Sunday’s blockbuster trade that dealt Rafael Devers to the Giants sent shockwaves through the baseball industry.
In trading a star hitter in the middle of his prime at 28 years old, the Red Sox received right-hander Jordan Hicks, lefty Kyle Harrison, outfielder James Tibbs III (Giants No. 4 prospect at the time of the deal) and righty Jose Bello. Hicks figures to take on a major role on Boston’s staff, while Harrison looks like both a short and long-term option with the Red Sox. But what about the pair of prospects the Red Sox received?
Here’s a look at Tibbs and Bello and what their future outlook is.
James Tibbs III, OF
Pipeline ranking: No. 6 on Red Sox’s Top 30 list
Pipeline scouting report: Scouts considered Tibbs the third-best offensive prospect in Georgia's 2021 class behind first-rounder Brady House and Harry Ford, but his bat-over-athlete profile sent him to Florida State rather than pro ball. He improved throughout his college career and slashed .363/.488/.777 in 2024 while leading the Seminoles to the Men's College World Series and earning Atlantic Coast Conference player and scholar-athlete of the year honors. The Giants signed him for $4,747,500 as the 13th overall pick last July.
Tibbs offered one of the best combinations of swing decisions and hard contact in the Draft. He has a smooth left-handed swing with plenty of bat speed and strength, giving him solid power to all fields. While at Florida State, he closed the holes he once had against breaking pitches, shrunk his strikeout rate from 32 percent as a freshman to 12 percent as a junior and boosted his walk rate from 12 percent to 18 percent. He has stood out more with his pop than his hitting ability at High-A, though he has drawn a healthy amount of walks.
Tibbs has bounced from left field as a freshman to primarily playing first base as a sophomore to right field as a junior and his first taste of pro ball. He has the solid arm strength to handle right field, though he'll need to maintain every bit of his presently below-average speed to have viable range. Even so, it still could be a stretch for him to cover Fenway Park's spacious right field, so he could wind up on the other outfield corner.
Organizational fit: At 22 years old and having only reached High-A ball, it’s too early to worry about a potential outfield logjam in Boston. At some point in the near future, the outfield at Fenway Park could be patrolled by the likes of Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony (Pipeline’s No. 1 overall prospect), Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and Jhostynxon Garcia (Pipeline’s No. 5 Red Sox prospect). Tibbs could certainly join that conversation at some point down the road.
ETA: 2026
Jose Bello, RHP
Pipeline ranking: Unranked on Red Sox’s Top 30 list
Pipeline scouting report: Signed at 17 by the Giants for $47,500 as an international free agent in January 2023, Bello posted a 2.97 ERA while striking out 105 batters against just 18 walks across 78 2/3 innings over three seasons split between the Dominican Summer League and Arizona Complex League. The 20-year-old right-hander has made a leap since moving to the bullpen in the Arizona Complex League this year, posting an ERA (2.00), BAA (.156), WHIP (0.72) and K/9 (14.00) that are superior to his numbers as a starter (3.25 ERA, .236 BAA, 1.12 WHIP, 11.39 K/9) -- albeit over just 18 innings.
At 6-foot-1, 164 pounds, Bello isn’t very physical and has a whippy arm action that generates fastballs at 92-94 mph. He throws a four-seamer and a two-seamer, with the former being the better of the two offerings. His mid-80s slider is his best pitch, and he doesn’t use his changeup much, all of which portends a future as a slider-heavy reliever.
Organizational fit: There’s a long way to go to see how Bello could profile in the Majors, but given his current profile he could be a useful up-and-down reliever at some point later in the decade. At just 20 years old, there’s also the hope that he can add a few ticks of velocity to bring up his profile a bit.
ETA: 2028-29