Red Sox's Surging 20-Year-Old Prospect Putting MLB Teammates On Notice

Will this power barrage ever stop?

May 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; A Boston Red Sox hat and glove sit in the dug out before a game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox have 14 home runs on the season, tied for the worst mark in Major League Baseball. But that doesn't mean everyone in the organization is scuffling at the plate.

Top infield prospect Franklin Arias, who MLB Pipeline ranked as the No. 26 farmhand in all of baseball at the start of this season, is going gangbusters. On Thursday night, the 20-year-old hit his sixth home run in his last seven games, bringing his season OPS at Double-A up to 1.452.

Perhaps it's unwise to get carried away with a brief stretch of dominance in the minor leagues, but the timing of Arias' hot streak feels significant on many levels. At a time when the entire Boston infield is underperforming (excluding first base), Arias should have the likes of Trevor Story, Marcelo Mayer, and even Caleb Durbin hearing footsteps.

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

Arias' MLB opportunities coming soon?

Greenville Drive infielder Franklin Arias (19) blows a bubble Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 during the MiLB baseball game against the Hub City Spartanburgers at Fifth Third Park in Spartanburg, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Trevor Story, the Red Sox's 33-year-old starting shortstop, is batting .186 with a .514 OPS so far this season, and has negative-2 outs above average on defense. He's under contract through the end of next season, so despite his leadership and brief offensive resurgence last season, it's obvious that a succession plan is needed.

That puts Arias in something of a competition with 23-year-old Marcelo Mayer to become the full-time shortstop by 2028, though both could certainly secure spots in the everyday lineup. Mayer, who has had four straight years of injury issues, owns a .623 OPS in 21 major league games so far this season.

Of the three, Arias might be the best present-day defender at shortstop, and even if he couldn't be expected to hit like this against major league pitching any time soon, it's obvious that he's making serious strides with the bat.

Durbin, the starting third baseman who was acquired in a trade from the Milwaukee Brewers in February, owns a shocking .435 OPS in 23 games after a solid rookie campaign last year that included a third-place Rookie of the Year finish.

If the 9-16 Red Sox continue to play a deeply uninspiring brand of baseball, highlighted by sloppy infield play, it's conceivable that Arias could reach the majors by the end of the year. But 2027 is likely when the real competition begins between this conglomerate of infielders to see whose bat and glove will warrant consistent playing time.