MLB Notebook: Red Sox and Garrett Crochet not near an extension; Mata, Campbell rising and more

The Red Sox will play their final Grapefruit League game on Sunday before flying down to Monterrey, Mexico, for a two-game exhibition. With Opening Day less than a week away, Boston is finalizing what the 26-man roster will look like once they play the Rangers.

As the Red Sox are trying to finalize their roster, it seems that new ace Garrett Crochet will go into the year without an extension. There’s reportedly a “large gap between the sides,” according to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo.

Crochet has been vocal this spring that he doesn’t want to discuss a long-term deal once the new season begins.

“I think that right now, we’re just looking forward to getting through the season,” Crochet said following his final spring start this week.

A lot can happen between now and the start of the season, but if Boston is unable to lock down the southpaw, they’ll risk heading into next year with just one year of control and Crochet staring free agency in the face at the conclusion of the 2026 season.

Crochet had a dominant spring, striking out 30 batters with an impressive 0.57 ERA in 15 2/3 innings. That includes a nine-strikeout performance where he yielded five hits and two walks over five scoreless against the Pirates on Friday.

“I'm pumped for [Opening Day],” said Crochet. “I'm really excited and feeling good.”

Unless the two sides can find a common ground and agree to a deal, the price tag for the 25-year-old will increase with each start he makes this coming season. Note that it has never been a certainty that the Sox and Crochet would reach a deal after the trade last December. Reports surfaced back in January that the two sides had begun talking about a long-term deal.

Crochet had intriguing comments to the media at the beginning of the spring.

“There’s always pros and cons to everything,” he said. “I think that the long-term security is definitely something attractive. As players, we like to look out for our family first. But with last year being my first taste of starting, part of me also wants to see what I could do with the full season of innings workload.

“(I) was on a short leash. Part of me wants to see what I could do in a full season before, I suppose, locking myself into a certain bracket of player."

Crochet wanting to bet on himself shouldn’t come as a surprise to Red Sox fans. The lefty broke out last year as a full-time starter with the White Sox, recording a 3.58 ERA and a 2.69 FIP while striking out 209 batters over 146 innings. The All-Star went from being a reliever to one of the game’s best young hurlers, allowing Chicago to capitalize on his trade value and receive a haul from the Red Sox.

There’s a possibility the Red Sox aren’t worried about Crochet pitching this season without an extension. Maybe both sides want to see if he can handle a second straight season as a full-time starter with an increased innings workload.

Craig Breslow described Crochet as a “bonafide ace,” something they haven’t had since Chris Sale. Boston is taking a risk by not securing a Crochet deal immediately, but considering the Red Sox' current approach, it would be a significant challenge to exchange top prospects for two years of control for one of the game's top lefties.

‘PUT HIMSELF ON THE MAP’

There's a handful of Red Sox relievers that are vying for three bullpen spots, with Bryan Mata emerging as a strong contender. Following his removal from the 40-man roster last offseason, the former top pitching prospect arrived at camp as a non-roster invitee.

Mata is one of five pitchers battling for three spots in the bullpen. The other candidates are lefty Brennan Bernardino and righties Cooper Criswell, Zack Kelly, and Greg Weissert.

Mata has been throwing gas all camp, opening eyes in camp with his 98-99 mph fastball. His spring stats aren’t going to excite fans, owning an 11.57 ERA in 4 1/3 frames. His electric fastball is making him stand out and could be a giant weapon for the Sox this season.

“He’s throwing the (expletive) out of the ball,” Alex Cora said. “Throwing 98-99 mph, throwing strikes, good changeup, good slider. He’s throwing strikes. He’s healthy, which is the most important thing. 

Over the last three seasons, Mata has faced numerous injuries that have hindered his progress on the mound and delayed his chances of receiving a Major League call-up. The righty missed all of 2021 and a part of 2022 due to Tommy John surgery. A lat injury ended his season in 2023, and heading into spring training this year, a hamstring and lat/shoulder soreness put him on the shelf through the first half of this season.

If Mata can stay healthy, he offers the Red Sox another power arm for their bullpen. His velocity pops, offering a dominant fastball; he’s volatile, and command and control have been an issue in the minors. If he can put it together, Mata gives the Red Sox a bull-innings reliever with a power fastball and a slider, changeup, and curveball mix within his arsenal.

‘TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION’

Kristian Campbell struggled for most of the spring, but despite that, he's trending to make the Red Sox Opening Day roster.

Campbell homered in the Rays’ 14-2 beatdown of the Red Sox on Saturday afternoon. Boston views their top prospect as a high-upside player that could play significant innings at the big league level this season.

He’s faced challenges; his eighth-inning homer was a solo blast, his first of the spring. His knock raised his slash line to .174/.304/.283 after starting 1 for 17 to begin Grapefruit League play.

“I saw some underlying numbers, and he’s trending in the right direction, and he’s hitting the ball hard and not chasing,” said Cora. “He’s a good hitter.”

