WORCESTER, Mass. -- The Red Sox have watched Franklin Arias surge offensively at Double-A in 2026. So much so that the club's top prospect has joined the Minors' highest level and is now just a call away from The Show.
Boston promoted Arias to Triple-A Worcester following game action on Thursday night.
“Something that I’ve been dreaming of since I was a little kid,” Arias said Friday at Polar Park through translator Juan Montero. “Now that I'm here with living my dream one call away, I’m really happy and really grateful for the opportunity given.”
MLB's No. 7 prospect hadn't been known for his power, but he's definitely displayed it this season. Arias came into the campaign with 18 home runs in his career. He exceeded that mark a little more than halfway through the season with his 19th long ball for the Sea Dogs en route to a 3-2 win over Binghamton at Mirabito Stadium on Thursday.
Shortly after the game, Portland manager Kyle Sasala, along with former Portland manager and current Red Sox third-base coach Chad Epperson on the phone, informed Arias of his promotion. He celebrated with a call to his parents while packing his equipment. By Friday, he took a four-hour Uber from Binghamton to Worcester to start his Triple-A chapter.
“It's a great feeling, it's something that you work for. When you achieve, you feel good,” Arias said. “When I found out I was going to Worcester, I felt really happy and really passionate about it.”
COMPLETE RED SOX PROSPECT COVERAGE
At the time of his departure, Arias was all over the Eastern League leaderboards. He topped the circuit with a .994 OPS, stood second in average (.318) and slugging (.587), third in homers and OBP (.407) and fourth in hits (90).
“I’ve been working really hard since Spring Training," Arias said. “On the hitting side, I’ve been working a lot with the guys in Double-A and all the hitting coaches and putting all the work and all the effort into having a good year and the results have shown.”
Specifically on his power surge, Arias harped on an offseason emphasis on physical strength and improved nutrition. That work in Ft. Myers translated well for the 20-year-old, who scored April Player of the Month honors in the Eastern League after slashing .375/.432/.764 with a 1.196 OPS and eight long balls. Arias served as the American League's starting second baseman in the All-Star Futures Game and drove in the game’s first run en route to the AL's victory.
Arias’ hit and field tools both grade out at 60. Boston signed him out of Venezuela in 2023 as an international free agent. That summer, he hit .350 in a 37-game pro debut in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League. Next, Arias posted an .896 OPS in 87 games in his first full season in 2024 between the Rookie-level Florida Complex League and Single-A Salem. He played in 116 games over three levels last year, collecting 133 hits en route to a .287 average with 66 RBIs and 62 runs scored.
Arias makes the jump at an exciting time for the organization after the Red Sox tied a franchise-record with a 15-game winning streak that vaulted the club back into the playoff race. That hot stretch had the attention of the organization’s top prospect and fueled the intrigue of his proximity to the big leagues.
“I was keeping up with the big league team,” Arias shared. “I was admiring the work and the process that they were going through, especially with all the games that they won and I was really happy with it.”
As he approaches his MLB dream, Arias reflected on the magnitude that comes with rising through the Red Sox organization.
“It feels really special, especially as a kid seeing all the games as the Red Sox against the Yankees and that rivalry,” Arias said. “Now I'm trying to be a part of it."
How Arias produces in his first few weeks at the level could speak volumes about Boston’s plans for him. The Red Sox have moved marquee prospects through Triple-A at expedited paces in recent years, headlined by Roman Anthony (93 games) and Marcelo Mayer (43 games).
Boston’s activity at the Trade Deadline could also affect Arias' timeline in regards to opportunities in the middle infield. All of those possibilities lay the groundwork for an interesting introduction for Arias at the Minors’ highest level.