Red Sox 22-Year-Old Flamethrower Wins Award To Cap Off Breakout Season

At this time a year ago, Payton Tolle was a complete unknown in the Boston Red Sox's system.

Selected 50th overall in last summer's Major League Baseball Draft, Tolle didn't throw his first professional pitch until this spring. What followed was a rise through the minor-league system that even Payton Tolle couldn't have seen coming.

After dominating hitters at three levels of the minors, beginning at High-A Greenville, Tolle found himself making his big-league debut at the end of August. He's still hoping to impact the pennant push after being moved to the bullpen, but on Monday, he earned some well-deserved recognition for what he'd already accomplished.

Payton Tolle named Red Sox's MiLB Player of the Year

Baseball America named Tolle its Red Sox minor-league player of the year, and Alex Speier (also a Red Sox reporter for the Boston Globe) delivered a synopsis of why the 22-year-old was chosen for the recognition.

"When the Red Sox drafted lefthander in the second round in 2024, they saw a pitcher with fascinating physical and delivery traits as well as immense room for growth," Speier wrote. "But even they underestimated how quickly the growth would occur—and how rapidly Tolle would forge a path through their system in his first full professional season."

"Across 91.2 minor league innings at three levels, Tolle had a 3.04 ERA and 37% strikeout rate. He became the first Red Sox starter to reach the big leagues in his first full pro season since Abe Alvarez in 2004. The Red Sox believe Tolle will be a key part of their rotation."

In the big leagues, Tolle's work has been a bit more uneven. He's had two great outings and three shaky ones, adding up to a 6.28 ERA in 14 1/3 innings. The flamethrower has punched out 17 batters, but also allowed four home runs.

Boston's pitching development system has been steadily progressing, and Tolle is this year's crown jewel. With Kyle Harrison, Connelly Early, and Hunter Dobbins joining Tolle among pitchers who made their Red Sox debuts this season, the future of the rotation is looking awfully promising.

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