The Boston Red Sox need to whittle their roster down to 26 players before Opening Day, and on March 7, the team announced its first round of spring training cuts.
Boston optioned top prospects Luis Perales and Jhostynxon Garcia to the minor leagues and sent Jovani Morán, Robert Stock, Brian Van Belle and Jacob Webb down to minor league camp, per a social media post from the team. The Sox's first round of cuts aren't surprising given the players' ages, recovery statuses and spring training performances.
Perales and Garcia are ranked in MLB Pipeline's top 30 prospects for the Red Sox, at No. 5 and 6, respectively. The former, a 21-year-old right-handed pitcher, is still recovering from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in June. He won't be ready for game action for quite some time.
Garcia got an early chance to show his stuff in a few Grapefruit League games for the Red Sox, and he'll get another on March 13 on Boston's Spring Breakout game roster. Garcia is a fan favorite after his breakout season in 2024 and for his fun nickname, "the Password," but he's just 22 years old and finished last season in Double-A. He'll need some reps with the WooSox before he makes the big league roster. He clocked one hit, a run and 10 strikeouts after 11 appearances in big league camp.
Red Sox announce first round of 2025 spring training roster cuts, including top prospects and recovering pitchers
The #RedSox today announced the following roster moves:
— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 7, 2025
RHP Luis Perales and OF Jhostynxon Garcia were optioned to minor league camp.
LHP Jovani Morán and RHPs Robert Stock, Brian Van Belle, and Jacob Webb were reassigned to minor league camp.
The Sox also reassigned a few struggling or recovering pitchers, the lefty Morán and righties Stock, Van Belle and Webb. Boston acquired Morán and Stock this winter, while Van Belle and Webb debuted in the Red Sox organization in 2021.
Morán is still recovering from Tommy John surgery he got in 2023, and like Perales, Sox fans won't see him pitch in a game for quite a while. Stock is fresh off a pitching Triple Crown in the Mexican Pacific Winter League, but he hasn't had the same success with the Red Sox. He's logged a 12.00 ERA in three innings of work in the Grapefruit League. He'll start the season in the minor leagues but could become a depth relief option down the stretch if he finds his Triple Crown self again with Worcester.
Van Belle, 28, let up two homers in his single inning appearance in a spring training game. Webb hasn't allowed a run in the 2.2 innings he pitched in the Grapefruit League, but the two righties face stiff competition to make the roster with Boston's newly deepened pitching staff.
The Red Sox still have plenty more cuts to make before their roster is pared down to 26 players. This first round of cuts featured some predictable names, but it will be interesting to see what surprises, if any, future roster cuts hold.