3 Red Sox pitching prospects who could make jumps in the 2026 rankings

Down on the farm, the 2025 season was full of breakout campaigns for Red Sox pitching prospects.

Payton Tolle went from 16th on Boston's preseason rankings to becoming a Top 100 prospect and key part of the club's postseason run, alongside fellow southpaw Connelly Early (preseason No. 10, now No. 5). Brandon Clarke also made a big leap, from 29th to 5th, before becoming a key piece in the Sonny Gray trade, as did previously unranked Hayden Mullins, who now ranks 17th.

So which pitching prospects could be the next to rise in our rankings?

Boston has continued to invest heavily in arms, spending seven of their Day 1 and 2 Draft picks on SEC pitchers -- headlined by Oklahoma righty Kyson Witherspoon and Tennessee righty Marcus Phillips -- and adding several more in trades.

Let's take a look at three prospects ranked outside of the club's current top 10 -- one acquired via trade, one via the Draft, one via international free agency -- who could be rising soon:

Yhoiker Fajardo, RHP (No. 24)

The Red Sox acquired Fajardo in December 2024 from the White Sox for a DFA'd Cam Booser, and the right-hander added two ticks of velocity in his age-18 season. He may yet have more velocity that he can grow into as he fills out his 6-foot-3, 181-pound frame.

But even if his fastball continues to top out at 96 mph, Fajardo is quite advanced for a teenage pitcher -- fitting, since his $400,000 bonus was the highest for any Venezuelan pitcher in the 2024 signing class. He doesn't yet have one plus offering, but all of his secondary pitches -- a heavily relied-upon tight slider, burgeoning sweeper and effective kick-change -- flash above-average.

Fajardo's different movement profiles enable him to pound the zone effectively without giving up too much hard contact. His 19.4 percent K-BB rate ranked sixth among teenagers in pro ball with at least as many innings as him this year (72 IP), all while not giving up a single homer.

With just 13 games at Single-A, Fajardo has plenty of development left, although it's possible that he'll be a rare teenager to get to High-A next year. If he can develop a true putaway pitch, Fajardo could become one of the best pitching prospects in the system.

Anthony Eyanson, RHP (No. 11)

The Red Sox were able to use some early-round savings to land Eyanson in the third round this year and sign him for almost double slot at $1.75 million (mid-second-round money). The right-hander was one of the best at producing spin in his class and a big-time performer in his lone season at Louisiana State after two promising seasons at UC San Diego.

Eyanson did not make his pro debut last year after 108 innings in the SEC -- with 152 strikeouts, third in NCAA Division I -- so he will be one of the most interesting arms to watch in 2026. His slider might be the best in Boston's system, although we don't yet know if he'll be able to get professional hitters to bite outside the zone as much as his college opponents did (48 percent chase rate).

The California native has strong velocity, up to 98 mph, but his fastball isn't a true out pitch because of its lack of life, leading to a 16 percent miss rate. His curveball and changeup are also promising, although the former doesn't get a ton of chases and his control is lacking on the latter.

Eyanson has the athleticism and control to be a mid-rotation starter, and perhaps time with the Red Sox pitching lab can improve his pitch shape -- particularly the fastball -- to raise his ceiling. His also could benefit from changing up his pitch mix more after attacking lefties and righties nearly the same way his junior year.

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Sabdiel Delzine, RHP (No. 23)

Delzine is quite far from the big leagues, having only signed in January 2025 for $500,000 -- quite a lot for a 16-year-old pitcher. Nevertheless, he has one of the highest upsides in the system.

The Venezuela native is already 6-foot-5, 198 pounds, and his velocity has jumped into the mid-90s; there's a distinct possibility of him adding even more. He's also displayed a promising curveball and changeup that he can get good depth on with his high-three-quarters delivery, giving him the potential for a pair of plus secondary offerings.

Delzine only threw 9 1/3 innings in the Dominican Summer League this season, but he flashed dominance. With his physicality and impressive body control, especially considering his age and size, it would not be surprising for him to tear up Rookie ball over a large sample.