valera was healthy in High-A (albeit for a very short time), and Payton Tolle was even in Triple-A (also for a short time). There were plenty of other talented arms sprinkled throughout the system, but we don’t want to be here all day.
Electric Red Sox pitching prospect Yordanny Monegro returns from injury
Despite the logjam, there was a certain electricity missing. Let me stop myself, though. It’s unfair to Monegro to boil his talents down to “he does fun celebrations on the mound”.
In 2024, Monegro posted a 2.73 ERA, .176 BAA, and 1.03 WHIP in 15 games (14 starts) in High-A. The right-handed pitcher struck out 82 batters and walked 26 in 66 innings.
He started 2025 in Double-A. There, Monegro recorded a 2.67 ERA, .250 BAA, and 1.19 WHIP in nine games (eight starts). He had 49 strikeouts and just eight walks in 33 2/3 innings before the injury prematurely ended his season.
Monegro features a low-to-mid 90s fastball and some truly devastating breaking balls. The fastball has never been seen as an elite pitch, but it’s improved enough to play well off his secondaries. And he’s not short on confidence on the mound, which allows him to throw those secondaries whenever he needs.
Monegro has never been seen as one of the truly top pitching prospects in the system by anyone (besides me). But I do truly believe he has the potential to hit some high highs. In his return on August 28, Monegro didn’t allow a hit or a run in 1 2/3 innings. He struck out three batters and walked three. The command wasn’t as polished as usual, but that’s to be expected from someone who hasn’t pitched in a game in over a year.
We’ll likely only see Monegro once or twice more this season. Fans should be happy to have the Aura God, Pikachu himself, back on the mound. Go piss off an opposing dugout, king.
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