Minor Notes: Arias promtoed to Portland; Salem and Greenville close out 2025 seasons

The Red Sox are down to two affiliates in the 2025 season, as Salem and Greenville saw their seasons end on Sunday. There were also a few promotions to Portland, including the second-ranked prospect in the system. 

 

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Franklin Arias (pictured, left), currently ranked second here at SoxProspects.com, has been promoted to Double-A Portland. After posting an .804 OPS with Salem, Arias was moved to Greenville and hit .265/.329/.380 in 87 games before receiving the call to Portland. The 19-year old shortstop has played four games with the Sea Dogs so far and is 6 for 20 (.300) with a double and a home run. Alex Speier of the Boston Globe wrote a piece on the promotion, detailing yet another Sox player moving quickly through the farm system. Arias is ranked 23rd nationally at MLB Pipeline. 

 

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Southpaw Noah Dean will make his Double-A debut in the coming days, as he was promoted to Portland after spending the season with Greenville. In 63 1/3 innings with the Drive, Dean posted a 5.68 ERA with 81 strikeouts and 48 walks. Batters hit .219 off him. 

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Nick Sogard and Yhoiker Fajardo were named the SoxProspects.com Player of the Month for August. Sogard hit .348 with a .463 OBP during the month and Fajardo posted a 1.14 ERA with 36 strikeouts. Sogard has since been called up to Boston and delivered a clutch go-ahead two-run double in the ninth inning of Boston's victory over the Diamondbacks on Sunday. Read more about Sogard and Fajardo's Augusts here. 

 

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Neither Salem or Greenville made the postseason and played their final games on Sunday. For Salem, Sunday's win will be the franchise's final game with the Salem Red Sox name, as they will be rebranding in the offseason. They have been the Salem Red Sox since 2009, after a lengthy stint from 1995-2008 as the Salem Avalanche, when they were affiliated with the Colorado Rockies and the Houston Astros. 

 

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Left-handed pitcher Chris Murphy has been recalled from Worcester to replace Jordan Hicks, who was played on the injured list. Murphy has been good with Boston this year, posting a 3.04 ERA in 23 2/3 innings. 

 

Jonathan Brand, who has bounced around levels all year, is back in Portland for his fourth different stint this year. He has a 3.02 ERA in 50 2/3 innings across three different levels in 2025. 

 

Right-handed pitchers Zach Bryant and Jedixon Paez were both placed on the 7-day injured list. Paez, who is currently ranked 17th in the system, has battled injuries all season and has only appeared in seven games in 2025. He pitched well in those seven outings with a 2.79 ERA, 23 strikeouts, and just three walks in 19 1/3 frames. Bryant has a 6.14 ERA, 50 strikeouts, and 21 walks in 48 1/3 innings with Worcester. 

 

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Jorge Alfaro and the Nationals agreed to a Major League contract. He has appeared in three games for Washington so far and is 3 for 8 with a double. Alfaro spent time with the Red Sox in 2023 when he appeared in eighth games for Boston. He was great for Worcester that season, hitting .320/.366/.520 with 13 doubles and six home runs in 43 games. 

 

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6 G, 19 AB, 6 H, 2 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 5 R, 4 BB, 6 K, .316/.435/.895

 

Hickey (pictured, right) had one of his best weeks of the year, especially in the power department with 16 total bases. The 25-year old left-handed hitter is batting .235/.325/.413 with 20 doubles, two triples, and 16 home runs in 116 games for the WooSox this year. He has basically split his time at first base and DH in 2025, although he has caught 26 innings as well. Hickey has been in the Sox system since 2021 when he was selected in the fifth round out of Florida. 

 

1 G, 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K, 1.50 ERA

 

In just his six start with Worcester, Early set a new career-high in strikeouts with 10. After pitching to a 2.51 ERA across 71 2/3 frames with the Sea Dogs, Early has continued to be great with Worcester. In six starts with the club, he has tossed 28 2/3 innings with a 2.83 ERA, 36 strikeouts, 11 walks, and a 1.05 WHIP. The lefty was drafted in the fifth round back in 2023 out of Virginia and is currently ranked eighth here at SoxProspects.com.