Kudrna hasn’t put it together as a prospect yet, but he’s got some impressive secondaries. Unfortunately, his fastball isn’t overpowering enough to make up for inconsistent command. Last season, he had a 5.30 ERA and 4.22 FIP in 24 appearances. His walks per nine was 4.3 and, while he struck out 22.9% of batters, he struggled missing bats in general.
Perhaps a change of scenery benefits him, as well as joining forces with Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey, who has a reputation for elevating the stuff of those he works with.
Lastly, Ramirez gives the Red Sox a mid-minors catching prospect similar to the previous proposal with Mitchell. In A-Ball last year, he slashed .244/.339/.442 with 11 home runs and a 120 wRC+ in 70 games.
He’s projected to open the season in Double-A as well, according to FanGraphs. So, while not as far along in his development as Mitchell, still serves as a potential option later in the season.
Catcher isn’t as urgent a need as it became last season for Boston, who returns Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong in 2026. However, after Delay in Triple-A, it gets pretty bleak.
Trade Package No. 3
Royals Get: OF Jarren Duran, LHP Kyle Harrison, and IF David Hamilton
Red Sox Get: LHP Kris Bubic and C Carter Jensen
Trade package No. 3 becomes a bit more involved, as there becomes real debate as to who the best player moved is. In 2026, that is still likely Duran. However, looking at 2027 and beyond, Jensen could be in the running for best catcher in the AL.