The Red Sox are set up. They have hit on several young players and now have four Top 50 prospects in the game – Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, and Kyle Teel. All four are in Triple-A and can see Boston in 2025.
The situation is reminiscent of the 2022 Orioles when Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Colton Cowser, and Jordan Westburg were all in Triple-A, and then they weren’t. As with the Orioles, the pitching is behind the hitting, but the Red Sox have the financial resources to resolve and a history of making deals when needed.
While the big four are all great players, the system has much more. Enjoy the read. It’s a great system.
Prospect Snapshot
- Top Prospect: Roman Anthony
- Biggest Mover: Kristian Campbell, Franklin Arias, and Isaac Coffey
- Biggest Disappointment: Nazzan Zanetello
- Emerging Prospect: Justin Gonzalez
1. Roman Anthony (OF)
- Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 30 OF
- Last Updated: 11/29/2024
- Tools Summary: He’s athletic with a beautiful lefty swing that is short to the ball. He’s not very physical but has surprising pop.
When the Red Sox selected Roman Anthony in the supplemental second round in 2022, they saw an athletic player with excellent bat speed and the potential for future power. There were some concerns about his hitting ability, but in his short professional career, he has made adjustments to improve his contact. While he hasn’t displayed a significant amount of home run power yet, as he continues to develop physically, his bat should gain the potential for 20+ home runs.
He’s athletic enough to play center field, and the Red Sox seem dedicated to making that happen. He’s an above-average runner but is far from a burner. As he fills out, I don’t think stolen bases will be a big part of his profile. I’m thinking 8 to 12 stolen bases early in his career.
He appears on the fast train to Boston and should see time there in 2025. I see a .270 hitter with 20+ home run power and 8 to 12 stolen bases (more early in his career).
2. Kristian Campbell (OF/2B)
- Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 2B or Top 40 OF
- Last Updated: 11/29/2024
- Tools Summary: He blew up this season, showing more power and the ability to control the strike zone.
Kristian Campbell was the Red Sox’ fourth-round pick in 2023. He got off to a fast start in High-A to begin the 2024 season, where he slashed .306/.418/.558 in 40 games. The Red Sox challenged him with a promotion in early June, where he continued to hit and hit for power. While he expanded the strike zone too much in High-A, he became a hitting machine after his promotion to Double-A, making excellent contact and walking nearly as much as he struck out. Then, in August, the Red Sox rewarded him with a promotion to Triple-A, where he kept on hitting.
The Red Sox have played him all over the field, and while shortstop might be a reach for him, he’s looked great in center field and is also serviceable at second.
He continues to rise in my rankings, and while I might be succumbing to recency bias, he looks like he’s just getting better.
3. Marcelo Mayer (SS)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SS
- Last Updated: 11/29/2024
- Tools Summary: I still like the swing and power potential, but it needs to start showing up in the stat line at some point.
Marcelo Mayer is gradually evolving into the player I envisioned when the Red Sox drafted him in the first round in 2022. Despite a tendency to strike out more than desired, his solid swing decisions have been a pleasant surprise. As the season unfolded, he demonstrated improved contact and better quality contact, indicating a positive trajectory. I still hold firm to my belief in his potential as a 20-home run player, projecting a .270 batting average with a .330 OBP.
Unfortunately, Mayer finished the season on the IL and did not play after July 30th.
4. Braden Montgomery (OF, #12)
- Highest Level: DNP ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 OF
- Last Updated: 11/29/2024
- Tools Summary: He has 70-grade power with some swing-and-miss risk in his game.
Braden Montgomery’s carrying tool is 70-grade raw power but with the risk of swing-and-miss in his game. He struck out 20% of the time in his draft year. He’s an average runner now but does not project much future speed as he continues to fill out. He was a two-way player in his freshman and sophomore years, even getting a start in 2024, where he pitched two innings. It’s not expected for him to be a two-way player as a pro, but if his strikeouts become problematic, it’s an excellent fallback alternative.
Ultimately, I believe he’ll be a power-hitting right fielder with a cannon for an arm and pressure on his batting average.
5. Kyle Teel (C)
- Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 Catcher
- Last Updated: 11/29/2024
- Tools Summary: He has a plus hit tool with average power.
Kyle Teel is an athletic catcher with an excellent understanding of the strike zone. As he did in 2023, he posted high walk rates, didn’t expand the strike zone, but struck out a little more than you would like (23% strikeout rate). I think he’ll make more contact as he grows as a hitter. His swing is built for contact, and he has plenty of bat speed to project a ton of doubles.
