Former Red Sox Prospect ‘Raising Eyebrows’ At Spring Training

Bryan Mata not long ago was viewed as the best pitching prospect for the Boston Red Sox.

Now, the talented right-hander is trying to show the Red Sox this spring training that he still deserves a spot in the organization and can make an impact at some point at the big-league level.

Mata, 25, took a big step toward doing that this week when he was lights out during a 20-pitch living batting practice session at JetBlue Park. According to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and Peter Abraham, Mata struck out Conor Wong, Alex Bregman and Carlos Narváez before getting Rafael Devers to fly out.

That showing certainly was encouraging to Red Sox brass.

“Mata’s fastball sat at 97 miles per hour and hit 98, raising the eyebrows of the Sox executives who were present,” Speier and Abraham wrote.

Mata experienced a turbulent time in the organization, including last season when he spent most of the season on the injured list and made just 11 appearances in the minors. The Red Sox ultimately designated Mata for assignment in November before bringing him back on a minor-league contract a month later.

It was in April 2023 that SoxProspects.com ranked Mata as the fifth-best prospect in Boston’s farm system. He overcame Tommy John surgery, which required him to miss the entire 2021 season, and delivered a promising 2022 campaign with Double-A Portland by tallying a 5-2 record with a 1.85 ERA to go along with 58 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings.

Mata then struggled with injuries in 2023 and made just nine appearances with Triple-A Worcester.

Mata is expected to begin the upcoming season with Worcester, according to Speier and Abraham, but he certainly bears watching going forward.

“We’ll see where it takes us with him,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters last week, per The Globe. “He had a lot of ability.”