Red Sox catcher: Prospect (up to 96.3 mph) had hitters ‘really late’ in gem (2024)

BOSTON — Red Sox prospect Richard Fitts’ four-seam fastball averaged 94.4 mph and topped out at 96.3 mph when he took a perfect game bid into the eighth inning May 29 for Triple-A Worcester against Charlotte.

It marked the 24-year-old righty’s second best average fastball velocity (and second best max velo) in 11 outings (10 starts) this season.

“It’s hard to notice (an uptick in velocity) really when you’re catching him,” said WooSox catcher Tyler Heineman, who’s on Boston’s 40-man roster and caught Fitts’ bid for perfection. “You look up at the board and you can see the velocity, kind of see where he’s at but nothing really stood out from that perspective to me. It’s just more the command of all his stuff and being able to throw any pitch in any count was really nice.”

Fitts insists he has better command of his fastball the harder he throws it. And so it’s unsurprising his best start coincided with an uptick in velocity. He also allowed just one run in 5 innings May 23 when he had his best average velocity (94.6 mph) and top max velocity (96.7 mph) this season, although he did have three walks in that start.

“That’s one of the first things I talked about with the Red Sox — was my fastball is my best when I throw it harder,” Fitts said back in January. “Over 95 (mph), I threw it in better zones, I was commanding it better and I had more success with it. So for me, it’s all about trying to throw over 95 mph. I’m trying to get my average velo up.”

Boston acquired Fitts along with pitchersGreg WeissertandNicholas Judicefrom theYankees in exchange for Alex Verdugo on Dec. 5. Baseball America ranks him Boston’s No. 7 prospect on its Top 30. MassLive ranked him No. 11 in the system entering 2024.

His perfect game bid ended when he allowed an eighth-inning leadoff single to Charlotte’s Oscar Colás.

He landed 65 of his 82 pitches (79.3%) for strikes and recorded 15 swings-and-misses: seven with his four-seam fastball, five with his changeup and three with his slider.

“I thought he did a really good job of being able to mix his pitches and throw all of them for strikes,” Heineman said. “So throw his cutter for a strike, throw the gyro slider, the sweeper. Mix in some changeups. And then his fastball he was able to throw late in the count and basically use it as a surprise pitch even though it’s a very solid pitch. So guys were really late. He did a really good job of being able to mix in the zone.”

Fitts has a 4.02 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 45 strikeouts and 20 walks in his 11 outings (10 starts). His walks are up this season. He has averaged 3.4 per nine innings compared to 2.3 in his minor league career.

Heineman on Zach Penrod: ‘Gamer’

The WooSox placed left-handed starter Zach Penrod on the 7-day injured list Sunday with left shin inflammation. The Red Sox are “hopeful” his IL stint will be “short term,” a club official said.

Boston promoted Penrod to Worcester on May 26 after he went 4-0 with a 2.80 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 53 strikeouts, 13 walks and .183 batting average against in seven starts (35 ⅓ innings) at Double-A Portland.

Heineman discussed catching Penrod’s first Triple-A start. The lefty went 4 scoreless innings and pitched around five hits and two walks while striking out five against Charlotte on May 30. He threw 39-four-seam fastballs, averaging 94.5 mph and topping out at 97.0 mph.

“First time catching him so I have to be able to kind of get to know him a little bit more but initially I think (he’s a) gamer,” Heineman said. “A guy who likes to go after hitters, has a good fastball. A good changeup as well. He’ll throw his changeup to lefties, which I like as a catcher calling a game. And I know he’s working on his sweeper and it’s getting better. I like his competitiveness. I like his fire. So I’m really looking forward to catching him more.”

Boston signed Penrod out of the independent Pioneer League last Aug. 16. He went on to post a 2.18 ERA (20 ⅔ innings, five earned runs) in four regular season starts for High-A Greenville, then made four starts for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League. He led all AFL starters in ERA (1.29).

Heineman called Penrod’s story “awesome.”

“The MLB draft is just one little stepping stone in baseball,” Heineman said. “You see a lot of first rounders that don’t pan out. You see 40th-rounders — well, now there’s only 20 rounds — that become big league All-Stars. So it’s just a moment in time, I think. And it’s based off of maybe your talent level at that point and where you go to college a lot (of times). And some luck and circ*mstances. But it can’t measure your character or your heart or your determination. There are a lot of people who have amazing stories. We have one in here — (Cam) Booser. He’s got an amazing story. They come in all different shapes and sizes and I think it’s awesome.”

Penrod does need to improve his command. He has seven walks in 8 innings at Worcester after averaging 3.3 walks per nine innings at Portland.

Yoeilin Cespedes earns FCL Player of the Week

Red Sox shortstop/second base prospect Yoeilin Cespedes was named Florida Complex League Player of the Week.

MassLiveranked the 18-year-old No. 7 on itsTop 25 Red Sox prospect listentering 2024. Baseball Americaranks him Boston’s No. 6 prospect andwrote last July 11, “Already, Cespedes looks like one of the top hitting prospects to come through the organization’s academy since Rafael Devers a decade ago.”

The right-handed hitter is 23-for-73 (.315 batting average) with a .393 on-base percentage, .616 slugging percentage, 1.009 OPS, four homers, eight doubles, one triple, 22 RBIs, 16 runs, three steals, nine walks and 13 strikeouts in 20 games.