On Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox announced they had optioned one of their promising pitching prospects to minor league camp.
Hunter Dobbins, 25, is the Red Sox' No. 13 prospect on MLB Pipeline. Christopher Smith of MassLive reports on X that the right-hander will likely begin 2025 at Triple-A Worcester.
Boston Red Sox roster moves: Pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins is eighth cut from MLB camp, likely to begin season at Triple-A Worcester after being optioned to minor league camp
The Red Sox selected Dobbins in the eighth round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft from Texas Tech University. He made two appearances for Boston during spring training, allowing three earned runs, including two home runs, in four innings.
In 2024, the starting pitcher threw 105 innings with Double-A Portland and 20.2 with Triple-A Worcester. Across the two levels, Dobbins posted a 3.08 ERA in 25 starts. He finished 2024 with 120 strikeouts, or 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings.
Dobbins was one of two prospects in the organization added to the 40-man roster to protect him from November's Rule 5 Draft. The move indicated the Red Sox think highly of Dobbins, a native of Bryan, Texas.
The club named Dobbins the 2024 Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year. His MLB Pipeline bio reads that his fastball sits between 93-98 mph despite undergoing Tommy John Surgery in March 2021. The injury made him miss his junior season with the Red Raiders at Texas Tech.
In addition to his fastball, Dobbins mixes in a sinker, changeup, slider, splinker, and curveball.
"Scouts worry about the effort in his funky mechanics, though it adds deception without harming his control," Dobbin's MLB Pipeline bio reads. "There's a good chance he can become a No. 4 starter, and he should help Boston in the near future."
If Dobbins performs well with Triple-A Worcester, he may receive the opportunity to make his MLB debut with the Red Sox at some point in 2025.
