3 Red Sox prospects who could take a leap in 2024
By Hunter Noll
Boston Red Sox starting pitching prospect Jedixson Paez
Jedixson Paez is one of the most intriguing prospects in the Boston Red Sox system.
The right-handed pitcher had his first taste of Single-A in 2023, and he crushed it. Paez posted a 3.31 ERA, .230 BAA, and 1.01 WHIP over 84 1/3 innings. He only struck out 73 batters but surrendered a ridiculously low 12 walks.
That type of control is great for a 10-year veteran, let alone a 19-year-old.
Paez was outshined this season by a few different pitchers. First, Luis Perales was in Single-A with him, devastating hitters. Then, it was Yordanny Monegro stealing the spotlight by humiliating his opponents.
By the way, Perales isn't on this list because he's too highly-touted already. And Monegro's not here because he felt too obvious of an answer. That makes me feel like Red Sox fans are already expecting him to take that next step. What's the fun of telling you all something you already knew?
Paez possesses a phenomenal combination of off-speed stuff. He has a changeup and a curveball that he can pinpoint. They both have good movement and can confuse hitters.
However, his issue is his fastball. Again, Paez tends to put the pitch where he wants it. Only throwing around 90 MPH is the problem here. It didn't cause him many issues in Single-A, but as he moves up the levels, will that start to get hit around?
There is a reason not to be too worried, though. We've seen Paez already add some speed to his fastball. He'll only be 20 next season. It's reasonable to believe he could add even more velocity. That is especially true, considering we saw Shane Drohan move his fastball up a few ticks last season.
If Jedixson Paez manages to boost his fastball, the sky is the limit. His advanced control already creates issues for opposing hitters. Add more velocity, and we could see Paez go from raw prospect to "can't miss arm" by the All-Star break.