Pitching prospect Payton Tolle has reached Double A just 11 outings (10 starts) into his professional career.
The Red Sox informed the 22-year-old lefty, who Baseball America ranks No. 84 among its Top 100 prospects, that he was being promoted to Portland right after his dominant start Sunday. He was up to 97.7 mph with his fastball and recorded 21 swings and misses for High-A Greenville against Greensboro. He allowed one run, five hits and one walk while striking out nine in 6 innings.
Boston drafted Tolle in the second round (50th overall) in 2024 out of TCU where he threw his heater 90-96 mph and mostly sat in the 91-93 mph range.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and the Red Sox saw that the 6-foot-7, 270-pounder’s fastball was already difficult to hit in the low-90s because of its ride and the extension in his delivery.
“You look at it like, ‘OK, what does this guy do really well? What makes him unique?’ And it’s this elite extension, fastball profile gets a ton of swing and miss on it,” Breslow said. “And you say, ‘OK, he’s pitching 90-94. What happens if this takes a step forward?’ Then you get a chance to get something really elite.”
His fastball has been elite and it has led to a ton of punch-outs. He averaged 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings at Greenville. He struck out 38.3% of the batters he faced. He had a combined 55 swings and misses in his final three starts for the Drive.
“Credit to him for all the work because he’s been up to 98 and we see that he’s a guy who could survive on probably 75% fastballs,” Breslow said.
How did Tolle — who also throws a sweeper, changeup, curveball and slider — increase his velo? He began using weight balls, a common practice among pitchers in the Red Sox system under Breslow’s regime. He also has cleaned up his mechanics to make him more on time. He thinks his work in the weight room and knowing his body might be the two biggest factors.
“You start with the frame — like massive body,” Breslow said. “Great kid who works really hard, has totally bought into the development opportunities that we put in front of him. He’s gotten bigger and stronger, believe it or not.”
Early also has increased velo
Tolle joins another dominant lefty, Connelly Early, in the Portland rotation. Early, a 23-year-old who Boston drafted out of Virginia in the fifth round in 2023, also has increased his velocity.
And like Tolle, he already had an ability to get a lot of swing and miss before his velocity increased.
“He’s been up to 96 and change,“ Breslow said. ”So yeah, the stuff has definitely ticked up but great pitchability. The ability to throw multiple pitches in the zone — fastball/changeup combination and breaking ball. We started seeing it last year and he’s just picked up.”
Early is 5-1 with a 2.17 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 11 outings (eight starts). He’s averaging 13.4 strikeouts per nine innings. He has struck out 35.4% of the batters he has faced. Opponents have batted .207 against him.
Tibbs off to strong start
James Tibbs III, who the Red Sox acquired in the Rafael Devers trade, went 2-for-3 with an RBI and walk in Portland’s 5-3 win over Binghamton.
He’s 7-for-22 (.318) with a .407 on-base percentage, one triple, one double, three RBIs, three runs, three walks and six strikeouts in six games with Portland.
Holobetz lowers ERA to 3.14
John Holobetz, who the Red Sox acquired from the Brewers in the Quinn Priester trade in April, allowed one run, three hits and no walks while striking out five in High-A Greenville’s 2-1 loss to Rome.
The 22-year-old righty, who the Brewers picked in the fifth round last year, is 3-2 with a 3.14 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in eight outings (seven starts) for Greenville.
