Which Red Sox Players Made Keith Law’s 2026 Top Prospect Rankings?
Four Red Sox prospects cracked Law's top 100
It’s a new year, which means it’s time for new prospect rankings.
The Athletic published Keith Law’s updated top 100 MLB prospects on Monday, and four Boston Red Sox players made the list. Given how much Minor League talent they’ve traded away this winter, that’s an encouraging number.
According to Law, their top prospect is shortstop Franklin Arias, who ranks No. 12. Law calls the 20-year-old infielder, who advanced to Double-A last year, “an extremely advanced hitter already…He rarely swings and misses.”
Law also praised Arias’ defense, calling him “a natural shortstop with excellent instincts.” He added that if Arias were a college sophomore right now, he’d be in the conversation for the first overall draft pick in 2027.
According to Law, Payton Tolle is the Red Sox’s top pitching prospect at No. 40 overall. Law admitted he wasn’t high on Tolle initially, but changed his tune after watching the big left-hander tear through the Minors and reach the Major Leagues last year.
“He’s at least a No. 3 starter now given how well the fastball plays, and improving that changeup might be enough to get him to a No. 2,” Law writes, believing Tolle has the potential to be a mainstay in Boston’s rotation for years to come.
Law has the Red Sox’s 2025 first-round draft pick, Kyson Witherspoon, at No. 62. The 21-year-old former Oklahoma Sooner has yet to pitch in the Minors, but his potential is enormous.
“He’s further away than some of the other college pitchers in the 2025 draft but has No. 2 starter upside, giving Boston’s strong pitching development group a lot to work with already,” Law writes of Witherspoon.
Another pitcher, left-hander Connelly Early, also cracked Law’s list at No. 64. Like Tolle, Early debuted last season and pitched in the playoffs, so he’s already Major League-ready. Law believes he’s “a very solid mid-rotation starter.”
Law also praised the Red Sox for developing pitchers under Craig Breslow after struggling to do so for the last two decades, writing that they’ve “started to do some great work on the pitching side.” Time will tell if that translates to another championship soon.
