Spring Training has finally ended, and tomorrow, the Boston Red Sox will open their season in Arlington against the Texas Rangers. Amid all the excitement of Opening Day festivities, a flurry of recent roster and injury news has happened, including the addition of two top prospects. That said, here are likely to be the most notable additions to Boston’s Opening Day roster.
2025 Red Sox Top Prospects Highlight Notable Additions
Pitchers
With starters Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, and Kutter Crawford all going down with injuries, the starting rotation will look very different for the first few months of the season. Garrett Crochet (as expected) will serve as Boston’s ace for (hopefully) years to come. All-Star Tanner Houck will be the team’s number two starter, followed by the newly signed Walker Buehler. While these were the expected top three of the Red Sox rotation, fans may be unfamiliar with four and five starters, Richard Fitts and Sean Newcomb.
Fitts was acquired in the trade that jettisoned Alex Verdugo to the rival New York Yankees. A top-15 prospect, he pitched sparingly for the Big League club in 2024, having 20.2 innings of work over four starts. Once Bello and Giolito return from injury, Fitts will likely head to the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever.
Newcomb has been a journeyman for most of his Major League career. A native of Massachusetts, the softpaw has played for the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, and Oakland Athletics. Not having been a consistent starter since 2018, he has amassed a 4.51 ERA in 431 innings. However, Newcomb had a good spring, pitching a 0.63 ERA in 14.1 innings.
Regarding Boston’s bullpen, there are only two newcomers, left-handed relievers Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson. Chapman was most recently a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 61.2 innings, he pitched to a 3.79 ERA, a 3.04 FIP, and an ERA+ of 111. While manager Alex Cora has yet to name the official closer, it will likely be between Chapman and Liam Hendriks. Wilson, who’s been in the league since 2012, spent his 2024 season with the Cincinnati Reds. In 60 games, Wilson pitched to a 5.59 ERA and 4.73 FIP in 46.2 innings of work. Wilson will likely be used as an innings-eater.
Position Players
Arguably, the best acquisition of Boston’s offseason, Alex Bregman, is set to be the everyday third baseman moving forward. Despite a down year for his standards, Bregman still had a very productive 2024, launching 26 home runs to go along with a 118 wRC+. On top of his bat, Bregman also showcased his elite defense at third, winning his first Gold Glove.
The second most notable addition is Kristian Campbell. Once a fourth-round compensation pick, Campbell has had a meteoric rise within the Red Sox organization; he is currently among the top 10 for the best prospects in Major League Baseball. This comes after a monster season in which
Campbell put up a .997 OPS and hit 20 home runs in his 115 games in High A, AA, and AAA. His performances culminated in winning the MiLB Hitting Prospect of the Year, Breakout Player of the Year, and Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year. In 2025, despite struggling early into camp, he settled in over the past few weeks, ultimately leading to his making the team as the starting second baseman.
Fans Should Be Patient with Campbell and Fitts
While Bregman, Crochet, and Chapman will undoubtedly make an instant impact on the Red Sox, fans should have much more patience for Campbell and Fitts. With Fitts having just a few starts under his belt and Campbell never appearing in a Major League game, there are bound to be some growing pains. However, both have limitless potential and will significantly impact the 2025 team.
Main Image: Mike Watters-Imagn Images