Campbell's exceptional athleticism is a key factor contributing to his potential as a big leaguer. He’s made a handful of great defensive dives and stops this week, making strong plays to help him stand out from the others that are competing for the starting job.

On Monday afternoon, the Georgia Tech alum made two big plays in the Sox’ 12-3 loss to the Orioles. He made a diving play to his left on a liner going up the middle in the top of the first inning. The 22-year-old made the diving stop to gun down the Orioles leadoff hitter at first base. 

One inning later, he showed off his range again with an impressive play to his right side, making a backhanded stop and throwing the runner out at first base.

He wasted no time showing off his abilities in the outfield on Thursday night when he showed off his strong throwing arm. Twins outfielder Byron Buxton ripped a double down the third base line off Red Sox lefty Sean Newcomb. Campbell tracked the ball down to his right and came up firing and threw out Buxton’s bid for a leadoff double.

As he shot through the Sox’ system last season, Campbell played all over the diamond, seeing time at second base, shortstop, third base, and center field. His versatility is keeping his hopes of landing on the big league roster alive, and as he continues to see MLB-quality pitching, he’ll adjust at the plate.

With one of the biggest opportunities of his life in front of him, the top prospect isn’t feeling nervous about what lies ahead.

“I’m excited. I’m excited for everything,” Campbell said to reporters this week.

“I’m excited for the season to start. I’m excited for everything that’s going to happen. I’m looking forward to it. I’ve just got to stay focused on playing right now, staying healthy, and getting my reps in so I’ll be ready for the season.

“Everybody has to go through it. This is my first time going through it. I don’t really know what to expect. It’s my first time. I’m gonna be excited either way. It’s been a great camp, learning a lot. I’m happy with all the opportunities I’ve been blessed with throughout this whole camp. And I’m really just looking forward to the season, believe it or not. I’m really just taking it one day at a time because I don’t know. I’m not sure what the whole process is gonna look like.”

Campbell will travel with the Red Sox when they head to Monterrey, Mexico, on Sunday night for their two-game exhibition series.

MiLB NOTES

The Red Sox are closing the spring with the No. 1 farm system in the game, according to Baseball America. Roman Anthony (No. 2), Kristian Campbell (No. 4), and Marcelo Mayer (No. 15) are within the top 20 for Boston.

All three are expected to impact the Red Sox roster either by Opening Day or mid-season. Once the “Big 3” are playing at Fenway Park, which player will be the next Red Sox prospect to top the prospect rankings in the game?

One prospect that has gotten praise from evaluators within the Red Sox organization is shortstop Franklin Arias, and according to MiLB.com, he is predicted to be the team’s top prospect in the system come 2027.

Arias is currently the No. 76 ranked prospect in baseball, per MiLB.com, and is considered a plus defender who has added some pop to his bat and more swing speed.

“One of the best defensive shortstops in the 2023 international crop, Arias has added strength and bat speed since signing for $525,000 out of Venezuela,” wrote MiLB.com. “He makes advanced swing decisions for a teenager and won Florida Complex League MVP accolades during his U.S. debut last year, leading the Rookie-level circuit in hitting (.355), on-base percentage (.471), slugging (.584) and OPS (1.055) while stealing 30 bases in 51 games.”

The 19-year-old had a breakout campaign in 2024, batting .309 with a .409 on-base percentage and a .487 slugging percentage, .896 OPS, nine homers, 25 doubles, two triples, 54 RBIs, 59 runs, 50 walks, 65 strikeouts, and 35 steals in 372 plate appearances between the Florida Complex League (51 games) and Low-A Salem (36 games).

Arias was named the 2024 Florida Complex League MVP and was also recognized as an FCL All-Star and the FCL’s top MLB prospect.

Defensively, Arias is considered a better fielder than Mayer with soft hands and advanced range. Even though he’s currently penciled in as a shortstop in the lower levels of the system, he might be better suited for second base as he elevates through the Sox’ system.

“He’s one of these guys that you can close your eyes and you know he’s going to field a ground ball,” Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham said of Arias when speaking with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier back in July of 2024.

“He’s a very easy plus defender, which is, I think, what’s really exciting about him. The bat has always been behind, and now the bat is starting to creep up, and all of a sudden, you’re looking at a player who does a little bit of everything.”

One aspect of Arias’ game outside of his strong defense is that he has been exceptionally aggressive on the base paths, swiping 35 bags in 41 attempts. Baseball America grades Arias with a run tool 50 (major league average) on the 20-80 scale; on the flip side, MiLB grades Arias out at 55. He doesn’t have speed like Jarren Duran or David Hamilton but offers aggressiveness and excellent instincts when on base.

Arias is projected to begin the season with High-A Greenville, according to SoxProspects. After seeing his stock rise in 2024, Arias is primed to build upon last season and become a more household name among Red Sox fans, similar to Campbell, who had a meteoric rise through the system. If everything aligns, the athletic infielder has the ceiling of becoming an everyday player in the big leagues.

