After years of hitters dominating the spotlight in the Red Sox farm system, the balance has shifted decisively toward pitching. That change was on full display Friday night when MLB Pipeline revealed its Top 100 prospects during an MLB Network special. Boston placed four players on the prestigious list — and notably, three of them are pitchers.
Left-handers Payton Tolle (No. 19) and Connelly Early (No. 56), along with right-hander Kyson Witherspoon (No. 84), could soon form the backbone of the Red Sox’s future starting rotation.
That possibility became real last season, when both Tolle and Early were thrust into high-leverage situations during the pennant race, each making their postseason debuts in the AL Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium. Shortstop Franklin Arias (No. 31) completes Boston’s group of four prospects ranked inside MLB Pipeline’s Top 100.
Tolle’s arrival in the Majors was nothing short of memorable. Pitching on a Friday night at Fenway Park, the towering left-hander squared off against eventual NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes. Tolle held his own, surrendering three hits and two runs across 5 1/3 innings while issuing two walks and striking out eight, drawing a roaring ovation as he exited the mound.
“My goodness. Chills. A lot of chills,” Tolle said afterward. “I came off the mound after the first inning, and I couldn’t feel my feet.”
That moment was part of an eight-appearance introduction to the big leagues — including postseason action — marking a rapid ascent for the 2024 second-round pick out of TCU. Now, Tolle enters Spring Training determined to claim a permanent spot in the rotation and experience a full Major League season.
“I’m hungry,” Tolle said earlier this month at Fenway Fest. “I got a little nibble, but I’m hoping to get the whole steak this year.” Early shares that motivation. While his debut came with less buzz, he quietly delivered even stronger results than Tolle during his first stint in the majors.
Early backed up that promise with production down the stretch. Across four September starts, he posted a 2.33 ERA, issued just four walks, and piled up 29 strikeouts over 19 1/3 innings.
When the AL Wild Card Series reached a decisive Game 3, Boston handed the ball to Early in the Bronx against Yankees flamethrower Cam Schlittler. Early rose to the moment, matching Schlittler with three scoreless frames before a mix of defensive lapses and fatigue caught up to him in the fourth inning of a 4–0 defeat.
Even so, the outing left a lasting impression.
“I think just having that opportunity to take the ball in such a meaningful game at a rival stadium was great,” Early said. Witherspoon, selected 15th overall in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma, is hoping those kinds of moments aren’t far off for him either.
“I want to get here as fast as possible,” he said in July while sitting in the Fenway Park home dugout. “Oh yeah, I can see it.”
As Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Kristian Campbell have graduated from prospect status and prepare for expanded roles in their second Major League seasons, Arias now stands out as the position player to watch most closely in Boston’s system.
“One of the things we’ve talked to him a lot about is his physicality,” Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham said. “Continuing to add strength, add size so he can impact the baseball. Obviously, he’s a really good defender with really good range. Consistency in the field. Swing decisions have been phenomenal. At the end of the day, him impacting the baseball consistently as he gets to the upper levels is really important.”
Arias enjoyed a strong 2025 campaign, beginning the year at Class A before earning promotions to High-A and then Double-A Portland, where he appeared in 10 games.
His objective for this season is simple.
“To make it to the big leagues,” Arias said.
And the path to getting there?
“Take advantage of every opportunity that the team gives me,” he added. “When you’re focused on doing the little things that everybody talks about and taking care of those details, I feel like everything else will take care of itself.”