The Red Sox will send catcher Brooks Brannon and seven other prospects to the Arizona Fall League.
The 20-year-old Brannon, who MLB Pipeline ranks Boston’s No. 27 prospect, struggled some with the bat this season. He hit .251 with a .326 on-base percentage, .396 slugging percentage, .722 OPS, six homers, eight doubles, two triples, 24 RBIs, 22 runs, 23 walks and 67 strikeouts in 54 games (207 plate appearances) for Low-A Salem.
But he has exciting raw power and the AFL should provide an opportunity for him to continue to work on things.
Boston drafted Brannon in the ninth round (No. 279 overall) out of Randleman High in North Carolina in 2022, then signed him to a well-above slot value bonus of $712,500. The second highest ninth round bonus that year was $390,000 less. Only one draft pick in rounds 5-9 received a higher bonus than Brannon did.
The other seven prospects are infielder Max Ferguson, left-hander Zach Fogell, outfielder Caden Rose and right-handers Cooper Adams, Danny Kirwin, Conor Steinbaugh and Tyler Uberstine.
The Red Sox drafted Rose out of Alabama in the seventh round in 2023. He had a .729 OPS and four homers in 35 games (143 plate appearances) between Salem and High-A Greenville.
Tyler Uberstine, a 19th round pick in 2021 out of Northwestern, returned from Tommy John surgery late in the 2024 season. The 25-year-old allowed one run in 4 ⅔ innings for Greenville.
MLB Pipeline wrote, “The most interesting of the Red Sox arms is Uberstine, who topped out at 75 mph with his fastball in high school but now works in the low 90s with his two- and four-seamers and in the low 80s with his sweeper. He had Tommy John surgery in June 2023 and returned to the mound this August.”
Fogell, a 2023 18th rounder out of UConn and Providence, R.I. native, posted a 3.32 ERA in 33 outings (57 innings) for Greenville.
Boston signed Kirwin as an undrafted free agent April 24. He recorded a 3.63 ERA in 20 outings (five starts) for Salem.
Steinbaugh, another undrafted free agent who signed March 17, had a 3.74 ERA in 25 outings (67 ⅓ innings) between Salem and Greenville.
Adams also signed as an undrafted free agent Feb. 4. He posted a 5.08 ERA in 26 outings (six starts) for Greenville.
