Boston Red Sox roster cuts: Hard-throwing reliever sent to minor league camp

Boston Red Sox roster cuts: Hard-throwing reliever sent to minor league camp
The Red Sox reassigned Yovanny Cruz to minor league camp. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)Getty Images

The Red Sox have 56 players remaining on their major league spring training roster after reassigning right-handed pitcher Yovanny Cruz to minor league camp.

Cruz struggled in two relief outings for Boston. He gave up three runs on four hits in one inning against the Rays on Feb. 22. He allowed three runs on three hits (one homer) and one walk in one inning against Miami on Friday.

The 25-year-old Cruz should begin the 2025 season either at Double-A Portland or Triple-A Worcester.

He’s certainly someone to watch if he can rein in his control/command. He throws hard, topping out at 101.3 mph last year. It was the 19th hardest fastball thrown in the minors in 2024, per Baseball America.

MLB Pipeline ranked Cruz the Cubs’ No. 16 prospect in 2020 because of his fastball/slider combo. At the time, it viewed him as someone who “could develop into a mid-rotation starter.”

The Red Sox have now cut seven players from big league spring training camp. On Friday, they optioned pitcher Luis Perales and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia — who are both on the 40-man roster — to minor league camp. Boston also yesterday reassigned pitchers Jovani Morán, Robert Stock, Brian Van Belle and Jacob Webb to minor league camp.

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