Crimson Sox Announce Choice on Righty Curveball Specialist Earlier than Royals Recreation

The Boston Crimson Sox dropped a 6-4 determination to the worst staff within the American League on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Angels. The loss meant that Boston misplaced two of three to the Angels and fell to 4 1/2 video games behind the New York Yankees within the AL wild-card race.

Boston sends the most important league chief in wins to the mound, Sonny Grey with 17, because the Kansas Metropolis Royals go to Fenway Park for a three-game set opening Friday.

Earlier than the Royals sport, the Crimson Sox made an announcement a couple of pitcher described in a single scouting report as throwing “top-of-the-line curveballs” within the Crimson Sox system.

The Crimson Sox introduced that they’d activated pitching prospect Yordanny Monegro from the 60-day injured checklist again to Double-A Portland, capping a comeback that started with a rehab task in August.

The transfer was formally posted on the minor league transaction ledger Friday.

The transfer caps a grinding return from Tommy John surgical procedure that value Monegro the again half of a breakout 2025 season and knocked him down Boston’s crowded pitching prospect rankings.

Yordanny Monegro’s Lengthy Street Again From Tommy John Surgical procedure

Portland first flagged Monegro with elbow irritation on June 14, 2025, a day after he lasted simply 1 1/3 innings in a June 13 begin. Testing revealed a torn ulnar collateral ligament, and surgical procedure adopted that August, in line with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

On the time of the damage, Monegro was 2-1 with a 2.67 ERA and 49 strikeouts towards eight walks in 33 2/3 innings, a strikeout fee ranked third-highest amongst minor league pitchers with at the least 30 innings. Crimson Sox director of pitching Justin Willard had praised his progress weeks earlier.

“That is the very best model of Monegro we now have seen from his work and preparation to the execution of his plan,” Willard mentioned, as quoted by the Globe. “It’s all the time been enjoyable to look at him compete, however now he’s doing the opposite issues to take the following step.”

The elbow wasn’t Monegro’s first bodily setback. He additionally missed the beginning of 2024 with proper shoulder weak point that spring and didn’t break camp with an affiliate that yr.

Monegro lastly acquired again on a mound Aug. 28 with Excessive-A Greenville, throwing 31 pitches over 1 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and three walks. A second rehab begin produced two innings, two runs and 4 strikeouts earlier than Boston cleared him for Double-A.

Yordanny Monegro’s Rise Via the Crimson Sox Farm System

Boston signed Monegro as a global free agent on Feb. 20, 2020, for a comparatively meager signing bonus of $35,000. Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the 6-foot-4 right-hander debuted within the Dominican Summer time League in 2021 earlier than a tough 2022 within the Florida Advanced League.

His stuff took off in 2023, posting a 2.06 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings throughout three ranges and incomes SoxProspects Pitcher of the Yr honors. A 2024 season interrupted by the shoulder subject nonetheless produced a 2.73 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 66 innings at Greenville. That climb ranked him as excessive as No. 17 on Baseball America’s system checklist getting into 2025, earlier than the damage dropped him to No. 30 on MLB Pipeline’s rankings and an identical No. 30 spot on a Might prospect checklist from FanGraphs.

Monegro leans on a brief slider within the excessive 80s as his major weapon, backed by an upper-70s curveball scouts fee among the many system’s finest. His fastball sits within the mid-90s, touching 97, although it performs down because of flat form, with a splitter that’s nonetheless inconsistent.

Evaluators are cut up on his long-term position. MLB Pipeline sees sufficient pitches to begin him, whereas a bullpen shift may let his velocity climb. SoxProspects initiatives a multi-inning aid future until the fastball and changeup enhance. Boston left him off the 40-man roster forward of the Rule 5 deadline, which means he might be claimed by any staff within the December Rule 5 draft. However with an ETA of mid-2028, the Crimson Sox nonetheless see a path to Fenway Park.

Like HEAVY’s content material? Be sure you comply with us.

This text was initially printed on HEAVY

The put up Crimson Sox Announce Choice on Righty Curveball Specialist Earlier than Royals Recreation appeared first on HEAVY.