Pitching Prospect Presents Difficult Decision For Red Sox

Right now, the Boston Red Sox’s focus is on making the postseason. That doesn’t mean they aren’t still looking toward the future, though.

The Red Sox pitching pipeline is strong. Just a few years after a lack of upper-minors pitching talent, the system is now seemingly loaded with prospects. Hunter Dobbins, Richard Fitts and Payton Tolle all debuted this year. They’ve had varying degrees of success, but the fact that they were trusted at all is a testament to the effectiveness of the pitching development system in the minors.

There’s another pitcher in Triple-A Worcester who’s showing potential MLB readiness — Tyler Uberstine. Uberstine was promoted to Triple-A in May and has a 4.00 ERA over 81 innings since arriving. His most recent outing came on Friday, a six-inning, two-run performance in which he struck out eight.

Uberstine is coming off Tommy John surgery and is already at a career-high in innings pitched. He likely won’t be given an opportunity this season, which creates a difficult decision for the Red Sox. The prospect will be Rule-5 Draft eligible this winter. If he isn’t added to the 40-man roster, any of the other 29 teams will have the opportunity to add him.

The righty might not be ready to start at the major league level just yet, but he has characteristics that make him a perfect candidate to stash in the bullpen. His four-seam fastball is the biggest factor. It averages about 93 mph, which isn’t overwhelming, but it misses bats at a remarkable rate. The 37.5% whiff rate at Triple-A is one of the best in the minor leagues. It’s no fluke, either. He throws from a low release point and generates decent vertical movement, creating a flat approach angle and helping it play at the top of the zone.

It’s not just a fastball, either. His slider and cutter have each shown the ability to miss bats, while his changeup represents a weapon against lefties. In a bullpen role, his stuff should stick up, and he could stick on the 40-man for an entire season, similar to Garrett Whitlock in 2021.

If the Red Sox don’t add Uberstine to the 40-man, he’s likely to get snatched by another organization. They can only protect so many players, though, and are one spot short due to adding Tolle to the roster before he became Rule-5 eligible. David Sandlin is another name that’s likely to be protected.