How New Red Sox Starting Pitcher Feels About Trade To Boston

It’s a fresh start for new Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Quinn Priester.

The Pittsburgh Pirates traded Priester to the Red Sox in exchange for infield prospect Nick Yorke on Monday. Priester, who is on Boston’s 40-man roster, was assigned to Triple-A Worcester.

The 23-year-old right-hander joined his new team Tuesday and eagerly awaits the opportunity now in front of him after being traded for the first time in his career.

“Just excited,” Priester told reporters, per NESN’s Natalie Noury. “The organization speaks for itself. The history, the city and everything, there’s a lot to be excited about. To be able to wear Red Sox across my chest is really special and something that’s still setting in every single hour I’m here and being apart of the organization is really special.”

Despite success in the minors for the No. 18 overall pick in the 2019 draft, it hasn’t translated to the big leagues for Priester. He owned a 5-9 record and a rough 6.46 ERA in 20 starts over the past two seasons with the Pirates.

Priester said his goal is to get back to the majors as soon as possible and help out the Red Sox. That might not come this season, especially after Boston added James Paxton prior to the trade deadline, but Priester provides organizational starting pitching depth — something the franchise lacked — and upside for the Red Sox.

“In Quinn we see a young starting pitcher with a ton of potential,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told reporters, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “He throws strikes and misses barrels and keeps the ball on the ground which is a good place to start when seeking rotation pieces. It hurts to give up a player as talented as Nick but we saw upper level middle infielders as an area where we have a lot of good players.”