Red Sox, Brewers Complete Trade Sending Promising Pitching Prospect To Boston

The Quinn Priester deal looks better by the day...

Sep 20, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A detail view of Boston Red Sox hats and gloves at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox made a trade that looked good when it happened in April, and already looks better by May.

On Apr. 7, the Red Sox sent right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for minor league outfielder Yophery Rodriguez, a Competitive Balance Round A pick in the 2025 draft, and a player to be named later.

It looked like great value for Priester, who failed to make the Red Sox's rotation out of spring training, as soon as it happened. And it's looked even better with the context of Rodriguez's hot start at High-A Greenville, where he has an .820 OPS in 19 games.

Now, the trade is finalized with the player to be named later, and the Red Sox have to be excited about the potential he brings.

The Red Sox announced on X (formerly Twitter) that they had acquired right-handed pitching prospect John Holobetz, the Brewers' 2024 fifth-round pick out of Old Dominion University, to complete the return for Priester.

Holobetz, 22, had been pitching for the Brewers' Low-A affiliate, the Carolina Mudcats, and is expected to report to Low-A Salem for the Red Sox. He compiled a 3.00 ERA in 24 1/3 innings so fra this season, striking out 31 and walking just five.

It's not entirely clear whether Holobetz will be a reliever or a starter long-term. He came out of the bullpen in college and had three starts and two multi-inning relief appearances during his brief tenure with Carolina this spring.

Holobetz was not included in MLB Pipeline's most recent Top 30 Brewers prospect rankings.

Priester, meanwhile, has had three rough outings for the Brewers after two strong ones to start his Milwaukee tenure. He owns a 5.79 ERA with 16 walks and 17 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings pitched in a Brewers uniform.

This trade could have been a win for Boston even if Holobetz wasn't included, but if the young righty winds up becoming a piece for the big-league club, it's a deal that could be remembered fondly for many years to come.

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