The ceiling is a Top 15 catcher in fantasy baseball with high on-base skills and 12 to 18 home run power. It’s not high-end exit velos, and the swing is not highly leveraged. Still, I’ll take mid-teens home run pop, with upside, and a guy with a chance to hit .280 with a .350 OBP at my catcher spot any day of the week.
Teel finished the season in Triple-A, putting him on the doorstep to make his MLB debut. While he doesn’t have the highest upside of the other elite Red Sox prospects, he might have the cleanest path to playing time.
6. Franklin Arias (SS/2B)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SS/2B
- Last Updated: 11/29/2024
- Tools Summary: He’s a high-floor player with a 15-15 type of upside.
Franklin Arias was one of the most impressive players in the Florida Complex League in 2024. He showed power and speed and an excellent understanding of the strike zone. He also walked nearly as much as he struck out (17.5% strikeout rate vs. 16.5% walk rate). The Red Sox promoted him to Low-A, and he continued to impress, slashing .257/.333/.378 with three home runs and five stolen bases.
Despite stealing 35 bases in 2024, I think he’s more of a 15 to 20 stolen base threat with a chance to hit low double-digit home runs annually. However, his understanding of the strike zone is impressive, so I think he hits. If you add it up, he’s a high-floor player who could go 15-15. That could be a valuable fantasy asset.
7. Miguel Bleis (OF)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2026-27 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 40 OF with risk
- Last Updated: 11/29/2024
- Tools Summary: He’s showing more power but his swing has gotten highly leveraged.
Miguel Bleis missed a big chunk of the 2023 season after having shoulder surgery in May. The Red Sox started him back in Low-A, and he’s picked up seamlessly, showing more power and better command of the strike zone.
The Red Sox promoted him in June to High-A, and while he hit seven home runs and stole 22 bases, he only hit .219 in 52 games. His swing got too leveraged, and he was under too many pitches, resulting in a .219 BABIP. He’ll likely start 2025 back in High-A, and hopefully, he can get his swing path sorted, as there is too much talent for him to hit .219.
8. Yoeilin Cespedes (SS/2B)
- Highest Level: Complex ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 2B/SS
- Last Updated: 11/29/2024
- Tools Summary: Smallish player with a short, compact swing and a feel to hit with more power than you think.
Yoeilin Cespedes is small at 5-foot-9 (some think he’s not that big). He makes excellent contact with a short and compact swing. Despite his small size, he impacts the ball hard and should hit for above-average, if not plus power. He’s athletic and could stay at short, but eventually, I think he will move to second base. He has average speed now, so I don’t think speed will be a big part of the profile in the future.
He’s the definition of a high floor who should move quickly through the system.
9. Luis Perales (RHP)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 SP or Reliever
- Last Updated: 11/29/2024
- Tools Summary: High-end velocity with promising secondary pitches. Unfortunately, his season ended in June when he had TJS.
Luis Perales has high-end velocity, with his fastball touching the upper 90s. He threw more strikes in 2024 despite having a delivery that isn’t typical of a strike-thrower. His slider continues to be his best secondary pitch and grades out at least a 60-grade pitch. His change-up is still not working against left-handed batters, as he has a .364 average against.
Unfortunately, he blew out his elbow in early June and had TJS shortly afterward. There’s a chance he pitches in 2025, but conservatively, I would predict a return to the mound in 2026.
10. David Sandlin (RHP)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 SP
- Last Updated: 11/29/2024
- Tools Summary: He has a power arsenal with a potentially nasty splitter. He gave up too many home runs despite his stuff and above-average control.
Despite a quality arsenal, David Sandlin posted a 5.34 ERA in 18 starts across High and Double-A. He has a plus four-pitch arsenal, highlighted by his fastball that will touch 98 MPH. The fastball sets up a wicked splitter that can elicit some ugly swings. The slider is the best of his two breaking pitches. It’s swing-and-miss stuff, and his strikeout rates reflect that (82Ks in 57.1 innings). He also throws strikes. In those 57.1 innings, he walked 18, or 2.2 BB/9.
Sandlin’s biggest stumbling block has been that he’s homer-prone. He gave up 14 in 18 starts, which drove his high ERA. With his stuff and size (6-foot-4), he should not be giving up that many home runs. If he can solve that problem, the ceiling is a number three starter, maybe more.
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