3 players the Red Sox can extend to build a semblance of a core

The Boston Red Sox front office hasn't kept many of its promises from the beginning of the 2023-24 offseason.

But the men in charge still have time and various ways to make fans happy before the season begins, or even during the season.

For multiple seasons, the Red Sox have touted prospects as the best way to make the team better. The first round of prospects from Chaim Bloom's tenure as chief baseball officer have already made it to the majors, and their impact has been palpable. Some have even worked their way into fan-favorite status.

Boston has an opportunity to make some Braves-style moves. Extend young players early before they have a chance to drive up their value too high and before other teams begin to show interest. The Red Sox have certainly begun to market some of their young stars as if extensions are coming down the pipe for them, but pulling the trigger on a deal is a different story entirely.

Boston has learned that waiting too long to extend players can result in much higher price tags — Red Sox Nation does not need to be reminded of the Mookie Betts fiasco and Xander Bogaerts' departure.

The front office has a chance to make some amends for its past mistakes. Trading Betts can never be fully forgiven, but extending some other homegrown talent would be a great place to start.

3 players the Red Sox can extend to build a semblance of a core

Brayan Bello

The Red Sox's pool of pitching prospects is less than impressive. According to research done by Zack Scott, who spent 17 seasons working in Boston's front office, the Red Sox's pitching prospect pool is ranked 29th in the league.

Brayan Bello is the best homegrown pitching talent the Sox have to offer, which is why they should sign him long-term. And while Bello is currently signed through 2026, inking a deal soon would mean Boston secures a bargain for his services in the future.

Bello is coming off a successful first full season of pitching. Across his 157 innings in 2023, Bello logged a 4.24 ERA and 124 strikeouts. He also boasts a quality walk rate, only dishing free passes in 6.7% of plate appearances.

Bello's ground ball rate is exceptional at 56.3%, according to Baseball Savant. For a pitcher who will throw the majority of his games at Fenway Park with a notoriously shallow outfield, it's key that Bello can keep the long balls to a minimum.

The righty has expressed interest in an extension with the Red Sox, and Boston has done the same. Getting Bello's signature long-term could take some pressure off the organization's current situation. Plus, investing in pitching is never a dumb thing.

Triston Casas

Triston Casas has earned the fan-favorite status during his first full season in a Red Sox uniform. The 24-year-old is charismatic and carries a powerful presence at the plate.

After stalling at the beginning of the 2023 season, Casas exploded out of the All-Star break to collect the fourth-best OPS in the league for the second half of the year. Casas' single-season transformation suggests that he's adaptable and coachable, two things that could help him improve his defense throughout his big league career.

In 132 games, Casas hit .263/.367/.490 and belted 24 home runs. If the lefty can unlock his post-All-Star break potential for all of the coming season, those numbers will skyrocket. Casas also walks a ton — he ranks in the 93rd percentile in walk rate. His ability to get on base is much-needed in the current Red Sox lineup that lacks ... so much.

Like Bello, Casas also expressed interest in an extension with Boston. It's in the Red Sox's best interest to sign the young slugger before other teams catch onto his value and the arbitration process gets messy.