Franklin Arias has a vibrant future in Boston. Signed out of Venezuela in 2023, the 20-year-old shortstop is the highest position-player prospect within the Pink Sox system because of plus instruments on each side of the ball. A slick-fielder — Eric Longenhagen has described him as an extremely polished defender for his age” — Arias possesses a line-drive stroke that produced a 109 wRC+ throughout three ranges final season. And whereas that quantity might not bounce off the web page, it stands out when put into context: the Caracas native not solely performed the complete 12 months as a youngster, he completed it in Double-A.
The diploma to which he can enhance his energy profile will go a great distance towards figuring out his ceiling. At the moment extra contact than pop, Arias went deep simply eight occasions in 526 plate appearances. At a listed 5-foot-11, 170 kilos, he’s under no circumstances constructed like a bopper.
Pink Sox farm director Brian Abraham introduced up that side of Arias’s sport after I requested him in regards to the younger infielder earlier this week.
“He’s a man who makes actually good swing selections,” Abraham stated of Arias, who posted a ten.1% strikeout charge and a 5.3% swinging-strike charge in 2025. “He places the bat on the ball and may drive it to all fields. We’re trying to see him add dimension and energy in order that he can actually impression the ball pull-side within the air.
“It’s positively in there,” added Abraham. “We’ve seen flashes of it, it’s only a matter of him with the ability to do this on a constant foundation. As a younger participant who is constant to develop and get larger, I feel it would come out the extra he is ready to hit the ball out entrance and drive it to the pull aspect. Proper now I’d say that he’s a contact hitter with occasional energy, and that the ability will be extra constant than it has been.”
Not surprisingly, Arias echoed Abraham’s ideas when addressing his near-term improvement targets.
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“One of many predominant focuses within the offseason has been to hit the ball out in entrance,” Arias stated by way of translator Carlos Villoria-Benítez. “I really feel that when I’m able to do this persistently, I’ll have extra energy, and extra energy to the pull aspect. From speaking to certainly one of my hitting coaches, I’ve made my stance slightly bit nearer, slightly extra open with my two toes straight, in order that I’m ready hit the ball out in entrance slightly simpler.”
Arias acknowledged that he has completed bat-speed coaching — a staple in Boston’s hitting improvement program — and because of this his exit velocities have slowly elevated. Hitting the ball onerous stays his main purpose, however once more, doing so with added juice is presently entrance and heart as a work-in-progress goal. Requested if he aspires to do extra harm than countryman Luis Arraez, Arias answered within the affirmative.
“It is extremely admirable what Arraez does hitting-wise,” stated Arias. “Clearly, he’s nice at what he does. However I wish to have slightly bit extra energy, as properly.”
A participant he would extra wish to emulate?
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Harold Baines went 7 for 11 towards Doc Medich.
Russell Martin went 8 for 13 towards Carlos Zambrano.
Topsy Hartzel went 9 for 19 towards Luther Taylor.
Jeff King went 10 for twenty-four towards Frank Viola.
Matt Holliday went 11 for 14 towards Woody Williams.
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Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark are two of the sport’s high position-player prospects, and their plate self-discipline and bat-to-ball expertise are among the many the explanation why. Final season, Clark had a 17.6% stroll charge and a 16.9% strikeout charge to go along with a 148 wRC+ between Excessive-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie. McGonigle, who likewise suited up for each associates, had a 14.9% stroll charge and an 11.6% strikeout charge to go along with a 182 wRC+.
Every of the now-21-year-old lefty swingers was a 2023 first-round decide by the Detroit Tigers. Clark, an outfielder, went third general that 12 months, whereas McGonigle, a shortstop, was chosen thirty seventh general. Potential cornerstones, they’re an enormous a part of the Motown membership’s future.
I requested Tigers common supervisor Jeff Greenberg what the aforementioned stroll and strikeout charges say in regards to the promising kids, in addition to the group’s hitting-development philosophy as a complete.
