With Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony officially graduated to the majors, the Boston Red Sox’ farm system is no longer among MLB’s best. Still, there are several Sox prospects worthy of your attention in 2026.

Two of Boston’s top prospects — left-handers Payton Tolle and Connelly Early — debuted in 2025. Although they saw mixed results in their first taste of the majors, both have All-Star ceilings and should be key big-league contributors as soon as next season.

Beyond Tolle and Early, there are a handful of talented prospects looking to become household names. NBC Sports Boston recently caught up with Ian Cundall of SoxProspects.com, who shared his expert insight on Tolle, Early, and other intriguing prospects Red Sox fans will want to keep tabs on this year.

Here’s a breakdown of each, including three Red Sox prospects you can rate in our annual 20 Under 25 voting contest:

Top prospects to watch

Payton Tolle, LHP

SoxProspects.com ranking: No. 1

“I expect him to start in the minors this year, where he’ll continue to refine his secondaries. But he’s one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in baseball. I understand the season didn’t end how people wanted, but you have to remember, this is a guy who made his pro debut last year and made it to the big leagues in his first pro season. That’s pretty crazy when you think of it that way. …

“I expect him to take a really big step forward. We saw how much he progressed last offseason, and if he can do anything close to that this year, watch out. That’s a potential mid-rotation-to-better pitching prospect right there.” — SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall on Payton Tolle.

Tolle experienced some growing pains during his brief MLB stint last season with a 6.06 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in seven appearances (three starts). You can throw those numbers out the window.

The 6-foot-6, 250-pounder boasts an elite high-90s fastball and an above-average slider that helps him rack up the strikeouts. He punched out 133 hitters across 91.2 innings in the minors last season, and if his secondary pitches continue to improve, he could develop into a mid-rotation starter or a high-end reliever as soon as this year.

Tolle was a second-round draft pick out of TCU in 2024. He began the 2025 season in High-A and was called up to the majors in late August. The 23-year-old should be given the benefit of the doubt for his rough start in the majors, and he could end up being one of Boston’s most important pieces by the end of 2026.

Connelly Early, LHP

SoxProspects.com ranking: No. 3

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he opened the season in the rotation. If not, he’ll be up in short order if they need a starter.” — SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall on Connelly Early.

While Tolle struggled in his first MLB stint, Early made a name for himself. The 23-year-old posted a 2.33 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across his first four big-league starts and earned enough respect to start Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees.

Early doesn’t have much left to prove in the minors, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him earn the No. 5 starter spot or a bullpen role out of spring training. He’ll compete with Tolle, Johan Oviedo, Kutter Crawford, and Patrick Sandoval for that No. 5 slot.

Kyson Witherspoon, RHP

SoxProspects.com ranking: No. 4

“He’s someone who was really highly regarded in the draft, seen as one of the top two or three right-handed pitching prospects in the draft. … I think he’s someone who, if he gets off to a strong start or looks like how we expect him to, I can see him rising up the ranks very quickly.” – SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall on Kyson Witherspoon.

Oklahoma baseball head coach Skip Johnson explains why he thinks Red Sox 2025 first-round pick Kyson Witherspoon could make the majors by 2026.

The Red Sox selected Witherpoon out of Oklahoma with the 15th pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. He’ll make his pro debut in 2026, and some (including his OU coach Skip Johnson) believe he could take a page out of Tolle’s book and make his MLB debut later in the year.

Witherspoon notched a 2.65 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with 124 strikeouts and only 23 walks across 95 innings (16 starts) in his lone season with the Sooners. He pairs his high-90s fastball with a filthy cutter, and his mid-80s slider helps him rack up the Ks. If the changeup improves, Witherspoon could develop into a top-of-the-rotation arm.

Juan Valera, RHP

SoxProspects.com ranking: No. 5

“Throws 101. Surprisingly good control. He only had 10 walks in 38 innings last year, which, when you’re an 18-year-old pitching in High-A throwing 100-plus, that’s actually really impressive.

“Secondaries need some work, but it’s a good body. He throws really hard. He missed a decent amount of time last year with elbow soreness but came back at the end of the season, had a couple good starts. I think he’s someone who could really take a step forward in 2026.” — SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall on Juan Valera.

Valera has the stuff to ascend through the minor-league ranks quickly. The 19-year-old consistently touches 100 mph with his fastball and, unlike many pitchers his age with elite velocity, has solid command.

This year will be the true test for Valera, who missed most of the 2025 campaign with elbow soreness. If he looks more like he did in 2024, when he had a 1.99 ERA and 0.85 WHIP across his first 18 pro outings, it won’t be long before Valera makes himself a household name amongst Sox fans.

Breakout candidates

Henry Godbout, 2B/SS

SoxProspects.com ranking: No. 11

“Really polished hitter. If they can add some bat speed here, I think there could be some pop, and he’s someone who, if — given the underlying contact metrics he has — if he can add a little impact, could rise up these ranks pretty quickly. I think internally, they’re very high on him.” – SoxProspect.com’s Ian Cundall on Henry Godbout.

We got a quick glimpse at Godbout last season after he was selected in the second round of the 2025 draft out of Virginia. The 22-year-old infielder slashed .341/.473/.477 with six doubles across his first 13 professional games.

At Virginia, Godbout was one of the best contact hitters in college baseball. He hit .309 last season with the Cavaliers and had an elite strikeout-to-walk ratio (19 SO/26 BB).

Enddy Azocar, OF

SoxProspects.com ranking: No. 19

“The underlying data is fantastic. He played the entire season at 18, he’s super young for the level. Really high EVs (exit velocities), good contact rates. He’s a really good athlete, and I’ve heard really good things about how his offseason has gone. He’s someone I think could be primed for a really big breakout in 2026.” – SoxProspects.com’s Ian Cundall on Enddy Azocar.

Azocar’s 2025 numbers don’t jump off the page. The 18-year-old slashed .232/.302/.355 with six homers and 31 RBI in 85 games between rookie ball and Low-A. But if you look underneath the hood, you’ll see that all signs point toward an Azocar breakout in 2026.

The 6-foot-2, 170-pound outfielder is an impressive athlete with above-average speed and a solid glove, though he still has plenty of room to improve at the plate. The power numbers should increase as he continues to fill out his frame, and when he does, he could quickly surge into the top 10.