If you were to have Braiden Ward and Usain Bolt (at his peak) race, some Boston Red Sox fans may say that the former would have a chance to win that matchup. As hyperbolic as that sounds, that’s just how exciting Ward has looked while on the basepaths this spring. Nearly halfway through march, Ward has taken advantage of the ample playing created by virtue of the Red Sox having so many players (including all the outfielders expected to be on the Opening Day roster) participating in the World Baseball Classic.

As of this writing, Ward has appeared in 15 games and managed to utilize his speed to produce otherworldly numbers; he’s hitting .448/.543/.483, good for a 180 wRC+. Using his speed to get on base, Ward has immediately shown the kind of threat he can be on the basepaths, racking up 16 stolen bases, including two during Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers. With those 16 stolen bases, Ward leads all of baseball during spring training and it isn’t close — Jared Oliva of the San Francisco Giants currently sits in second place with seven. 

Entering the 2021 Draft, Ward was viewed as not just the best athlete out of the Pacific Northwest, but very likely the fastest player in the entire draft class. Dating back to his 2019 season in the Cape Cod League, Ward had been clocked at 6.20 seconds for a 60-yard dash. When he was running out of the box, he would regularly post times between 4.0 and 4.1 seconds. If he began running mid-swing, his times typically clocked in between 3.8 and 3.9 seconds. In conclusion, he’s fast. Ward himself proves that the old adage “speed makes errors” is absolutely correct with how he’s terrorized teams on the basepaths this spring. 

Ward was acquired for Brennan Bernardino in what many viewed as a trade with the Colorado Rockies to simply clear up a 40-man roster spot. Now, with his performance so far in spring training, Ward may be earning a long-term place within the organization.

The outfielder may not have much power (just one double in 29 at-bats this spring), but his game was never built around being a slugger. Instead, he’s known for his contact skills thanks to a short swing that is direct to the ball. Each time he comes to bat, he attempts to put the ball in play and let his speed create chaos, something he’s been able to do this spring.

Prior to being traded, Ward had spent five seasons in the Rockies organization, appearing in 414 games and hitting .275/.395/.382 with 53 doubles, 18 triples, 14 home runs and 118 RBIs. He also stole 211 bases during that span, including 57 just in 2025.

Ward isn’t just about his speed, capable of playing great defense in center field as well. Since being drafted, he’s showcased defensive versatility as he’s been able to play all three outfield positions along with some second base and third base. With the Red Sox, he’ll likely stick to just the outfield with Worcester barring injuries, since his speed and athleticism help him display great range on the grass.

Though he’s not quite a big-league caliber hitter just yet, Ward is very much a candidate to help the team down the stretch, much like fellow outfielder Nate Eaton did last year. Given Ward’s speed, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see him on the major-league roster once they expand to 28 players in September. His speed is so valuable to have at a moment’s notice, and he would fill the same role the likes of Quintin Berry and Dave Roberts provided in the playoffs: a speedster off the bench to put pressure on the opposing team late in the game.

Someone like Ward could be a weapon off the bench that could impact games even without getting an at-bat. Between his speed and defense, Ward is the kind of player teams look for once September, and more importantly, October, roll around. Indispensable with the different combinations they provide to a manager in the late game, his presence would give the Red Sox another path to generating runs if the offense is stagnating.

Ward is going to spend most of the year with Worcester, but don’t be surprised when his name is announced as an eventual call-up. It may not be for a long stint, but seeing him run around the outfield grass and bases at Fenway Park will be a highlight for fans in 2026.