When the Boston Red Sox selected Henry Godbout with the 75th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, there was an immediate discussion about how perfect his swing was for the organization’s hitting program.
Godbout swung for line drives, made good contact, and didn’t strike out much. Could the Red Sox work their magic and add some extra home run power that Godbout didn’t get to showcase much in college (20 homers over three seasons at Virginia)?
The moment Godbout started playing in minor league games for Boston, fans were impressed. He slashed .341/.473/.477 with six doubles in 13 games. The right-handed hitting shortstop walked more times (nine) than he struck out (six).
However, we didn’t get to see any homers. Godbout entered this spring with a full offseason in the program, though. Would that make a difference?
Top Red Sox prospect Henry Godbout homers in Spring Breakout game, signifying potential power surge
The early returns say, yes. Godbout homered in the Futures at Fenway game back on March 14. Then, on Friday, Godbout homered in the Spring Breakout game. The home run broke a scoreless tie and generated plenty of buzz on social media.
Godbout has continued to show all the things that made him a high draft pick. He’s looked fantastic defensively, he makes great swing decisions, and doesn’t strike out. The contact was always good, but the Red Sox wanted to make it great. They wanted to add some real power to his game.
It’s a small sample size, sure. But we’re seeing the results, and it’s hard not to get excited.
Godbout will start the 2026 season in High-A (where he played all 13 of his games last year). There’s been some internal hype from Red Sox fans, but he hasn’t gotten much on the big stage. If the power is legitimate, that’s going to change very fast.
Power isn't necessary for Godbout to be a stud. It will absolutely accelerate how he is viewed in the media, though. A good defensive middle infielder who doesn’t strike out, hits for average, and can drop 15-20 home runs will be a top 100 prospect in no time.
The Red Sox saw a swing they could work with in Henry Godbout. We’re not even out of his first spring training, and he’s already proving their hunch right. 2026 could be a big year for a number of prospects in the system, but Godbout should be near the top of anyone’s list on who to keep an eye on.