5 prospects the Red Sox were smart to hold onto at the 2024 MLB trade deadline

The Boston Red Sox had a busy trade deadline. They were buyers, moving quite a few prospects to add to the Major League team to make a playoff push.

That means they lost some bigger-named prospects, including Nick Yorke, Ovis Portes, and a few more. However, it's not always the moves teams make, but the moves they don't make that can have the biggest effect down the line.

The Red Sox elected to keep their top names and a lot of interesting prospects that could rise in the system. Who are some of the prospects that the Red Sox were smartest to hold onto? Before we start, let me be honest for a second. We're going to cheat.

This list does not feature any of the "Big Four" prospects, Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, Kyle Teel, and Kristian Campbell. The Red Sox never intended to part with them, there's no point including them in this conversation.

Luis Perales is also out of this discussion, as his injury likely severely limited his trade value.

At the same time, we're leaving out names like Yoeilin Cespedes and Franklin Arias. Being in Single-A but so highly regarded in the system puts them in a weird spot — the Sox likely see them as legitimate pieces, while other teams would want them as deal sweeteners.

Yes, this is a way to write this article about a few other prospects, without giving the obvious answers. But, in the words of Denzel Washington in "Remember the Titans," "This is not a democracy, this is a dictatorship. I am the law."

5 prospects the Red Sox were smart to hold onto at the 2024 MLB trade deadline

Miguel Bleis - OF

Miguel Bleis isn't far removed from being a top-100 prospect in baseball. Injuries prematurely ended his 2023 season, and by the time 2024 rolled around, the outfielder had fallen off the list.

A strong (mostly healthy) start to the year in Single-A led to a promotion to High-A for Bleis in early June. However, things went off the rails a bit there.

The strikeout numbers didn't skyrocket, and the walk numbers didn't completely disappear. A low .125 average (with one double and no home runs) in High-A heading into July 3 brought up a lot of questions, though.

Anyone watching knew that this wasn't the biggest concern. Bleis was still stealing bases and playing good defense. The right-handed hitter was just in a slump at the plate. It did, however, end any talks of Bleis rejoining the top-100 list.

Since then, Bleis is 21-for-77 (.273) with four doubles and four home runs. On July 31, he went 3-for-5 with a steal (his 32 total on the season) and a home run (his eight total on the season). His average has reached .211 in High-A. There's no reason to believe he can't get it to somewhere around .250 by the end of the season.

Bleis is still only 20 until March of 2025. His value felt like it was at an all-time low at the trade deadline, though. He had injury problems last year and had not been able to prove himself in High-A this year.

Bleis is still an all-world talent. Even if he ends up not being part of Boston's plans for the future, his trade value is only going to rise from here. If the Red Sox decided to move on from him at the deadline, they would've gotten mere crumbs of his actual value.

Jedixson Paez - RHP

We're cheating again. Deal with it.

Technically, Jedixson Paez represents a few pitchers in High-A who have proven themselves a decent amount. However, pitchers before Double-A don't have a ton of trade value unless they're already viewed as a generational talent.

You could plug in Noah Dean and talk about how he's made a 180-degree turn from last year. His walk rate is ridiculously down, and his strikeout rate is up. The southpaw has a sub-1.00 WHIP (0.95) and an unreal .135 BAA. However, Dean's made one appearance in High-A (four shutout innings). Teams wouldn't view him as some absurd return, and they'd be better off trading a Single-A lottery ticket. At least Dean has given you legitimate innings in affiliated ball and has serious talent.

Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz could also apply. ERC had just one appearance (two runs in four innings) in High-A before the trade deadline. On July 31, he added five shutout innings.

The right-handed pitcher is only 20 and has a lot of Single-A experience. But the jump from High-A to Double-A is the real test for pitchers. So, ERC wouldn't be viewed much better than a lottery ticket. Why trade the guy who's shown you something? Oh, and his fastball velocity ticked up a lot this season. That's certainly a fun trend.

Now, let's talk about Jedixson Paez because he's the best answer to this question. Paez is a 20-year-old righty with genuinely unreal command. In 84 1/3 innings in Single-A last season, he walked 12 batters. The issue was his fastball velocity sat around 90 MPH, and he only struck out 73 batters.

This season, the fastball velocity still sits around 90 MPH. However, in 71 innings between Single-A and High-A, Paez has just nine walks compared to 86 strikeouts. He's finding ways to strike out batters (with pinpoint accuracy and disgusting breaking stuff).

The trade value for Paez likely isn't enticing for the Red Sox. He's a pitcher who hasn't gotten to High-A yet, who can barely throw 90 MPH.

The command is there, and the off-speed stuff is there— velocity isn't necessary for success, although it certainly helps. At 20 years old, Paez is already one of the best pitching prospects in Boston's system. If he finds velocity, he'll be regarded as one of the better pitching prospects in all of baseball. Imagine looking back in two years and crying because the Red Sox traded him away because his fastball wasn't hitting 100 MPH.

