Christian Campbell went from unranked on Baseball America’s 2024 preseason Top 30 prospect list to the No. 24 overall prospect in the game in five months.
Campbell, Franklin Arias (#91) and Braden Montgomery (#59) earned spots on Baseball America’s Top 100 list through the 2024 season, joining other Red Sox prospects Roman Antoni (No. 1), Marcelo Mayer (No. 10) and Kyle Teel (No. 25).
Which Red Sox prospect (or prospects) could make BA’s top 100 list in 2025? Below are nine candidates.
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1. Miguel Bleis, OF: The speedy center fielder with power made Baseball America’s Top 100 list entering 2023. The publication ranked him No. 88. But Bleis was limited to just 31 games that year. due to a dislocated left shoulder that required season-ending surgery.
Bleis gained more than 30 pounds of muscle during rehab and looked poised for a strong comeback season in 2024. But he struggled for the most part. He batted .257 with a .349 on-base percentage, .398 slugging percentage, .746 OPS, four home runs, 10 doubles and a triple in 43 games (195 plate appearances) while starting the season at Low-A Salem. He received a promotion to High-A Greenville where he posted a disappointing .191/.265/.319/.584 line with seven home runs and six doubles in 52 games (234 plate appearances).
But it was his age-20 season and he was coming off a major injury. And so he’s still very young — two years younger than the average player in High A. There were certainly hints of his five-tool potential last year. He had 38 steals and showed some of his raw power with 11 homers, 16 doubles and a triple in 95 total games. He has the talent to reclaim a Top 100 spot in 2025.
2. Yoeilin CespedesSS/2B: Like Bleis, Cespedes looked poised for a big season in 2024 after being named 2023 Red Sox Latino Program Player of the Year. But he was limited to 25 games in the Florida Complex League when a bone injury put him on the 60-day IL.
Cespedes, who is expected to be ready for spring training, posted impressive numbers before his injury. He batted .319 with a .400 on-base percentage, .615 slugging percentage, 1.015 OPS, five homers, 10 doubles and one triple in 105 plate appearances.
He just turned 19 in September and has a lot of potential. Baseball America ranks him as Boston’s new No. 9 prospect and is certainly a candidate to make BA’s top 100 list in 2025.
3. Zach Ehrhard, OF: The Red Sox have had quite a bit of success with fourth-round picks in recent years.
They wrote Chase Meidroth in the fourth round in 2022. He has a .425 on-base percentage in 255 minor league games, including a .437 OBP in 122 games in Triple-A Worcester last year Baseball America ranks him No. 8 on their list of the Red Sox’s top 10 prospects.
Boston then drafted Kristian Campbell in the fourth round in 2023. Campbell made it to Worcester in his first full season and won 2024 Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year Award. Baseball America ranks him No. 24 on their Top 100 list.
Could the Red Sox have struck again with 2024 fourth-round pick Zach Ehrhard?
The organization obviously likes him a lot because he has invited him twice. Boston drafted him for the first time out of high school in the 13th round in 2021, but he kept his commitment to Oklahoma State.
Boston re-drafted the 21-year-old outfielder last summer and sent him straight to High-A Greenville. He went just 12-for-77 (.156) in 22 games, but is known for strike-zone discipline. And despite struggling to collect hits, he had a 12.1 percent walk rate in his 91 plate appearances in Greenville.
“I love that his athleticism helps him so much,” said Ehrhard’s brother, Drew Ehrhard, a Red Sox minor leaguer who played in Greenville and Portland in 2024. “He’s a real jack of all trades. “Swiss Army. He’s incredibly strong and incredibly fast. There’s a lot that he’s capable of. It’s a testament to his drive, his drive.” work ethic, his dedication. He’s always trying to improve and it shows on the field.
“He has one of the most incredible eyes at the plate I’ve ever seen,” Drew added. “Some of the fields I see him spit on are barely out of the zone. And for him to be able to recognize them and see when there’s a good pitch in the area, that’s really impressive to see.”
4. Elmer Rodríguez-CruzRHP: How about another former fourth rounder?
Boston drafted Rodriguez-Cruz in the fourth round in 2021 out of Leadership Christian Academy in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.
The right-hander, who just turned 21 in August, posted a 2.91 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 21 outings (20 starts) between Salem and Greenville in 2024. He limited hitters to a batting average of of .198.
He held High A hitters to a .180 batting average in his seven starts for Greenville.
His fastball was between 95-98 mph last summer. He also throws a curveball, slider, splitter and sweeper. The sweeper was a new ground in 2024.
5. Payton TolleLHP: Boston selected the 22-year-old lefty to the second round (50th overall) out of TCU in 2024.
The Red Sox development staff has a lot to work with here. Tolle already has a five-pitch mix (fastball, slider, cutter, changeup, curveball), above-average extension and the prototypical size of a workhorse starter. He is listed at 6-foot-6, 250 pounds.
His fastball hovered between 90 and 96 mph at TCU. The new Red Sox pitching infrastructure has emphasized minor leaguers who add speed and break up ball movement. His slider has good spin, and with his size, he should be able to add more speed.
“It’s every bit of 6-6,” baseball boss Craig Breslow said in July. “I think the profile of the modern pitcher has maybe changed a little bit. Large and projectable body. And it’s got some unique pitching shots and some characters that we really like.”
Tolle will be 22 years old through the entire 2025 season. He averaged 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings in his final college season.
6. David SandlinRHP: The 23-year-old right-hander certainly has the stuff to make Baseball America’s top 100 list next summer. He hit 100.4 mph with his fastball and struck out 33.2% of the batters he faced in ’24.
But now he has to translate his big things into results over the course of an entire season. He had a 5.34 ERA in 18 starts between Greenville and Portland in ’24. He sat out May 14-June 15 at Greenville IL with a forearm strain, then never pitched more than 4 innings in any of his 14 starts after being activated.
“The ability to sustain his power over a long season is incredibly difficult,” director of player development Brian Abraham said at the end of the regular season. “So everything he does this offseason will be vital to that.”
Last month, MassLive listed Sandlin as one of the nine Red Sox prospects who could make their MLB debut in 2025.
7. Yordanny MonegroRHP: The native of the Dominican Republic has a 3.30 ERA in 54 starts (49 starts) in the Red Sox minor league system since being signed by Boston in February 2020.
He posted a 2.84 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 18 outings (17 starts) between the FCL and Greenville in 2024. Fifteen of those outings came in High A where he held opponents to a batting average of .176 and averaged 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
Monegro throws a fastball, sinker, splitter, curveball and cutter. His fastball was between 93-97 mph last summer.
8. Juan Valera, RHP: Just 18 years old, the Dominican Republic native posted a 1.99 ERA in 18 starts (16 starts) for the Florida Complex League Red Sox and Salem last year.
He’s already 6-foot-3, 205 pounds and allowed just 26 hits in 63 ⅓ innings. Opponents hit .125 against him.
He needs to improve his control/command. But he has all the ingredients to become a Top 100 prospect. His fastball was between 94-99 mph in 2024. It also throws a slider, sweeper, and changer.
9. Dalvinson Reyes, RHP: The Dominican Republic native just turned 18 in November. Made five starts in the Dominican Summer League in ’24 after signing in January. He did not allow a run in 17 innings. He also gave up just eight hits and two walks while striking out 19.
His fastball hit 94 miles per hour and “raises the strike zone.” assistant GM Eddie Romero said.