Imposing Red Sox prospect Gonzales having a massive impact on baseballs
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Justin Gonzales didn't waste any time making his presence felt in his first big league camp this spring. That wasn't just because of his massive stature -- at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, he towers above most players.
The Red Sox No. 5 prospect registered the second-hardest-tracked ball of Spring Training this year at 117.3 mph, per Statcast. In the Major Leagues last season, only 30 balls were tracked with higher exit velocity readings.
"That's something that I like to do," Gonzales told MLB.com through an interpreter after the game. "I try to hit the ball hard, and also that's something that I've been working on, trying to be more consistent hitting the ball hard.”
That effort seems to be paying off as the 19-year-old made consistent contact with the baseball over the past week. On Sunday, he put together his best performance of the season, highlighted by his first pro grand slam. Gonzales collected three knocks, a career-high five RBIs and scored a pair of runs to pace High-A Greenville's 10-7 comeback victory over Asheville in 10 innings at HomeTrust Park.
Over his past four contests, the 19-year-old righty swinger is slashing .368/.455/.579 with the big home run, a double, nine RBIs, four runs scored, 11 total bases and a pair of walks. His RBI total paces the South Atlantic League while his seven hits (7-for-19) top his team over this span. Sunday also marked his second three-hit effort of the week.
After a line drive into right field in the fifth inning drove in a run, Gonzales stepped to the dish with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth with his club trailing by four runs. He got ahead in the count, 2-1, against Astros right-hander Eurys Martich before demolishing a fastball well beyond the high wall in center for his third dinger of the season and first since April 4. The outfielder singled to left and came around to score in the 10th en route to the Drive's victory.
Gonzales signed for $250,000 out of the Dominican Republic in January 2024, two weeks after turning 17. The Red Sox named him their Latin program player of the year in 2024 after he dominated the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in his debut season. He followed that up by winning the Carolina League batting title (.298) as the second-youngest qualifier (age 18) on the Single-A circuit with Salem last year.
Gonzales has perhaps the most raw power in the Red Sox system, and the organization continues to try to help him tap into that. His bat speed and considerable strength generate huge exit velocities, but he homered just four times in 2025 because he had the 11th-worst ground-ball rate (57 percent) in the Minors. More athletic and agile than most players his size, Gonzales played most of his debut season at first base but spent all of 2025 shuttling between all three outfield positions.
In 17 games this season, Gonzales has started in right field 14 times and served as designated hitter for the other three. He is slashing .276/.337/.447 with seven extra-base hits, 17 RBIs, 12 runs scored and five walks. He's reached base safely in all but two games this year.