WORCESTER — Red Sox Director of Pitching Justin Willard foresees Kyle Harrison, who came over to Boston in the Rafael Devers trade, being a big part of the organization’s future.
“He’s going to be a huge piece for the Boston Red Sox for not only now, but hopefully for the next five, six years,” Willard said. “There’s really big potential here. I’m really excited about the kid, and maybe just a fresh start somewhere else will help him and get him going in the right direction.”
So why is Harrison starting his Red Sox career in Worcester?
Willard doesn’t expect Harrison’s stay in Triple A to be a long one, alluding to him being “down here a couple of weeks” while in Worcester on Tuesday. A key date to keep an eye on is July 4 – if the team keeps Harrison in the minors through that date, they will gain an extra year of control on his contract, according to SoxProspects’ Chris Hatfield.
But the contract situation is not the only reason why the Red Sox prefer to start Harrison in Triple A. Even in his first bullpen session on Wednesday in Worcester, it was clear he and WooSox pitching coach Dan DeLucia were working on his off-speed pitches.
The focal point for Harrison will be his fastball, which Willard called “his bread and butter, no matter what else we want to do with him.”
His fastball averaged 95.1 mph in 23 2/3 MLB innings this year, a noticeable jump from 2024, when he averaged 92.5 mph in over 124 innings.
“That fastball is real, it’s elite, it’s velo, it’s left handed,“ Willard said. ”[We’re] really excited to build kind of the arsenal around that, making that the main event, and then [determine] what are the pitches he needs to be to have supplemental to that.”
Kyle Harrison talks over a grip with WooSox bullpen coach Noah Junis during a bullpen session at Polar Park on Wednesday, June 18.Katie Morrison-O’Day
As Harrison works to add a pitch or tweak existing pitches, he’ll have some space in Triple A to work out the kinks. Part of the process is making sure the pitcher is on board with the changes and buying in, but that doesn’t seem like it will be an issue with Harrison.
“I think it’s just messing with another pitch, whether it’s adding something else or tinkering with a sinker or a gyro slider,” he said on Tuesday. “I’m just excited for the opportunity and what we’re going to be experimenting here. I think it’ll open my eyes, and this is a great organization for it.”
In fact, Harrison mentioned after his first bullpen session in Worcester on Wednesday that he was already working on the same kind of things the Red Sox are proposing before the trade ever happened.
“In between outings, I was messing with the cutter and messing with the sinker,” Harrison said. “So it’s funny now that it kind of comes full circle and I’m traded and they’re wanting me to throw those pitches here. So it’s cool that I kind of have the right thought process going forward. Now we’re going to stick with it, build on it and see where it takes us.”
The 23-year-old pitcher seemed completely on board with his new organization’s plan, even if it means logging a few weeks in the minors before he’s ready to contribute to Boston.
“It’s baseball. I’m trying to normalize it more and more. I’ve been to Triple A a decent amount of time in my life now,” Harrison said with a smile. “It’s not about where I want to be today. It’s about where I want to be five, ten years from now and where I see myself getting better. And I think this is a place that I’m going to get better and develop, and I’m excited for opportunity.”
WooSox 9, Bisons 4
The WooSox got back to their winning ways at Polar Park in a blowout over Buffalo. Corey Rosier launched his third home run of the season in Triple A, a solo shot to straightaway center field.
Blake Sabol had a good night, smacking a bases-clearing triple to give the WooSox a lead they wouldn’t give back. Trayce Thompson and Vaughn Grissom each had RBI doubles, and Blaze Jordan reached base four times with three singles and a walk.
Chris Murphy made his fourth rehab appearance and threw his best inning since coming back from Tommy John surgery, needing just 11 pitches to retire the side, striking out two.
Robert Stock gave the WooSox six solid innings, and the bullpen was excellent afterwards, with Murphy, Wyatt Mills and Austin Adams each tossing a scoreless inning.
Notes
– The other major-league player who came to Boston in the Devers deal, Jordan Hicks, was in Worcester on Thursday in the early afternoon throwing live BP. He threw 21 pitches. Hicks has been on the injured list since early this month with a toe issue and will likely require a rehab stint before he is activated.
– Kristian Campbell, who was sent down to Triple A on Thursday, will be at Polar Park on Friday.
What’s Next
The WooSox continue their series with the Bisons on Friday on Irish Heritage Night. Tyler Uberstine gets the ball for Worcester with first pitch at 6:45 p.m.