“We speak about it on a regular basis,” Greenberg instructed me throughout the GM conferences. “Dominating the strike zone. The flexibility to make good selections [and] grind out at-bats. Get on base by way of walks. Put the ball in play and reduce the strikeouts. It’s one of many many causes each of these guys have been extremely interesting out of the draft. It’s clearly one thing they take a ton of satisfaction in, and one thing they work on.
“We discuss in regards to the improvement path, making changes degree to degree,” continued Greenberg. “Part of that adjustment course of is with the ability to translate these expertise towards higher pitching, and we noticed it with these guys getting from A-ball to Double-A… It’s going to proceed to be a problem transferring ahead. Like most expertise, a few of it’s innate, however a few of it may be educated as properly. We’ve bought a very good hitting-development group within the minor leagues that’s closely concerned in that course of.”
How equally do Clark and McGonigle method their craft?
“By way of grinding out at-bats and dominating the strike zone, that’s one thing they each put a variety of worth in,” replied Greenberg. “How precisely they do it, how they method at-bats… they’re definitely not carbon copies of one another. However I do suppose that there are some underlying traits with how they worth the significance of swinging on the proper pitches, discovering the best pitches to hit.”
Tigers batters had a 23.9% Okay-rate final season, fourth-highest in MLB. They completed center of the pack in each stroll charge and chase charge.
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A quiz:
Which participant has probably the most stolen bases in Toronto Blue Jays franchise historical past? (A touch: a first-round decide by Toronto, he spent 10 seasons with the Jays earlier than leaving for one more AL group as a free agent.)
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NEWS NOTES
Bud Black and Wil Myers have rejoined the San Diego Padres, the previous as a senior adviser to baseball operations, the latter as a particular project coach in participant improvement. Black managed the Padres from 2007-2015. Myers performed for the group from 2015-2022.
The Cleveland Guardians have added John Manuel to their scouting division. Baseball America’s Editor in Chief from 1996-2017, Manuel spent the previous eight years as knowledgeable scout with the Minnesota Twins.
Dave Giusti, a right-hander who pitched primarily for the Astros and Pirates in a profession that spanned the 1962-1977 seasons, died final Sunday at age 86. A middling starter with Houston early on, he had his finest years after transferring to the bullpen in Pittsburgh. From 1970-1975, Giusti went 42-24 with 127 saves and a 2.80 ERA for a Pirates group that gained 5 NL East titles over that six-year-stretch.
Ray Crone, a Memphis native whose MLB profession spanned the 1954-1958 seasons, died earlier this week at age 94. Pitching for the Milwaukee Braves and New York/San Francisco Giants, the right-hander went 30-30 with a 3.87 ERA over 137 appearances comprising 546 innings.
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The reply to the quiz is Lloyd Moseby, who swiped 255 bases whereas taking part in for the Jays from 1980-1989. Drafted second general by Toronto in 1978 (the Atlanta Braves took Bob Horner with the primary decide), Moseby went on to ink a free-agent cope with the Detroit Tigers in December 1989.
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Jose A. Ferrer guarantees to be an enormous a part of the Mariners bullpen in 2026. Acquired by Seattle from Washington early final month in alternate for Harry Ford and Isaac Lyon, the 25-year-old southpaw is coming off of a 3rd MLB season the place he long-established a 4.48 ERA and a 3.03 FIP over 72 appearances and 76-and-a-third innings. Moved into a more in-depth position after the Nationals traded Kyle Finnegan to the Detroit Tigers on the July 31 deadline, Ferrer logged 11 saves.
Paul Toboni spoke extremely of Ferrer whereas addressing the deal throughout the Winter conferences.
“It was fairly clear to us that [the Mariners] have been out there for a higher-leverage reliever,” Washington’s president of baseball operations instructed a small group of reporters, together with yours really. “It wasn’t like we have been sitting there trying to commerce Jose, however on the identical time, after we have been introduced with this chance it was one thing we would have liked to strongly contemplate.
“I feel we’re going to lookup four-five years down the road and really feel prefer it was a fantastic commerce for each groups,” added Toboni. “I’m totally anticipating us… to be watching him pitching a ton of high-leverage innings for the Mariners. He’s simply actually good. He’s bought elite management, elite stuff. It was a very good get for them.”
