Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox 25-Year-Old Trade Pickup Is Stealing the Show in Spring Training

Huge velocity bump with over 7 feet of extension???
Jackson Roberts|
Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Jake Bennett (24) during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Jake Bennett (24) during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Boston Red Sox

It's not often that a pitcher can give up an earned run in 1 1/3 innings and draw praise from Boston Red Sox social media, but it happened on Wednesday.

Left-handed pitcher Jake Bennett, who the Red Sox acquired in a peculiar December trade with the Washington Nationals, took to the mound for the first time in a spring game against the Minnesota Twins. And while he gave up an earned run on two singles and a hit-by-pitch, he also showed off some impressive offseason improvements.

With the obvious caveats being that it's still February, and we haven't actually seen much on the field so far, Bennett is building a case to be one of, if not the biggest spring training darling the Red Sox have this season.

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Bennett lights up radar gun on Wednesday

Jake Bennett
Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Detailed view of the jersey of Washington Nationals pitcher Jake Bennett (24) during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

According to Baseball Savant, Bennett reached 97.6 mph with his four-seam fastball on Wednesday. Per Ian Cundall of SoxProspects, his top recorded velocity in the Nationals system last season was 95.8 mph.

Bennett's average fastball velocity was also up a considerable amount even from his stint in last year's Arizona Fall League -- 95.3 mph on Wednesday compared to 93.8 mph in the AFL, per Nat Gordon of WEEI.

The added velocity is even more impressive when considering that Bennett was known as more of a control pitcher early in his prospect days. He's 6-foot-6 and gets over seven feet of extension, so it was obvious when they got him that the Red Sox were looking to help him gain some velo -- mirroring the success they had last season with top prospect Payton Tolle.

It's not just the metrics that support a Bennett breakout, though. Red Sox on SI covered the story of teammates and coaches raving about the 25-year-old last week, including pitching coach Andrew Bailey claiming that some in the facility were calling it a "crazy trade" to be able to land Bennett.

It might be Red Sox fans' last chance to get on the Jake Bennett hype train, so grab a seat while you stil lcan.

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Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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