'Everybody was shocked': Red Sox No. 2 prospect makes incredible throw, adds 4 hits
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Justin Gonzales has been a constant contributor to highlight reels around the Minor Leagues, especially since his promotion to Double-A Portland on Aug. 18.
MLB’s No. 79 prospect stole the show again Thursday night with a perfect throw from the right-field corner to halt Richmond’s Maui Ahuna (Giants) from stretching a single into a double in the first inning. Gonzales also tallied a four-hit night -- his second of the season -- in Portland’s 14-3 win at The Diamond.
“I think that everybody was shocked,” Sea Dogs defensive coach Kyle Schmidt said of the throw. “Obviously, he's got a really special tool out there in his arm. While he is certainly still harnessing that tool, it showed up in a big way right there.”
The second-ranked prospect in the Red Sox organization hasn’t been intimidated by Double-A pitching either. Gonzales holds a 1.260 OPS with a pair of home runs and 10 RBIs in his first eight games for the Sea Dogs. He stayed hot Saturday with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored in an all-around offensive contribution.
“He makes really good swing decisions,” Schmidt said. “For somebody who has the power potential that he has and the ability to impact the baseball the way that he already does, I think that it's equally as impressive the decisions that he's willing to make -- or not make -- inside of an at-bat that gives him the best chance to impact the baseball afterwards. Or, take his walks and move to first base whenever he's given the opportunity.”
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Gonzales hit his way to Double-A after a .271/.391/.463 slash line with 17 homers to start the year with High-A Greenville. That’s been the story of Gonzales in pro ball so far after posting a .908 OPS in his Rookie-level Dominican Summer League introduction in 2024 to strong production alongside Schmidt -- who spent '25 as an affiliate coach -- with Single-A Salem.
“I was with him and fortunate enough to be with him last year and got to watch him grow up a lot in Salem before he went on and up to Greenville,” Schmidt recalled. “I think that managing himself as a younger player in the United States for the first time and growing up a lot at the lower levels was really impressive and really fun to watch and help with.”
Gonzales is one of those players who brings must-see play and flare to the field on a fairly regular basis. From walk-off home runs to sizzling throws, that type of performance can energize a team, especially in the dog days of the season.
“I think that he certainly brings that ability to the table because at any given time, he'll do something that brings the dugout to their feet, or the fans for that matter,” Schmidt shared. “I think that he's going to continue to do so. We will try to push the message to our players that it’s obviously the end of the year, but that doesn't mean that the intent and the focus in game settings is going to stop. I think that he's really taking hold of that.”
Gonzales has real tools that have taken strides through his second full season in the Minors. His impact in the batter’s box is evident. Schmidt believes similar focus on his defense is the next step in an intriguing line of development.
“Super talented player defensively,” Schmidt said. “Whether it's the arm or whether it's just the general athleticism that he has, I think that there are many different upsides. On the flip side of that, he's going to continue to mature both physically and mentally on the field. And I think that as he continues to stack reps and stack days, he will develop into a really high level baseball player.”
Schmidt continued: “He obviously does a great job at the plate. He is extremely hitting-oriented and loves being in the cages and loves training that part of the game. I think that if he develops to engage the same way with defense -- not that he generally does not right now -- if he starts to engage defensively in the same manner, I think that you're looking at somebody who has really special talent potential.”