Ferrer had a 21.9% strikeout charge and a 4.9% stroll charge final season. His 62.6% ground-ball charge was third-highest amongst MLB relievers who threw at the least 50 innings.
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Héctor Rodríguez is slashing .301/.371/.504 with 4 residence runs in 128 plate appearances for the Dominican Winter League’s Leones del Escogido. The 21-year-old outfielder within the Cincinnati Reds group went deep 19 occasions with a 118 wRC+ between Double-A Chattanooga and Triple-A Louisville.
Deyvison De Los Santos is slashing .309/.365/.475 with 5 residence runs in 156 plate appearances for the Dominican Winter League’s Gigantes del Cibao. The 22-year-old nook infielder within the Miami Marlins system homered 12 occasions and had a 84 wRC+ with the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Raylin Heredia is slashing .333/.388/.566 with two residence runs in 49 plate appearances for the Australian Baseball League’s Adelaide Giants. The 22-year-old outfielder within the Philadelphia Phillies system homered seven occasions with a 139 wRC+ over 184 PAs for Excessive-A Jersey Shore.
Hideki Kuriyama, a former Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters supervisor who mentored Shohei Ohtani, would be the lone 2026 inductee to the Japanese Baseball Corridor of Fame. Simply lacking out was longtime Yomiuri Giants infielder Masahiro Kawai — a profession .266 hitter whose 533 sacrifice bunts are probably the most in Japanese baseball historical past — who acquired 254 of 256 votes wanted. Kazuo Matsui (22 votes) and Koji Uehara (145) have been among the many others who garnered inadequate help.
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Erik Sabrowski was an unranked prospect when he was featured right here in Sunday Notes in November 2023. Twenty-six years previous and contemporary off a stint within the Arizona Fall League, the southpaw from Edmonton, Alberta had simply 60 skilled innings underneath his belt on the time. I described him as “an intriguing pitching prospect in a Cleveland Guardians group that has a means of manufacturing productive big-league pitchers.”
The Canadian lefty is proof within the pudding. Since reaching the majors in September 2024, Sabrowski has come out of the Cleveland bullpen 41 occasions and logged a 1.29 ERA and a 2.86 FIP over 42 innings. Furthermore, his strikeout charge is a powerful 36.3%.
How does he examine to the under-the-radar prospect whom I spoke to within the desert two-plus years in the past?
“I want to suppose I’m two years smarter and two years extra refined,” replied Sabrowski, whose first 2025 look didn’t come till late June resulting from elbow irritation. “Apart from that, I’m just about the identical pitcher. I throw the identical pitches. I nonetheless throw a variety of fastballs. I’ve possibly modified some concepts on places, however in the long run I’m largely the identical pitcher.”
Sabrowski’s four-seamer, which he threw 68% of the time final 12 months, is his finest pitch. His repertoire additionally features a curveball (15.1%) and a slider (19.9%), the latter of which we targeted on throughout our September dialog.
“It’s come a great distance since 2023,” he instructed me. “I in all probability threw 4 or 5 sliders that total season. Within the Fall League, I used to be given the duty of figuring one out. I nonetheless name it ‘my challenge,’ however I positively throw much more of them now. It’s an necessary pitch for me, particularly when hitters are attempting to ambush fastballs. It comes out of my hand like a fastball, however doesn’t find yourself in the identical spot.”
The challenge was efficient in 2025. Per Baseball Savant, Sabrowski threw 85 sliders to the tune of a .105 BAA, a .158 SLG, and a 48% whiff charge. The way in which he grips the pitch isn’t wholly distinctive, however it does differ considerably from the usual.
“I’m tilted slightly extra over high of the horseshoe,” defined Sabrowski. “For me, a conventional slider grip tends to make the pitch slightly scoopy, resulting in a excessive glove–aspect miss, which is rarely, ever, aggressive with a slider. I’ve to essentially over-exaggerate to get it there.