David Sandlin - RHP

Two Double-A pitchers could've gone here. Hunter Dobbins, and David Sandlin.

Hunter Dobbins likely could've secured a strong return, though. The righty has pitched 155 1/3 innings in Double-A and has looked fantastic. A Triple-A promotion has to be coming in the next few days.

It would've hurt to lose Dobbins, but the return he would garner might've softened the blow. Sandlin is a different story. He's dealt with injuries this year and has personally called his season "underwhelming." The right-handed pitcher also has just one appearance in Double-A (one run on two hits over four innings).

Sandlin might be the best healthy pitching prospect in the Red Sox system, though. The stuff is legit. He has a fastball that hits over 100 MPH and throw-up-inducing breaking pitches. Boston seems to love what it sees from him, as it's played it safe with him since he returned from injury in mid-June.

Again, though, we go back to two talking points. Sandlin has four innings in Double-A, and he's had injury issues. The numbers not being eye-popping don't help, either.

Anyone who watches him pitch knows the potential is very clear to be a frontline starter. And other teams have scouts that would tell them the same thing. The scouts would also tell them that he hasn't pitched much, especially in the high levels of the minor leagues. They would use that to their advantage in trade talks and try to minimize Sandlin's trade value.

For a few years, we've heard people in Boston media talk about how the Red Sox don't have any high-end pitching prospects in the upper minors. Trading Sandlin now wouldn't be maximizing him as an asset. It would also weaken what many people believe is the Sox's greatest deficiency in the minor leagues.

Mikey Romero - INF

Mikey Romero was the Red Sox's first-round pick in 2022. He was an under-slot pick, meaning they were able to sign him for less money and use that extra cash to sign later prospect *coughs in Roman Anthony.*

Romero immediately showed his offensive prowess at the tail end of the 2022 season. The left-handed hitting shortstop slashed .349/.364/.581 in nine games in Single-A.

However, the excitement abruptly halted. Romero appeared in just 23 Single-A games and three High-A games in 2023. A back injury severely derailed his season. Not only did he barely play, but his production took a hit. It was clear he never was 100%.

That didn't matter to the fans, though. Romero was a bust in their eyes.

Luckily, people in the organization didn't listen to the fans. They got Romero healthy, and he made his High-A season debut on May 15. But Romero's production fluctuated. Clearly, he was still trying to get back into the swing of things.

Overall, it led to Romero not having a ton of trade value. Heading into the trade deadline, he had just hit 100 games in the minors in three seasons.

The Red Sox have a ridiculous amount of middle-infield talent in the minor leagues. However, Romero was in a bad spot. The trade value was that of a lower-mid-tier prospect and not a recent first-round pick. The talent is there, but could he get healthy and put it all together?

Well, since July 20, Romero is 18-for-37 (.486) with six doubles and seven home runs. In the last three games, the 20-year-old is 10-for-14 with three doubles and four home runs. He's up to a .849 OPS and figuring things out.

Romero still doesn't have the clearest path to the big leagues in the Red Sox organization. This trade deadline is the lowest his value will be as a prospect ever again, though. If Boston really doesn't want to keep him, use his enhanced trade value this offseason or next deadline.

Jhostynxon Garcia - OF

Jhostynxon Garica came into 2024 as the "other Garcia brother." His younger brother, Johanfran Garcia, was seen as the better prospect in Boston's farm system (we listed him as a top 30 prospect in the system before the season).

To be fair, Johanfran is a stud catcher who was having a ridiculous season in Single-A before a terrible injury ended his 2024 campaign.

Back to Jhostynxon, he's made up a lot of ground on his baby brother this year. The right-handed hitting outfielder hit .258 with a .882 OPS in 24 games Single-A in 2024 before being promoted. He stole 14 bases in 14 attempts.

Garcia went up to High-A and immediately started consistently demolishing baseballs. He's slashing .289/.342/.613 with nine doubles, one triple, and 15 home runs in 44 games with Greenville. The Password has become a spectacle, a must-watch talent at Fluor Field, and a detriment to the apartments in the outfield.

So why not trade someone who is having a breakout season?

Well, it goes back to not being in Double-A yet. Jhostynxon Garica's trade value still isn't at its peak due to being in High-A. He isn't a sure shot. Maybe he goes to Portland, and his swing-and-miss issues persist or worsen.

If that happens, his trade value will likely be a lot lower than it is now. However, if he continues to trend upwards, the value will be unreal. But who cares about his trade value? Jhostynxon Garcia is a right-handed hitting outfielder. What does everyone say the Red Sox need? Oh, it's right-handed hitting? Cool.

Maybe Garcia becomes some right-handed hitting that helps balance the lineup when Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kyle Teel, and all the other left-handed prospects are in the Majors.

The Red Sox made a lot of moves to help bolster their playoff chances in 2024. However, it's the prospects they didn't trade that could be what they look back and smile on. Jhostynxon Garcia could be well worth the wait.

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