In a stunning twist that has sent shockwaves through the baseball world, the Boston Red Sox have pulled off a game-changing acquisition, signing 17-year-old Dominican shortstop Dawvris Brito to a massive $1.2 million bonus deal.

This explosive move, finalized on Thursday as part of the 2026 international signing period, not only bolsters Boston’s infield pipeline but also delivers a devastating blow to rumors surrounding a potential trade for Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes, effectively shattering any immediate future he might have had at Fenway Park.

The Red Sox were reeling from the gut-wrenching loss of star third baseman Alex Bregman, who spurned a five-year, $165 million offer from Boston to ink a richer $175 million pact with the Chicago Cubs. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, refusing to wallow in disappointment, pivoted swiftly to rebuild the infield from the ground up.

While whispers of a blockbuster trade for the 26-year-old Paredes—whose 20 homers and .809 OPS last season mirrored Bregman’s production—had dominated headlines, the signing of Brito signals a bold shift in strategy, slamming the door on those negotiations and leaving Paredes’ fate hanging by a thread.

Ranked as the 28th-best international prospect by MLB Pipeline, Brito is no ordinary signee. Hailing from Santo Domingo, the 6-foot, 180-pound phenom is hailed as an “uber-athletic” talent who has skyrocketed his stock with triple-digit exit velocities and a frame that’s filling out with raw power.

Scouts from Baseball America rave about his “quick-twitch athleticism” and explosive bat speed, projecting a “power-over-hit” profile that could evolve into elite production. MLB Pipeline goes further, labeling him a potential “five-tool prospect” with the upside to dominate at a premium position—speed, power, arm, glove, and hit tool all in one package.

This $1.2 million investment, the second-largest bonus dished out by Boston in this class (trailing only the $1.4 million for outfielder Garielvin Silverio), eats up nearly 25% of the team’s $5.94 million international bonus pool. But for Breslow and the Red Sox brass, it’s a steal for a player who’s already turning heads and could accelerate through the minors, rendering costly trades for veterans like Paredes obsolete.

As the Red Sox inked Brito alongside six other shortstops on opening day of the signing period, the front office’s focus on youth and development has quashed the Paredes buzz. The Astros slugger, who stepped into Bregman’s shoes in Houston and out-homered him 20-18 last season, was seen as a plug-and-play solution with two years of team control left.

Yet, with Brito’s arrival injecting high-upside talent into the system, Boston appears content to build from within rather than mortgage the future on a trade. Sources indicate that talks for Paredes, once heating up, have cooled dramatically, leaving the young third baseman’s trajectory uncertain and potentially stranding him in Houston—or elsewhere.

This bombshell signing isn’t just about one prospect; it’s a statement from the Red Sox that they’re done chasing stopgaps. Brito represents the dawn of a new era at Fenway, where homegrown stars could soon eclipse the need for big-name acquisitions. As the dust settles, one thing is clear: Isaac Paredes’ path to Boston has been obliterated, and the future belongs to dynamos like Dawvris Brito.