Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox May Have Found Future Ace In 22-Year-Old 2nd-Round Pick

And it couldn't be coming at a better time...
Jackson Roberts|
TCU Horned Frogs utility Payton Tolle (49) pitches in the second inning of the Texas LonghornsÕ game against the TCU Horned Frogs at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Friday, April 19, 2024.
TCU Horned Frogs utility Payton Tolle (49) pitches in the second inning of the Texas LonghornsÕ game against the TCU Horned Frogs at UFCU Disch-Falk Field, Friday, April 19, 2024. | Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

In this story:

Boston Red Sox

The Major League Baseball draft is always hectic, but in 2024, it appears the Boston Red Sox may have found themselves a winner.

The Red Sox have already traded their first-round pick from this past summer, shipping outfielder Braden Montgomery to the Chicago White Sox in the deal for new ace Garrett Crochet. That puts even more pressure on the team's second-rounder, left-handed pitcher Payton Tolle.

Tolle was a two-way player in college, eventually struggling enough at the plate during the 2024 season at Texas Christian University that his choice became clear to pursue pitching professionally. But now that he's focusing on pitching full-time, the results have been staggering.

The 22-year-old Tolle had a bad first start this season, allowing six earned runs in 1 2/3 innings. In three starts since, though, he's gone 13 innings, allowed only one earned run, and struck out 26 batters.

Forget the stats for a moment, though. Highlight clips of Tolle's outings for High-A Greenville have been lighting up Red Sox social media in recent weeks. The 6-foot-6, 250-pounder is devastating hitters with a fastball in the 95-mile-per-hour range, a filthy slider, and all sorts of visual trickery.

According to top prospect evaluator Chris Clegg on X (formerly Twitter), Tolle threw one 98-mph fastball on Sunday that had a ridiculous 7 feet, 10 inches of extension. That means he actually released the ball less than 53 feet from the plate, though the mound stands 60 feet, six inches away.

To put things in perspective, Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman, who has always been known for his elite extension, averages between 7-foot-3 and 7-foot-4 worth of extension this season. If Tolle can make that anything close to his norm, he'll be one of the toughest pitchers to read in all of baseball.

The Red Sox's farm system has been considered much stronger on the position player side than the pitching side for several years now. Tolle could not only help to turn that perception around, but if he keeps this up, he'll be a crucial piece of Boston's future rotation.

More MLB: Mookie Betts, Chris Sale Make Red Sox Admission That Will Leave Fans Longing For 2018

Published
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

Home/Boston Red Sox Prospects