left Payton Tolle He worked at baseball’s newest and most popular field while at the JetBlue Park complex in Fort Myers after the Red Sox drafted him in the second round out of TCU in July.
“We started working on a sweeper dam,” Tolle said. “For me, this is the new baseball field. Everybody wants to learn how to throw a sweeper and throw it well because it can be a really effective throw.”
Tolle is now the top prospect in Boston’s 2024 draft class still in the system after the Red Sox traded outfielder Braden Montgomery (12th overall selection) to the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet deal last week.
Boston selected Tolle 50th overall and signed him to $2 million bonus, a mark higher than the slot value of $1.846 million. He entered the organization with a four-pitch mix (fastball, slider, changeup, curveball), above-average extension and the size of a prototypical first base workhorse at 6-foot-6, 270 pounds. MassLive recently named him one of nine Red Sox prospects who could break out in 2025 and earns a spot on Baseball America’s Top 100 list.
- BETTING: Check out our MA Sports Betting Guidewhere you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read the odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
Tolle also experimented with different shift grips while in Fort Myers.
“It can be trial and error with some grips and trying to figure out what works for me, what works for my arm slot, my arm angle, how it’s going to play with my fastball,” Tolle said. “But the sweeper and the changeup were the points of emphasis this summer.”
Tolle said his slider “went through an identity crisis” during his senior year at TCU. I was basically trying to figure out how I wanted it to play.
“Either throw it harder and get a tighter break on it or we can go a few miles per hour on the break and throw it in the 81-82 (mph) range but with a lot more depth, a lot more movement” , crazy he said “So during the season, I was trying to figure out what to do with it. And then every time I went down there (Fort Myers) they were like, ‘Let’s work on the sweeper.’ We’ll work on the slider another day later . But right now, just work on that sweeper.”
Tolle said he threw his fastball nearly 75 percent of the time at TCU, where he posted a 3.21 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 14 starts (81 ⅓ innings) last spring. He had a 37.1% strikeout percentage (125 strikeouts, 337 batters faced). He mainly pitches a four seam.
“Try to ride it,” he said. “I want that top of the zone with good driving action.”
He throws the fastball 90-96 mph, but said he “likes to hover around that 91-93 mph range.”
“Whenever this season starts, I want it to be up to 94, 95, 96,” he said.
His above-average extension makes the fastball look more difficult for hitters.
“I think I’m throwing it about a foot longer than average,” Tolle said. “So I think that helps a lot. So I like to throw it at the top of the zone, kind of lower slot, lower release point. That makes it a tough spot for hitters to pick up , I think. I like to get the swing and miss fastballs. And the other thing I like to do is to be able to catch hitters. I feel like coming in with guys can be effective for me, too “.
Tolle also learned a curveball at TCU, where he transferred for his final college season after two years at Wichita State.
“It was an effective pitch for us whenever we didn’t have a good feel for the slider,” he said. “I think there was one outing where I wasn’t quite getting that bite on the slider, so I started throwing the curveball more. It comes out a lot slower and looser. I’d try to throw it around 75 mph and it would make the fastball that was probably swinging around 91 (mph) look a lot faster.”
Baseball boss Craig Breslow said as much in July Tolle is “every bit of 6-foot-6.”
“Big, projectable body,” Breslow said. “And it’s got some unique pitching shots and some characters that we really like.”
Tolle weighed in at 270 pounds on Friday. It is certainly the size of a prototype workhorse.
“In college, I always wanted to be the guy. I want you to pick me up until I look like I’m about to pass out,” he said. “I like to go out here. I think I threw one start last year with 138 pitches. I want to be out there. I want to be out there affecting the game as much as I can.”
The season (and his pro debut) can’t come soon enough.
“I’m ready to start competing again,” Tolle said. “I’m ready to start playing again. Being in Fort Myers is great, but I’m ready to play some games and watch baseball from the dugout again. … I need a little competitive outlet. So I think this is what I’m most excited about.”