There’s no slowing down Franklin Arias these days.
MLB Pipeline’s No. 28 prospect -- and the No. 2 Red Sox prospect -- logged a three-hit game on Friday night while batting leadoff in a 5-2 victory for Double-A Portland. The 20-year-old shortstop is now hitting .538/.611/.692 in five games to begin the year.
Arias showed off his elite bat-to-ball skills, notching two of his three hits in two-strike counts. This is nothing new. Last season, Arias ranked second among teenaged full-season batting qualifiers in strikeout rate (10.1%) and whiff rate (5.3%) in the Minors.
COMPLETE RED SOX PROSPECT COVERAGE
The Red Sox originally signed Arias out of Venezuela as a part of the 2023 international class, and he’s done nothing but hit while making his way through the Minors. He owns a career .302/.380/.435 slash line in 245 Minor League games across parts of four seasons, rising through three levels of the Minors last year.
MLB Pipeline tabs Arias with a 60-grade hit tool on the 20-80 scouting scale. That’s tied with his 60-grade field tool for his best skill; Arias has made good on his reputation as one of the top defensive shortstops in his signing class.
Red Sox fans caught a glimpse of Arias in Spring Training this season, as he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts while starting a slick double play in a one-game cameo in big league camp. If Arias has his way, Boston will see more of him soon -- back in January, Arias declared that his goal for 2026 is to make it to the big leagues.