David Ortiz Hails Red Sox 19-Year-Old Prodigy As Future Superstar

Spring training is a great time for young prospects to introduce themselves to their major league fan bases, and this spring has been huge for the visibility of Justin Gonzales.

Only 19 years old, Gonzales turns heads twice when he steps on the field -- first for his sheer size, then for the loud, hard contact he makes when the barrel of his bat connects with the baseball. Whether his future lies at first base or in the outfield, there's little doubt that his raw power will carry him to the majors.

Gonzales' top spring training highlight thus far has to be the 117-mph laser single he hit on March 2 against the Toronto Blue Jays, which Statcast measured as the second-fastest exit velocity of any batted ball of the spring at the time. But the second-best highlight has to be the compliment he just received from the legendary David Ortiz.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

Ortiz gives major props to Gonzales

Ortiz, who knows a thing or two about being a larger-than-life Red Sox slugger, didn't hesitate to throw the word "superstar" around when asked about Gonzales' future.

“Oh my god, he’s a big kid man,” Ortiz told Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. “I hope he stays healthy and continues working extremely hard, I mean, he’s got so many tools to begin to be a superstar.”

Certainly, Gonzales still has a lot to prove if he wants to become a force at the major league level, and Ortiz knows that development isn't always linear. He stressed that Gonzales couldn't get caught up in thinking too many years down the road.

"I was a kid just like that,” Ortiz told Cerullo. “When I was that age I don’t see myself being what I am today, or what I was when I played. You worked at it, you were disciplined, and it’ll take you there. So once you put that together, plus the God-given talent that you get, you can begin to be anything you want, you’ve just got to keep working.”

It's unlikely we see Gonzales make his major league debut in 2026, but this will be a big year for him to put himself in top prospect conversations, while bringing himself a level or two closer to the show. If he ends the year at Double-A, he'll be on pace with where the Red Sox want him, but he could make things very interesting by advancing all the way to Triple-A.