5 Red Sox prospects who could be called up next with the Big 3 in Boston

The day Boston Red Sox fans have been waiting for all year has finally arrived: Outfielder Roman Anthony, the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball, has been promoted to the Majors, according to a report from MassLive's Christopher Smith.

A second-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Anthony has laid waste to Triple-A this season, with 10 homers and a .914 OPS. Adding such a well-rounded hitter to a suddenly resurgent Red Sox lineup could be just what Boston needs to continue climbing its way back into the AL playoff picture after a miserable start to this season.

And he's not the only reinforcement who could force his way to the big leagues this summer. Anthony's promotion means that every member of Boston's ballyhooed Big Three — along with infielders Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell — are now in the Show, but the Minor League cupboard is far from bare. This remains a deep system, and while a lot of that talent is still in the low Minors, there are still plenty of interesting pieces for Craig Breslow to choose from should he need to give his roster a boost down the stretch.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.

5. LHP Zach Penrod

Penrod got his feet wet in the Majors with a short four-inning cameo last year, but he might be in line for a more extended audition in 2025 given Boston's continued need for reliable relievers (especially those who throw left-handed).

An undrafted free agent signing from little Nampa, Idaho, Penrod had the start of his season derailed by an elbow injury that landed him on the 60-day IL. But he managed to avoid surgery, and he's looked like his old self so far over 4.1 scoreless innings in Worcester. His command can come and go, but he's always had the ability to miss bats, and he could be a perfect replacement for the recently departed Sean Newcomb as a swing arm to give Alex Cora added flexibility (or another rotation option should injury strike once again).

4. LHP Connelly Early

Speaking of lefties with big stuff but spotty control, this is perhaps a bit aggressive for Early, given that he's still in Double-A as of Monday. But the former UVA star was drafted in the fifth round back in 2023 as a polished college arm who could potentially move through the system quickly, and if it all clicks into place this summer, he could be an impact addition to this pitching staff before the year is out.

The walk rate is, admittedly, not what you want; he's currently at 4.7 BB/9 over 38.2 innings with Portland. But he's also striking out a whopping 13.5 batters per nine innings, thanks to a bevy of secondary offerings headlined by a plus changeup.

Consistency is a real issue, largely thanks to a fastball that just might not be good enough to survive against elite competition. But he is a lefty, and he does have three different offspeed pitches that are at least average; that's a pretty good foundation on which to build, and all it'll take is a little more refinement of the heater for him to really take off and start banging on the door to Boston.

3. INF Blaze Jordan

A third-round pick back in 2020, Jordan has never appeared on anyone's top prospect lists. What he has done, however, is hit: He conquered a second trip to Double-A to start this season, and has followed that up with a hot start over his first six games at Triple-A Worcester.

What makes Jordan an appealing candidate for this list, beyond his easy right-handed power that seems tailor-made for Fenway Park, is the fact that he can play first base — a position that has been something of a sore spot all season, in case you hadn't heard. He's shown good barrel control and plate discipline at every level of the Minors, and while there's always a chance he gets exposed at the highest level, he could get a chance sooner rather than later if Abraham Toro cools off.

2. RHP Noah Song

Song comes with one of the most unique stories in the Minors, a star at the Naval Academy who was drafted by the Red Sox in the fourth round back in 2019. He made his pro debut that same year, but military obligations forced him to miss all of the next three seasons — and led the Red Sox to make him available in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft.

The Philadelphia Phillies poached Song, and the Navy granted Song's request to change his duty status and allow him to play baseball again. But he struggled with a back injury and was eventually waived, allowing the Red Sox to pick him back up ... only to need Tommy John surgery that cost him all of 2024.

It's been quite the odyssey, to say the least. But Song is now back healthy and on the mound once again, and he's looking like his old self: He's yet to allow a single run in 8.1 innings across four different levels.

The last of those came in Double-A, and while he still needs some time to readjust to live competition and build his strength back up, inserting the guy who was once one of the better pitching prospects in his draft class has to be a tantalizing proposition for Breslow and Co.

1. OF Jhostynxon Garcia

The man they call The Password has been steadily climbing through Boston's system since signing with the team out of Venezuela back in 2019. With an imposing frame and a massive right-handed swing, he's arguably the most physically imposing prospect the Red Sox have, and he does big-time damage on contact.

Actually making contact could be something of a problem against Major League pitching; Garcia pairs those prodigious raw tools with a very aggressive approach at the plate. But he's made it work for him so far, slugging .618 in 16 games at Triple-A. Boston's outfield was already crowded even before Anthony showed up, and the team may simply not have room for Garcia at any point this season. But if he keeps on slugging like this, he'll be hard to keep down once rosters expand in September, and his power could get unleashed at Fenway if deployed in the right way.