The Boston Red Sox have had a number of highly touted prospects come through their system in the last few years; namely the former “big four” of Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, and Kyle Teel. While those guys were all together in the system for a number of years, a prospect who was a couple of classes behind them is having unprecedented success in the minors this season.
That prospect is Franklin Arias, a 20-year-old shortstop who signed with Boston back in 2023 as an international free agent. Arias quickly progressed from rookie ball to AA Portland in his age 18 and 19 seasons, then started with Portland this season. In 75 games, Arias hit 19 homers and drove in 52 runs with a batting average of .318. His OPS was a staggering .994; for reference, in Anthony’s age 20 season with Portland, he had a strong OPS of .856 in 84 games, but nearly 150 points lower than Arias’.
Arias Making His Case to be Called Up to Boston
Arias was called up to AAA Worcester in late July, and hasn’t slowed down even a little bit. In 31 games with the WooSox, Arias has four home runs and 26 runs driven in, sporting a nearly identical batting average of .317. He has also been a well-above average defender.
And he just keeps crushing too. On Friday, September 4, Arias posted a four-hit game in Buffalo, including two doubles. He hasn’t commanded the same level of hype as Anthony and Mayer did when they were on their way up, but flying under the radar doesn’t seem to be an issue for the baby-faced phenom.
Where Would Arias Fit in With Boston?
The big issue standing in the way of Arias coming up to Boston this season is the logjam the Sox have in their middle infield, especially with the recent return of Trevor Story. Story and Andruw Monasterio currently have command of the shortstop position, while Nick Sogard has played so well at second base that it’s almost impossible to send him down at this point. Isiah Kiner-Falefa has also made his way back from injury and provides Boston with veteran depth up the middle.
You could argue that the sky-high potential of Arias makes him a more appealing choice than any of those four players, but as impressive as he’s been in AAA, the MLB is a completely different beast that Arias hasn’t yet proven himself at. Is it worth it for Boston to give him a shot for a couple of weeks in the midst of a playoff push? Or will it throw off the rhythm of Story, Monasterio, Sogard, and Kiner-Falefa too much to add in a fifth body to the mix?
“When will Arias make his debut in Beantown? Boston is in the midst of the American League Wild Card race and is under no duress to force-feed him into the spotlight before he’s ready, especially with Trevor Story back off the injured list,” MLB.com’s Michael Avallone wrote.
But the Red Sox have also watched their No. 1 prospect conquer every challenge they’ve placed in front of him. So whether his first big league opportunity comes this month or next season, one thing is clear: Arias has nearly run out of things to prove in the Minors.”
Red Sox No. 1 Prospect Pushing Towards Late Season Call-Up