Justin Gonzales’ Overall Offensive Upside Excites Red Sox
It doesn’t take much to notice outfielder Justin Gonzales on the field.
At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Gonzales towers over much of his Carolina League competition. At 18, he is one of the youngest players in Low-A. And in batting practice, he obliterates baseballs like few others at his age and level.
“It’s 80 raw power,” said Red Sox assistant GM Eddie Romero, offering an assessment shared by others in the industry.
Red Sox co-director of international scouting Todd Claus tabbed Gonzales as a complete physical outlier when they scouted him as a 16-year-old in the Dominican Republic in 2023.
He hit rockets when he squared up the ball, but his swing was ugly. He could also fire the ball 98 mph from the outfield, creating a possibility of a future on the mound if he failed as a hitter. Boston signed him for $250,000 in January 2024.
Once in pro ball, Gonzales not only flashed power but showed surprising bat-to-ball skills and command of the strike zone. He hit .320/.391/.517 with walk and strikeout rates of effectively 10% in the Dominican Summer League in 2024.
Gonzales also hit the ball uncommonly hard, regularly posting exit velocities in excess of 100 mph, albeit with a relatively high groundball rate of 47% and modest flyball rate of 30% that limited in-game power production.
But a combination of offseason strength gains and swing-path work to get the ball in the air more frequently made Gonzales a backfields standout this spring, resulting in Boston’s decision to quickly promote him to Low-A Salem on May 6 after only one game in the Florida Complex League.
While it’s an aggressive assignment that may come with a steep adjustment period, Gonzales—who will spend most of this year in center after mostly playing first base in 2024—is emerging as a player with an unusual hit tool given his immense power potential.
“For a guy who’s so big and has so much power, his ability to control the bat is incredibly impressive,” Red Sox farm director Brian Abraham said. “He’s been a much better hitter than maybe we had expected. That’s been really exciting.”
SOX YARNS
— Two-way player Conrad Cason made his pro debut in the Florida Complex League as a pitcher on May 3 with two scoreless innings—he touched 97 mph—and then two days later served as DH, going 1-for-4.
— As of early May, the Red Sox had the two youngest position players in the High-A South Atlantic League. Shortstop Franklin Arias and outfielder Yophery Rodriguez were 19 years old, while 18-year-old righthander Juan Valera was the league’s youngest pitcher.
