FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox have made a habit of getting extensions done with young players before Opening Day in Craig Breslow’s tenure, locking up Brayan Bello and Ceddanne Rafaela in 2024 and both Garrett Crochet and Kristian Campbell a year ago. Even Roman Anthony, just 46 games into his big league career, signed an eight-year, $130 million deal in August.

It’s very early in spring training — position players aren’t officially due to report until the weekend — but it’s all but certain efforts to extend Boston’s young core will continue before Opening Day. As he does every year, Breslow vowed as such Wednesday in his camp-opening press conference.

“We’re always thinking about trying to identify those cornerstone pieces and preserve them for as long as possible,” Breslow said. “We’ll see if anything is able to get over the line but it’s always something that’s part of our strategy for building a sustainable, winning organization.”

The Red Sox have Crochet, Bello and Ranger Suárez under control through 2030, Campbell and Anthony through 2034 and Rafaela through 2032. Those players are all making significantly less in terms of real money than they count against the CBT (competitive balance tax) threshold in 2025. Eventually, those numbers will even out. For example, in 2030, that group of five players will be due $102 million in cash outlay. Breslow said Wednesday that those future commitments won’t impact the appetite for further deals.

“I think we have to look at each of those in isolation,” he said. “If there are extensions that make sense and if there are players we think we want to keep around for a really long time and there’s something that’s fair for the player and fair for the organization, it’s something we should do.”

The Red Sox enter camp, once again, with some realistic extension candidates who have not yet reached free agency. Jarren Duran, who spent the winter as a trade candidate, has three years left under contract and would seem to be a candidate but the club has never made a meaningful approach in his direction, sources said. The real targets, however, could come in the pre-arbitration bucket of young players.

Right fielder Wilyer Abreu (under control through 2029) is someone the Red Sox might approach about a deal, as is catcher Carlos Narváez, just one year into his big league career. New infielder Caleb Durbin is also making close to the major league minimum after debuting in 2026 but could be a target. Infielder Marcelo Mayer seems unlikely to join his good friend Anthony in the “early contract” club because the Red Sox would like him to prove health — and the ability to get through a full season without injury — before making a substantial financial commitment. The two most interesting extension candidates on the roster are young starting pitchers.

In Connelly Early and Payton Tolle, both of whom the Red Sox made a point to not trade this winter, the Red Sox have two exciting young arms who debuted earlier than expected late last season and are expected to contribute in 2026, even if the rotation logjam pushes both to Triple-A to start the year. Both pitchers have a minuscule amount of service time and therefore will be cheap for years to come. But Breslow has shown a penchant for rewarding players with little (Anthony and Rafaela) or zero (Campbell) big league experience and would be operating under his modus operandi by offering early team-friendly deals to both.

On Wednesday, both lefties said no such talks have occurred to this point. Extension discussions usually pick up late in camp.

“I haven’t spoken at all about that,” Early said. “I think it’s more that I have to be able to go out there and show what I can do for a longer amount of time before that’s even a consideration. Just going out there and doing my thing every day and hopefully I’m in a good spot, come time for spring training games and going into the season.”

Added Tolle: “Not that I know of … I’ve really enjoyed this organization and whatever happens, happens with it. I think that has to do with some higher powers that I try not to worry about. I’ve really enjoyed the Red Sox. Now being a part of this group has been very special to me.”

Both 23-year-olds have undergone some sort of agency change this winter. Early hired a large firm, Excel Baseball, that at the time, also represented Tolle. Tolle said his specific agent is departing Excel to start his own agency and that he planned to go with him.