The Boston Red Sox are still holding a postseason spot, but things have gotten a little murky. We’ve seen Boston call upon some prospects to help over the last few weeks. Payton Tolle has slumped a bit since his initial bang. Jhostynxon Gacia got a cup of coffee in the majors.
Connelly Early made his MLB debut and absolutely dominated, tossing five shutout innings and striking out 11 batters (he never reached that number in the minor leagues).
Could the Red Sox have more reinforcements waiting in the wings? As we close in on the final prospect watch of the season, we look at the last week of the Double-A season and talk about some options in Triple-A who could still figure into Boston’s plans for 2025.
Red Sox Prospect Update: Tyler Uberstine, Luis Perales return, Ahbram Liendo
Tyler Uberstine is the most realistic option in Triple-A to help the Red Sox right now. The right-handed pitcher tossed five shutout innings. He allowed two hits and one walk, while striking out six batters.
Uberstine has a 3.73 ERA, .247 BAA, and 1.28 WHIP in 24 appearances (20 starts) between Double-A and Triple-A. He has 131 strikeouts compared to 40 walks in 115 2/3 innings. The Red Sox have been pretty desperate for pitching. Uberstine has been fantastic all season. He limits walks, and he misses bats. Don’t be surprised if he’s the next name called on to help out.
Shane Drohan getting hurt earlier in the year might have kept him off the Major League roster in 2025. The left-handed pitcher has been nothing short of phenomenal. However, he’s only been able to appear in 10 games (nine starts) for Worcester due to injury.
Drohan tossed five shutout innings, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out three batters in his lone start this week. He has a 2.08 ERA, .171 BAA, and 0.95 WHIP in 39 innings. Drohan has struck out 54 batters and walked 13.
Alex Hoppe made two appearances this week, giving up no runs or hits over 1 2/3 innings. He struck out one batter and walked one.
Hoppe hasn’t allowed a run or a hit over his last six appearances (7 2/3 innings). The left-handed pitcher doesn’t hold the best season numbers, with a 4.25 ERA, .239 BAA, and 1.47 WHIP in 42 appearances between Double-A and Triple-A. However, he has 71 strikeouts (compared to 34 walks) in 59 1/3 innings. The walks are an issue, and he’s had a few blowup outings, but Hoppe has been incredible for the majority of this season. Boston could use a right-handed reliever who can hit 100 MPH.
Mikey Romero had a big power week. The left-handed hitting infielder went just 6-for-25 but clubbed two doubles and three home runs. He drove in eight runs and scored six more.
Romero is slashing .240/.300/.450. He’s tied a career-high in triples (4), while setting new career-bests in doubles (29), home runs (17), RBI (71), runs scored (57), and steals (5).
We could see Romero dealt as a big piece in a trade this offseason. If he’s not, that suggests the Red Sox have a plan for him in the not-so-distant future.
Luis Perales has returned! The right-handed pitcher had not pitched since June 8, 2024, before missing over 15 months of action following Tommy John surgery.
Perales tossed one scoreless inning. He gave up one walk without striking anyone out, but didn’t allow a hit either. A big positive was the stuff. Perales reached 100 MPH on the sixth pitch of the outing. Don’t forget how highly touted he was prior to the injury; he's still an elite prospect.
Eduardo Rivera finished his 2025 season by posting his best start at the Double-A level. The left-handed pitcher allowed one hit over six shutout innings in his start this week. He walked one batter and struck out seven (a high for him at the level).
Rivera didn't enter this season as a highly-touted prospect. He was more of a project after being released from the Athletics’ system last season. The 22-year-old finished the campaign with a 2.48 ERA, .177 BAA, and 1.16 WHIP in 20 appearances (15 starts) between High-A and Double-A. He struck out 108 batters compared to 46 walks in 87 innings.
Rivera throws a high-90s fastball, and his secondaries improved throughout the year. There are a few things to work on, but Boston seems to have found something in the Puerto Rico native.
John Holobetz allowed one run over six innings in his lone start this week. The right-handed pitcher walked one batter and struck out seven (a new high for him at the Double-A level).
Holobetz made six starts in Double-A and pitched at least six innings in all of them. He posted a 2.39 ERA, .205 BAA, and a 0.85 WHIP in 37 2/3 innings at the level.
In 124 2/3 innings between Single-A, High-A, and Double-A, Holobetz struck out 120 batters and only walked 20. His fantastic command made his multiple transitions to new levels (and even a new organization) this season feel seamless. It doesn’t even feel respectful to Holobetz to always add the “part of the Quinn Priester trade” tag to him because he’s been fantastic enough to be talked about on his own merit.
Dalton Rogers posted a sub-2.00 ERA over his final eight starts this season. The left-handed pitcher allowed one run on six hits in five innings this week. He walked two batters and struck out eight.
Rogers posted a 3.09 ERA, .217 BAA, and 1.33 WHIP in 23 appearances (16 starts) between High-A and Double-A. He struck out 129 batters compared to 57 walks in 105 innings. The walks were his only real issue this season. Rogers had a big year that has given him some life in the system.
Ahbram Liendo finished his season with three straight two-hit games. The right-handed hitting infielder has one of the most underrated seasons in the system. He doesn’t hit for power (.308 slugging percentage), and his average isn’t scaring anyone (.239), but he gets on base at a decent enough clip (.323).
Getting on base is all Liendo needs to do. He’ll work his magic from there. The 21-year-old led the system with 42 stolen bases. He only needed 49 attempts to hit that mark. That was a new career-high for him, shattering his previous record of 31 (set last year).
Liendo is also one of the best defensive infielders in the system. He is constantly making highlight plays, and it doesn’t matter if he’s at second base, third base, or shortstop.
His limited in-game power (12 doubles, two triples, and four home runs) might put a cap on how he will be viewed as a prospect. However, his speed and defense make him someone I could see making an impact in the Major Leagues at some point in his career.
Franklin Arias getting two weeks at the Double-A level to end his season was a great move by the Red Sox. It’s where he’ll start next year (and it also might help his stock a bit if he comes up in trade talks).
Arias hit a home run this week and ended up slashing .261/.250/.435 with a pair of doubles and a pair of home runs in 10 games with Portland. He slashed .278/.335/.388 with 27 doubles, one triple, and eight home runs between Single-A, High-A, and Double-A this year. The right-handed hitting shortstop drove in 66 runs, scored 62 more, and stole 12 bases.
Arias is a natural shortstop who makes everything look incredibly smooth out there. His hit tool is elite, even if he doesn’t have a ton of power. Arias is a top-tier prospect. What Boston does with him this offseason is going to be interesting.