Bleacher Report Identifies Red Sox’s Breakout Prospect For 2026

Among the most exciting aspects of the Boston Red Sox’s current situation is that they are flush with young talent. Even after trading away some excellent young arms this offseason to enhance their win-now capacity, the Red Sox maintain one of MLB’s most intriguing farm systems.

The emergence of Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Payton Tolle, and Connelly Early in 2025 made for a wealth of evidence as to Boston’s embarrassment of prospect ritches.

That’s what makes it a difficult task to predict who will be the next Red Sox prospect to break out. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter set himself to such a task on Tuesday when he decided to identify a single breakout prospect candidate for each MLB franchise in 2026.

When it came to the Red Sox, Reuter landed on 18-year-old outfielder Justin Gonzales, who is currently ranked the No. 5 prospect in the organization behind only Franklin Arias (No. 1), Tolle, Kyson Witherspoon, and Early.

The Big Dog ATE today.

Boston Red Sox prospect Justin Gonzales went 3-for-6 with a walk and two doubles in Single-A today. He even threw in a ????️????

The 18-year-old is slashing .302/.385/.429 with 23 doubles, two triples, and four home runs with Salem. pic.twitter.com/TkkRkcOAWQ

— Hunter Noll (@Hunter_Noll) August 24, 2025

“After a stellar pro debut in the Dominican Summer League, Gonzales made his way stateside in 2025 and hit .298/.381/.423 with 29 extra-base hits in 81 games at Single-A before getting a taste of High-A to close out the year,” Reuter wrote. “With a 6’4″, 210-pound frame and a 55-hit, 55-power offensive profile, he has only scratched the surface of his long-term potential.”

Gonzales signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent on January 15, 2024, for a $250,000 bonus. His scouting report from MLB.com is sure to excite Red Sox fans:

“Surprisingly athletic and agile for his size, Gonzales presently can flash average speed but figures to slow down some as he continues to get bigger. He surprisingly has spent most of 2025 in center field, though his range is stretched there. He might be able to get the job done on the corners, and at worst, should be an average defender at first base in the long run. He also drew interest from pro teams as a pitcher, running his fastball into the mid-90s as an amateur, and he still maintains plus-plus arm strength.”