Labriola, 24, is the latest long-shot prospect hoping to transform raw tools into results. While his early 2025 numbers with the Boulders — five runs (four earned) on seven hits in just three innings — don’t jump off the page, the Red Sox appear more focused on his upside. He showed off a mid-90s fastball and an 86 mph gyro-slider at the Tread Athletics pro day in January, catching the eye of several scouts in attendance. Boston, clearly intrigued, made its move after just a few appearances in the Frontier League.

“As soon as we started to pursue PJ this winter, we knew he was a special player,” Boulders manager TJ Stanton said in a team statement. “He was very much on the radar of a few different organizations. I could not be happier for PJ and absolutely love getting the opportunity to be a part of these great players’ baseball journeys.”

Red Sox have yet to designate PJ Labriola to a team in their system

Labriola’s journey has been anything but conventional. A native of Sarasota, Florida, he played three collegiate seasons at Clemson before transferring to NC State in 2023. Despite his size and velocity, his college results were rocky: an 8.63 ERA over 47 appearances, with 64 hits and 30 walks allowed across 48 innings. He went undrafted last summer, eventually landing in the MLB Draft League and the Pioneer League, where he posted a 6.00 ERA in 12 innings.

That résumé makes this a curious signing on paper. But it’s clear the Red Sox are making a low-risk bet on potential — one that comes with a big arm and rare physical attributes. At 6’7” and 223 pounds, Labriola fits the mold of a projectable bullpen arm, and if Boston’s player development staff can help him find consistent command, he may become more than just an intriguing arm in the complex league.

Labriola has been assigned to the Florida Complex League Red Sox to begin his time in the organization, though he could rise to Low-A Salem or High-A Greenville quickly if his stuff plays. The Red Sox bullpen system has thinned out in recent years, and stocking up on long-term, low-cost projects could be one way to uncover hidden gems.

For now, Labriola will get the chance he’s long worked toward — a spot in a major league organization and a path toward potentially pitching in Fenway Park. He’ll need to earn every step up the ladder, but Boston is clearly betting that the upside is worth the gamble. And with a fastball touching 95 and a wipeout slider in the mix, that’s a bet worth watching.