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Boston Red Sox’ ‘big, strong’ 18-year-old prospect belts two 110 mph homers
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- Boston Red Sox’ ‘big, strong’ 18-year-old prospect belts two 110 mph homers
Red Sox 18-year-old prospect Justin Gonzales ' MLB Pipeline scouting report notes that "he generates huge exit velocities with his quick right-handed swing and prodigious strength."
He's showing some impressive exit velocities so far in extended spring training games.
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The Red Sox player development X account posted a video Saturday of Gonzales belting home runs with exit velocities of 110.4 mph, 110.1 mph and 106.7 mph.
"He's obviously got a physical advantage right now because he is like 6-6 and just a big, strong animal," assistant GM Eddie Romero said earlier this month .
The outfielder/first baseman slugged .517 with five home runs, 11 doubles and four triples in 47 games (192 plate appearances) as a 17-year-old in the Dominican Summer League last year.
He is expected to play for the Florida Complex League Red Sox when their season begins May 3.
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Other Red Sox minor league updates from Saturday:
~ Nelly Taylor — a 22-year-old center fielder that MassLive highlighted earlier this week — went 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBIs, two runs and one strikeout in High-A Greenville's 16-8 loss to Hub City. He's batting .298 with a .400 on-base percentage, .447 slugging percentage and .847 OPS in 13 games (55 plate appearances).
~ Zach Ehrhard — a 22-year-old who the Red Sox drafted in the fourth round out of Oklahoma State in 2024 — went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, two walks and one run in Greenville's loss. He has a .240/.433/.320/.753 line in 15 games (67 plate appearances).
~ Miguel Bleis — who Baseball America ranks Boston 's No. 9 prospect — went 2-for-5 with a run and strikeout in Greenville's loss. The 21-year-old outfielder has struggled so far this season with a .182/.265/.341/.606 line in 11 games (49 plate appearances).
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~ Antonio Anderson — a 19-year-old third baseman who Boston drafted in the third round in 2023 — has at least one hit in 10 of his past 11 games. He went 1-for-4 with two runs and a strikeout in Low-A Salem's 6-5 loss to Hickory. He's batting .317 with a .416 on-base percentage, .397 slugging percentage and .813 OPS in 17 games (77 plate appearances).
~ Freili Encarnacion — a 20-year-old first baseman who the Red Sox signed out of the Dominican Republic for $1.1 million in 2022 — went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer and strikeout for Salem. He has a .284/.308/.514/.822 line in 18 games (78 plate appearances).
~ Both Triple-A Worcester and Double-A Portland got postponed due to rain Saturday.
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Read the original article on MassLive .