“There’s truly nothing all that particular about it,” he added. “An enormous a part of my slider is that it isn’t a fastball. It doesn’t must be probably the most metrically-pleasing pitch to be efficient.”
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A random obscure former participant snapshot:
In case you’re not a baseball historian and/or a Detroit Tigers fan, you in all probability aren’t accustomed to Donie Bush. You arguably needs to be. A longtime teammate of Ty Cobb whose profession spanned the 1908-1921 seasons, Bush ranks tenth in franchise historical past with 1,871 video games performed, eleventh in hits with 1,745, and second in stolen bases with 402. Furthermore, he was largely recognized for his glove. The most effective defensive shortstops within the Deadball period, Bush led the junior circuit in assists 5 occasions, and in putouts 3 times.
Had he performed in a more moderen period, he would even have been recognized for his potential to attract free passes. Whereas he batted simply .250 over the course of his profession, topping out at .281, the 5-foot-6 leadoff hitter coaxed 100 or extra walks in three totally different seasons and led the league in that class 5 occasions. Together with his remaining 74 video games, which have been spent with the Washington Senators, Bush completed his profession with 1,804 hits and a .366 OBP. He later managed the Senators, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, and Cincinnati Reds.
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
Simply Baseball’s Ethan Penrod wrote about how Josh Rawitch, the president of the Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Fame and Museum, introduced his childhood fascination for card accumulating to Cooperstown.
Purple Row’s Samantha Bradfield opined that Michael Lorenzen is able to be an issue solver at Coors Discipline.
The Athletic’s Sam Blum wrote about the healthcare challenges confronted by 22-year-old Los Angeles Angels prospect Rio Foster, who was badly injured in a September drunk-driver accident (Foster was a passenger within the automotive).
Might the Padres’ long-term viability in San Diego be in peril? Barry Bloom explored that query at Forbes.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
Tony Gwynn got here to the plate 10,232 occasions and reached base 3,955 occasions. He had 135 residence runs and 319 stolen bases. Bobby Abreu got here to the plate 10,081 occasions and reached base 3,979 occasions. He had 288 residence runs and 400 stolen bases.
Nick Markakis had 4,025 putouts as a right-fielder, the fourth-highest complete at that place in MLB historical past. He was credited with 119 assists (Sixteenth-most) and charged with simply 24 errors.
Mark Buehrle went 14-5 with a 3.42 ERA towards the Texas Rangers. He went 2-14 with a 6.03 ERA towards the New York Yankees.
Dustin Pedroia slashed .353/.432/.566 in 273 plate appearances versus the Kansas Metropolis Royals. He slashed .243/.319/.370 in 263 plate appearances versus the Detroit Tigers.
The Pink Sox signed 35-year-old Orlando Cepeda as a free agent on in the present day’s date in 1973. Serving solely because the group’s first-ever DH, the Corridor of Fame slugger homered 20 occasions with a 114 wRC+ in his lone Boston season.
The Pittsburgh Pirates bought Hank Greenberg from the Detroit Tigers on in the present day’s date in 1947. The Corridor of Fame first baseman performed his remaining season that 12 months, placing up a 132 wRC+ (his profession mark was 153) and hitting 25 of his 331 residence runs.
Gamers born on in the present day’s date embrace Merrill Might, a 3rd baseman who logged 610 hits and a .275 batting common whereas taking part in for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1939-1953. Nicknamed “Pinky,” the Laconia, Indiana native was the daddy of Milt Might, who caught for 5 groups throughout the 1970-1984 seasons.
Additionally born on in the present day’s date was Tom Harrison, a local of Path, British Columbia, whose MLB profession comprised two video games for the Athletics in 1965. Within the second of them, the right-hander relieved Catfish Hunter and retired one of many 4 batters he confronted in a 13-2 Kansas Metropolis loss to the Chicago White Sox. Ten days earlier, Harrison had pinch-run for catcher Billy Bryan in a sport towards the California Angels. Notable about Bryan’s profession is that he was behind the plate later that 12 months when Satchel Paige made his remaining big-league look, throwing three scoreless innings towards the Boston Pink Sox on the age of 59.