Red Sox Continue To Shuffle System, Promote No. 2 Pitching Prospect

The Boston Red Sox have continued to shuffle their organizational pitching depth.

Bryan Mata, the Red Sox’s No. 2 pitching prospect according to MLB.com, SoxProspects and Baseball America, was promoted from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester on Monday, per Woo Sox senior vice president of communications Bill Wanless.

Mata made nine starts for the Sea Dogs this season, finishing with a 5-2 record and a 1.85 ERA in 48 2/3 inning pitched. He surrendered 10 earned runs on 35 hits, striking out 58 and allowing 23 walks. The 6-foot-3, 229-pound right-hander will make his Triple-A debut on Tuesday at Polar Park.

The 23-year-old has flown through the Red Sox minor-league system this season, partly due to his dominance and partly due to necessity. Mata missed all of 2021 following Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in April of that year. Coupled with the COVID-cancelled 2020 minor league season, he had not pitched in a game in more than 33 months until he appeared for Low-A Salem on June 4. He was then moved to High-A Greenville for three starts before being promoted to Portland in late-June.

The move comes on the same day Boston made a number of moves with it’s 40-man roster. Mata currently is on the 40-man roster.