ZACH BRYANT RETURNING FROM TOMMY JOHN 

Throughout the season, we will examine not only the notable Red Sox pitching prospects such as Richard Fitts, Quinn Priester, or Hunter Dobbins, but also explore the entire farm system, showcasing potential pitchers who could have an impact on the Sox or serve as potential trade bait.

During the 2020 offseason, the Red Sox traded left-hander Josh Osich, who was part of the dismal pitching staff; Boston acquired right-handed pitcher Zach Bryant, a lifelong Red Sox fan with a power arm, as a player to be named later the following February. 

After tearing his UCL during the 2022 season, his time in the Red Sox system came to an abrupt halt. It took almost two full years to get back to pitching; the draining rehab process has been a mental grind but paid off when Bryant finally made his return last season. He pitched in 23 games (three starts), posting a 4.76 ERA with 34 strikeouts to 18 walks.

With his new elbow, Bryant has spent the offseason getting healthy and preparing himself for the 2025 campaign after missing over a year of being on the mound.

“I was focused on staying healthy,” said Bryant on the “To the Show” Baseball Podcast. “Because obviously being on the shelf for 13 months with the whole time, going through the Tommy John process or even longer than 13 months. Going into this year, I just wanted to feel good, be healthy, and be ready to rock and put my best foot forward, you know?”

“Mostly my focus this offseason with health in mind, I wasn't pushing myself too hard in the weight room. I would say I was trying to mostly maintain, maybe get like a little bit of gains, here and there. I feel like, as far as a development aspect or like what's keeping me from being a big leaguer, I feel like strength really isn't the issue right now.”

Bryant added weight to his pitching frame during the offseason, bulking from 197 pounds to 210. The added muscle will help him withstand a full minor league schedule.

“I didn't want to strain my back or be too sore and have something happen during a bullpen or whatever. I was mostly focusing on moving well, maintaining my strength, and really gaining weight, too. That was one of the big things this offseason. I got my body weight from like 197 to like 210. I'm feeling a lot bigger, a lot more muscular, even though I wasn't going too crazy hard in the weight room. I mean, that's something I'm excited to see how it translates.”

“As far as from a pitching standpoint, mostly just really trying to work on my command, because I feel like that's been my biggest downfall in the past. Obviously, you know, we talked about this as well before we started up. But, you know, velocity is king around baseball and around the organization and things like that. And, you know, you for yourself, and I'm sure each pitcher in the organization, especially around the minor leagues, has a program that the team will give you to work on for the offseason and things like that.”

WOOSOX HOME OPENER PRIMER

The WooSox will open their season at home this coming Friday when they welcome the Syracuse Mets to Polar Park. The three-game series will kick off with former Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.

“Jackie Bradley, Jr. is among the nicest, kindest, classiest gentlemen I’ve had the pleasure of working with in my career,” said WooSox president Dr. Charles A. Steinberg in a statement, “We are thrilled to show him our happy little ballpark, and we are even more thrilled to let him feel the appreciation of the Central Mass chapter of Red Sox Nation. He contributed mightily with his bat, glove, and heart to the happiness we have experienced going back a dozen years.”

The WooSox will host their annual media day on Wednesday afternoon that will follow a player workout on the field, weather permitting. I will provide updates later in the week with insights from the media day.

MASATAKA YOSHIDA TO BEGIN REHAB WITH WORCESTER

Masataka Yoshida will have a minor league start but not play in the WooSox's home opener. Instead he will meet the team in Jacksonville when they play the Jumbo Shrimp.

Yoshida is coming off labrum surgery, and he’s throwing at 100 feet.

“He's up to 100 feet right now, and we talked about it; we need him to play defense,” Cora said.

The Sox have utilized him as their designated hitter, and once he’s healthy, he should see time there and in left field this coming season.

“If you ask him, there’s a reason he wanted to have surgery, too,” said Cora. “We signed him as an outfielder. Obviously, circumstances have changed here, but I'd be very comfortable, when he's healthy, to play him in the outfield.”

When the Red Sox go to Mexico to play exhibition games on Monday and Tuesday, Yoshida will continue to get at-bats in Fort Myers for a week, and then he’ll fly north to Jacksonville to join Triple-A Worcester for a 20-day rehab assignment.

MATT MOORE OPTS IN

The Red Sox informed veteran left-hander Matt Moore this weekend that he would not be making the Opening Day roster. Moore could opt out of his deal and test free agency and land a new home for the upcoming season.

Moore signed on Feb. 20, giving Boston another lefty option for the bullpen after Zach Penrod went down with an elbow injury. The southpaw has only thrown three innings, holding opposing hitters scoreless while striking out two.

It’s not clear if he has additional opt-outs in his contract; generally, in these cases, players have additional dates they can opt out. Moore offers the Sox another big league lefty that they can stash in Worcester as he builds up for the upcoming season.