NEW YORK -- Payton Tolle, the best starting pitching prospect the Red Sox have had in years, has roared through the team’s farm system at a speed that resembles his blazing fastball.
Now the question is this: Will the big lefty with the distinctively thick moustache make it to the Majors as soon as the current pennant race?
“That’s not something he or we are focused on in his development,” said Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham. “What’s most important is that he stays present, works hard between outings, and remains focused on his pitching goals every time he steps on the mound.
“That said, we have no doubt that when the time comes for him to help our Major League club, he will be fully prepared.”
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Tolle was selected by the Red Sox with the 50th overall pick (second round) of the 2024 Draft out of Texas Christian University.
This year, the man ranked No. 2 in the Red Sox’ farm system by MLB Pipeline, has rocketed through the ranks. He opened his first pro season at High-A Greenville, moved up to Double-A Portland on June 24 and punched his ticket to Triple-A Worcester on Aug. 6.
Tolle, 22, has made 20 appearances this season (18 starts) and has struck out 133 over 91 2/3 innings while holding opponents to a .203 average.
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Only exceptional prospects move swiftly enough to be knocking on the door of a callup so soon after being drafted.
After a grand slam skewed the line of his otherwise strong Triple-A debut, Tolle has shown what all of the hype is about in his last two starts. He allowed a total of four hits and one run while walking one and striking out 14 in 10 innings.
“He’s impressive,” said Boston’s No. 3 prospect, Jhostynxon Garcia, who made his MLB debut over the weekend. “Every time I'm in the outfield watching him pitch, it’s a tough time for hitters. He throws hard, with good movement. He has the talent to pitch in the big leagues.”
There was particular buzz generated from Tolle’s most recent start at Polar Park in Worcester, Mass. He struck out nine and threw three pitches at 98 mph or higher, topping out at 98.6.
“He has a strong understanding of who he is and who he wants to become, along with a clear grasp of both his short- and long-term goals,” Abraham said. “He’s also shown the vulnerability to make mistakes and learn from them.
“While the significant jump in velocity and performance has certainly been a factor [in the move to Triple-A], he has quickly shown us that we can believe in him as a person and that he will continue to push himself to improve no matter the level.”
While Red Sox manager Alex Cora is largely focused on the here and now as his team tries to pin down a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2021, he’s aware of Tolle’s progress.
“Good stuff,” said Cora. “There's a few things we’re still working on [with him as an organization], but so far, so good. The stuff is real. He's very efficient. Pounds the strike zone. I think everybody's pleased with the progress.”
That progress has already led to a meteoric rise. Cora won’t speculate on if there’s another promotion in Tolle’s future this season.
“I mean, like I’ve always said, you do what you're supposed to do, right? And he's physical,” said Cora. “We know that. And little by little, he keeps getting better. So we'll see what the future holds.”
If Tolle does get the call, the one player who will be able to relate is Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, who was the 11th pick of the 2020 Draft and pitched in five regular-season games that September for the playoff-bound White Sox. He didn’t allow a run.
In his one postseason outing that October, Crochet had two strikeouts while pitching two-thirds of an inning. Crochet’s situation was unique because there was no Minor League season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so he was promoted from the alternate training site.
“I was a product of a very fortunate circumstance, being able to do that,” Crochet said. “It just happened to line up with what the team was doing. I was throwing 100 in my bullpens. I was newly drafted, and I was kind of the new shiny thing that also happened to be performing well at the alternate site. And it was like, ‘Hey, this could work.’ And then I went up and didn't give up any runs. It was like, ‘Oh, my God, it's working.”’