The Boston Red Sox over the last two years have seen their stock of pitching prospects rise to the highest level in recent memory. With 2024 second-round pick Payton Tolle as well as current No. 6 organizational prospect Connelly Early already getting major league innings, and such promising hurlers as 2025 first-rounder Kyson Witherspoon, lefty Brandon Clarke, 100 mph Venezuelan signing Luis Perales, and No. 10 prospect David Sandlin all knocking on Fenway Park’s door, the future of Boston pitching looks bright.
But not so long ago — as recently as 2023, in fact — the Red Sox were pinning their mound hopes primarily on one right-hander, albeit one whose fastball topped out at 101 mph. That was Bryan Mata, who in 2023 was 24 years old and the top-ranked pitching prospect in the Boston system, according to MLB Pipeline.
FT. MYERS, FL – FEBRUARY 21: Bryan Mata of the Boston Red Sox warms up during a spring training team workout on February 21, 2021 at jetBlue Park at F…
But injuries, including a Tommy John surgery, as well as the minor league shutdown during the 2020 COVID pandemic, derailed Mata’s development. Boston non-tendered him after the 2024 season but quickly signed him to a new minor league contract, with a plan to convert the 2016 international signing to a reliever, in hopes that he could provide bullpen help for the major league club at some point in the 2025 season.
Mata never got a call to come to Fenway, and now finds himself off the Red Sox’ 40-man roster and out of minor league options despite the fact that he has never pitched in the majors. He remains part of the Boston organization, but is eligible to elect free agency. The Red Sox have not yet offered him a new contract.
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On Monday, the Red Sox and Mata made a decision about the next step in his career, though it is only a temporary one. The Red Sox assigned the now-26-year-old to Navegantes del Magallanes of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, or LVBP, according to Mata’s transaction report on MiLB.com.
This offseason will actually be the second season that Mata has pitched winter baseball for Magallanes, as the club is generally known. Last year Mata made 15 appearances for the 13-time LVBP champions, all in relief, with a 3.45 ERA allowing 19 hits in 15 2/3 innings.
As of Thursday, the former No. 7 overall Red Sox prospect has already made one appearance for the Valencia, Venezuela-based team this season, pitching one scoreless, hitless inning, with one strikeout.
