MLB Notebook: Red Sox pitching prospect Anthony Eyanson racking up strikeouts; Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s costly late-inning mistake

The Red Sox have made it a priority to stockpile young pitching since chief baseball officer Craig Breslow took over three years ago. Boston reinforced that approach in last year’s draft, using three of its first four picks on arms.

Less than a month into the minor league season, Anthony Eyanson is already showing why the Red Sox selected him in the third round (No. 87 overall).

Eyanson, Boston’s No. 10 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, turned in a dominant outing Saturday night for High-A Greenville. The right-hander struck out seven over 4 1/3 perfect innings, issuing no walks in the Drive’s 6-1 win.

Leading into the 2025 draft, Eyanson was ranked No. 32 overall, but Boston landed him at No. 87 and signed him to an over-slot bonus. He did not pitch after being drafted, a common approach for the Red Sox, as the organization prioritized his transition to pro ball following LSU’s national championship season.

The Red Sox used that time to begin Eyanson’s development, and this offseason he trained at Beimel Elite Athletics in Torrance, California, where his fastball sat in the mid-90s and touched 97 mph. That high-octane velocity has carried over into the season.

In his statement outing Saturday night, the former LSU Tiger struck out the first batter he faced on three pitches and ended the inning with another punchout. Overall, the 6-foot-2 right-hander threw 34 of his 54 pitches for strikes and generated 11 swings and misses.

Through two starts, Eyanson has allowed just one run, a solo homer, over 7 1/3 innings, while striking out 13. His 16.0 K/9 ranks third in the South Atlantic League, trailing only fellow Red Sox prospect Juan Valera (17.3 K/9).

It’s not just the fastball that makes Eyanson intriguing. He also features a curveball that SoxProspects labels a “potential plus” offering. The 21-year-old showed it off Saturday, striking out the side in the eighth inning using the pitch.

Beyond that, Eyanson mixes in a gyro-slider and a splitter, the latter showing noticeable improvement since joining the Red Sox system.

Fans got an up-close look at his upside this spring during MLB’s Spring Breakout game, where he touched 100 mph. In that outing, his four-seam fastball averaged 99.2 mph.

Eyanson hasn’t cracked the Top 100 prospect lists yet, but performances like Saturday’s will put him firmly on the radar. If the velocity gains hold, he could be on a fast track to Double-A Portland, and pitching at Hadlock Field sooner rather than later.

Valera is another flame-thrower rising through the Red Sox system, regularly touching 100 mph this season with High-A Greenville. The 19-year-old is ranked as Boston’s No. 5 prospect, according to Baseball America.

His BA scouting report highlights a “powerful 6-foot-3 starter’s build” paired with a high-octane four-seam fastball that averaged 96.7 mph and topped out just over 100 in 2025. The pitch features more cut than ride, limiting whiffs at times but still forcing hitters into defensive swings.

Through two starts this season, Valera has been