2 weeks Ago By Brendan Campbell, Blogging the Red Sox
Behind only Miguel Bleis, infielder Franklin Arias stole more bases (35) than any other Red Sox prospect in 2024. As such, he was named the organization’s Minor League Baserunner of the Year last month . Arias originally signed with the Red Sox for $525,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in January 2023.
After putting together a strong showing in the Dominican Summer League last year , the Caracas native embarked upon his stateside debut by making the jump to the Florida Complex League this season. In 51 games for the FCL Red Sox, Arias batted a stout .355/.
471/.584 with 16 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 28 RBIs, 41 runs scored, 30 stolen bases, 34 walks, and 36 strikeouts over 206 plate appearances. The right-handed hitting 18-year-old t hen received a promotion to Low-A Salem in late July .
Though he struggled some out of the gate with Salem, Arias turned things around as the calendar flipped from August to September and slashed a respectable .257/.331/.
378 with nine doubles, three home runs, 26 RBIs, 18 runs scored, five stolen bases, 16 walks, and 29 strikeouts in 36 games (166 plate appearances) for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. Picking up where he left off! Franklin Arias went 2-4 with a double, home run, and 4 RBIs in the @salemredsox 7-1 win on Wednesday. pic.
twitter.com/uZu8FLbNon Altogether, Arias posted a .309/.
409/.487 slash line with 25 doubles, two triples, nine home runs, 54 RBIs, 59 runs scored, 35 stolen bases (in 41 attempts), 50 walks, and 65 strikeouts in 87 total games (372 plate appearances) between the FCL and Salem. That includes a .
290/.401/.454 line against right-handed pitching and a .
422/.460/.689 line against lefties.
Among the 27 Red Sox minor-leaguers who made at least 370 trips to the plate this season, Arias ranked first in wSB (3.0), third in batting average, OPS (.896), speed score (7.
1), and wOBA (.427), fourth in on-base percentage and wRC+ (150), fifth in slugging percentage and strikeout rate (17.5 percent), seventh in isolated power (.
178) and swinging-strike rate (9.6 percent), and 10th in walk rate (13.4 percent), per FanGraphs.
Defensively, Arias saw playing time at both middle infield positions between his stops in the FCL and Salem this year. In 57 total starts at shortstop, the projectable 5-foot-11, 170-pounder committed 10 errors in 243 chances. In 20 total starts at second base, he committed just two errors in 78 chances.
He also started nine games at DH. “He’s one of these guys that you can close your eyes and you know he’s going to field a ground ball,” Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham said of Arias when speaking with The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier in July . “He’s a very easy plus defender, which is, I think, what’s really exciting about him.
The bat has always been behind, and now the bat is starting to creep up and all of a sudden, you’re looking at a player who does a little bit of everything.” In addition to being named the Red Sox’ Minor League Baserunner of the Year, Arias was recognized as the 2024 Florida Complex League MVP , an FCL All-Star, and the FCL’s top prospect. He is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No.
6 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 91 prospect in the sport. Baseball is the best.
The moment Juan Valera and Franklin Arias were told about their FCL end of season honors. pic.twitter.
com/PWX2VCdwRm Should he remain in the organization through the winter, Arias — who turns 19 in November — will likely return to Salem for the start of the 2025 season. If he continues to be a stolen-base threat moving forward, it will presumably have more to do with his approach than his speed. Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero acknowledged as much in a conversation last month with MassLive.
com’s Christopher Smith . “I would put him in the category of a kid who has really good instincts and can do things at a very mature level on the base paths,” Romero said. “Because I don’t think he’s a plus runner by any means.
I think he’s got good speed and he’s very advanced at timing things, taking advantage, and preparing before the game. He’s just got a very mature way about going into it for his pregame. He’ll know pitcher moves.
He’ll know catcher arm strength. I think he’s advanced in that area. He’s got good speed.
He’s not a Jarren Duran. But I think it’s that he uses his IQ to help him steal a lot of bases.” This article first appeared on Blogging the Red Sox and was syndicated with permission.
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