Red Sox Roster Projection 1.0: How Alex Bregman Deal Impacts 2025 Plans

The Boston Red Sox enter spring training with the goal of their first playoff run since 2021.

MLB-ready prospects and a revamped starting rotation lead the headlines for this Red Sox team. Alex Cora’s club should be in the mix to compete for postseason play and take steps forward from its below-average performance of the last three seasons.

Pitchers and catchers reported to Fort Myers, Fla., this week as Boston gets to work and baseball returns.

Here’s a projection for how the Red Sox could break camp in six weeks.

CATCHERS
Connor Wong
Carlos Narváez

Narváez takes over the backup job from Reese McGuire and Danny Jansen in 2024 after previous time with the New York Yankees.

INFIELDERS
Triston Casas
Kristian Campbell
Trevor Story
Rafael Devers
David Hamilton
Alex Bregman

The group mostly stays the same from 2024.

Well, except for two notable additions.

The Red Sox finally landed the impact right-handed bat they needed Wednesday night, agreeing to a three-year deal with Bregman that greatly changes the expectations of the team for 2025 and beyond.

Campbell, meanwhile, looks poised to make his MLB debut in some capacity after tearing through three levels of the minors last season.

OUTFIELDERS
Jarren Duran
Ceddanne Rafaela
Wilyer Abreu
Rob Refsnyder

Abreu, who won his first career Gold Glove Award, stayed put this offseason, which is good for the current roster. Duran looks to replicate a top-10 MVP finish, and Rafaela should have more solidified time in center field after injuries whipped him around the diamond last year for the Red Sox.

DESIGNATED HITTER
Masataka Yoshida

The Red Sox ultimately could rotate this position. For now, Yoshida came into camp in far better physical shape, with intentions of restoring his standing after an injury-filled 2024 campaign.

STARTING PITCHERS
Garrett Crochet
Tanner Houck
Lucas Giolito
Walker Buehler
Brayan Bello
Kutter Crawford

The Red Sox have tossed around the idea of a six-man rotation throughout the winter. We’ll say here they give it a try to start the season.

There’s a ton of upside around the rotation, as maybe the most intriguing group of the 2025 roster. Crochet and Buehler have legitimate stuff as outside additions, and Boston finally gets to see Giolito in action after an injury in spring training derailed his 2024.

Houck, Bello and Crawford built the foundation and can settle into simply stacking quality innings for the Red Sox.

BULLPEN
Liam Hendriks (Closer)
Justin Slaten
Josh Winckowski
Garrett Whitlock
Aroldis Chapman
Justin Wilson
Luis Guerrero

Boston has a closer competition to enact this spring, with Hendriks, Chapman and Slaten leading the way.

Whitlock returns to his rightful home in the bullpen, where he dominated in a multi-inning role in 2021 as the Red Sox ran to the American League Championship Series.

Craig Breslow left the door open Tuesday to pursuing another reliever, likely of the right-handed variety in this scenario.