How top Red Sox prospect’s fastball has become ‘something amazing’

That extra year of control would be significant considering the potential he’s showing right now. Through three starts since being recalled from the WooSox on April 23, Tolle has a 2.04 ERA, 2.03 expected ERA, .117 opponents’ batting average and 34.3% strikeout percentage.

But it also would be difficult to justify demoting Tolle to Worcester and keeping Brayan Bello (7.44 ERA) in the rotation if Tolle continues this. Bello did, however, pitch well Tuesday, tossing seven strong innings after entering the game in the second inning following opener Jovani Morán.

Tolle’s success looks much more sustainable for him this season if he were to remain in the major leagues because he’s relying less often on his four-seam fastball. His secondary pitches have taken a step forward and he’s more confident throwing them in the strike zone. As a result, his fastball has become elite.

In 2025, he threw his four-seam fastball 64.1% of the time. Opponents went 13 for 46 (.283) with four home runs and a .565 slugging percentage against it.

This year, he has thrown it 46.3% of the time, and opponents are 2-for-32 (.063) with one home run and a .156 slugging percentage against it.

His fastball has always received much hype. On the 20-80 grading scale, Baseball America grades Tolle’s heater an 80 (top of the scale) and MLB Pipeline grades it a 70 (well above average).

“His fastball is something amazing,” minor league catcher Ronald Rosario said through translator Carlos Villoria Benítez in March. “He throws 96, 97 but it feels like 100 because of his extension. So it’s crazy to see him .... and how good his fastball is because of that.”

The pitch is finally playing like something amazing in the big leagues. It wasn’t that way in seven outings last year despite him reaching 100.8 mph with it.

“If he can land the breaking ball, land the changeup in the zone and make them honor offspeed — then the 98 with the really good extension that jumps on the hitters, it plays up even more,” interim manager Chad Tracy explained.

Tracy said Tolle’s primary focus at Worcester was on his secondary pitches. Pitching coach Dan DeLucia and bullpen coach Noah Junis stressed being aggressive in the zone with Tolle’s secondaries.

Tracy said the focus wasn’t about adding more depth and movement to those pitches.

“It’s like, ‘The secondary is there. We need to land it,’” Tracy said.

Tolle’s curveball has become a true weapon to right-handed hitters, inducing whiffs with it down in the zone. He has thrown his curveball 33 times, including 30 times to righties. Opponents have swung at it 21 times, resulting in 11 swings and misses (52.4%).

He has used his changeup primarily against right-handed batters, while his cutter has played against both lefties and righties — generating swings and misses when thrown inside to right-handers.

Opponents are a combined 0 for 16 against his cutter, curveball and changeup.

Tracy said Tolle is in full command when he throws his offspeed pitches in the zone — pairing them with his “electric” fastball.

Tolle ranks in the 98th percentile in extension (7.3 feet) down the mound, making his fastball look even faster.

He has thrown 113 four-seam fastballs, averaging 96.1 mph. But he has an average perceived velocity of 97.7 mph, making it look 1.6 mph faster than in actuality.

“If you’re a hitter that has to honor 98 with ride and jump in the zone and you also have to honor that he can land a breaking ball and changeup,” Tracy said. “It was mostly about that: Let’s get to the comfortability of like we can land these pitches in the zone whenever we need to, even if we’re behind the count.”

Arias named Eastern League Player of the Month

Red Sox top positional prospect Franklin Arias was named Eastern League Player of the Month for April.

The 20-year-old went 27 for 72 (.375) with a .432 on-base percentage, .764 slugging percentage and 1.196 OPS in 20 games.

He led the league in slugging and OPS, finished second in average, third in home runs (eight), fourth in hits (27), and fifth in RBIs (20).

Arias crushed seven homers in nine games for Double-A Portland from April 14-25.

“I’ve never seen anything like that in a short period of time where he was driving the ball to all parts of the field and putting himself in good counts,” former Portland manager Chad Epperson said.

That home run stretch included a walk-off pinch-hit two-run home run to give Portland a 4-3 win in Epperson’s final game managing the Sea Dogs before being promoted to Red Sox interim third base coach.

Campbell homers off Rodón

Kristian Campbell homered Tuesday off Carlos Rodón, who’s on a rehab assignment for the Yankees.

Campbell connected on an 85.2 mph slider and sent it 423 feet to center field with a 102.7 mph exit velocity. He helped Worcester beat Scranton/Wilkes-Barre 7-6.

The 23-year-old Campbell went 3 for 4. He’s batting .291 with a .397 on-base percentage, .398 slugging percentage and .795 OPS in 28 games.

Garcia blasts 463-foot home run

Johanfran Garcia, a Red Sox 21-year-old catching prospect, blasted a 463-foot, 114 mph home run in Double-A Portland’s 3-2 loss to New Hampshire on Tuesday.

Garcia returned last season after he missed more than a year because of torn ligaments in his knee.

He’s only 7 for 35 (.200) but he’s slugging .571 with four home runs in nine games.

Cespedes’ stock rising again

Baseball America ranked Yoeilin Cespedes Boston’s No. 6 prospect entering 2025. But he had a disappointing season offensively and entered 2026 ranked Boston’s No. 19 prospect.

The 20-year-old middle infielder went 3 for 6 in High-A Greenville’s 11-9 loss to Greensboro on Tuesday. He’s batting .311 with a .378 on-base percentage, .594 slugging percentage, .972 OPS, six home runs, 12 doubles and 20 RBIs in 25 games.

Azocar bashes his fifth home run

Enddy Azocar went 3 for 5 with a home run in Low-A Salem’s 12-4 win over Delmarva on Tuesday.

Baseball America ranks Azocar, a 19-year-old outfielder from Venezuela, Boston’s No. 12 prospect. He’s batting .295 with a .348 on-base percentage, .533 slugging percentage, .881 OPS, five home runs, eight doubles, one triple and 18 RBIs in 25 games for Salem.

More On Red Sox Prospects

• Red Sox two-way prospect (SS/RHP) belts first two pro homers; Henry Godbout doubles twice
• Red Sox coach on star prospect Franklin Arias: ‘I’ve never seen anything like that’
• Red Sox prospect (0.86 ERA) likely to make MLB debut Friday vs. Astros
• Red Sox prospect has ‘something to prove’ on his wolf path journey after going undrafted
• Red Sox teenage prospect who’s 6-6, 260-pounds blasts grand slam in three-hit game

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