Payton Tolle, 'one of the better pitching prospects' in the Red Sox' farm system, promoted to Triple-A Worcester
'From the things I've heard, this is one of the better pitching prospects (we've had) roll through here in my time,' the four-year WooSox manager said, 'and I'm excited to watch him throw.'
Currently ranked as Boston's top pitching prospect, according to MLB.com, Tolle has been terrific in his first full season inside the Red Sox organization. The 22-year-old left-hander was promoted from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday.
Tolle, who stands at 6-foot-6, 250 pounds and sports a major league mustache, possesses a 2.93 ERA with 116 strikeouts across 76⅔ innings in the minors this year. He comes in as Boston's No. 3 prospect overall.
'This guy's a bulldog and has just ripped through the minors,' Tracy said, 'and his stuff is great, and he throws strikes, and he's big, and he's strong.'
Selected by Boston in the second round (No. 50 overall) of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft out of Texas Christian, Tolle began this season with High-A Greenville — going 1-3 with a 3.62 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 11 games (10 starts) for the Drive.
Following his call up to Double-A Portland on June 24, the Oklahoma native posted a 1-1 record with a 1.67 ERA and 37 strikeouts in six games (5 starts) with the Sea Dogs.
'He's got a lot of electric stuff,' said WooSox pitcher Connelly Early, a teammate of Tolle in Portland before Early was called up to Triple A last week. 'When he's out on the mound, he's got that bulldog mentality, which is what you need. Seeing him go out there, it seemed like every single time he went out there he was just dominating, and it was amazing to watch.'
Tolle's collegiate career first started at Wichita State, where he starred as a two-way player from 2022-23. He then transferred to TCU as a pitcher only in 2024, when he was a finalist for both the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy — which is given to the best amateur player in the U.S. and the national collegiate player of the year, respectively.
Now, after being drafted by the Red Sox and experiencing a rapid rise through the organization, Tolle finds himself one call away from the big leagues.
'I was talking to one of my family friends back home, and he's like 'You do realize, you did get drafted last year?' ' Tolle recalled. 'I was like 'Yeah, it's kind of a whirlwind, I guess, but in the best way possible.'
'Just couldn't be more thankful.'
While Tolle's fastball has touched 98 miles per hour this year, the tall lefty usually sits in the mid 90s with his heater. To strengthen his arsenal, though, Tolle has implemented an improved cutter, changeup and curveball to his pitch mix this season.
'Just having more weapons than just the fastball,' Tolle said ahead of his first game on the WooSox bench Wednesday.
Tolle's repertoire, skill and size make him one of the more intriguing prospects in the Red Sox farm system at the moment. His personality plays a part, too.
'He's a big giant, but at the same time, he's a teddy bear to all the guys he's around in the clubhouse,' Early said. 'Great guy to have, from a team perspective, and, obviously, out on the mound.'
Said Tracy: 'I haven't heard a single negative thing about him at all.'
'I'm going to have a whole lot of fun on the mound,' Tolle added. 'And I hope people have as much fun watching me pitch.'
While Tolle is scheduled to start for the WooSox Aug. 10 at Polar Park, in his Triple-A debut, there is a strong possibility the Red Sox prospect could move to the bullpen — like new teammate David Sandlin did earlier this week — at some point down the road to help Boston with its stretch run.
'I think it's good to kind of let that carrot dangle,' Tolle said. 'But, at the same time, trying (the best I can to be where my) feet are. It can be very difficult, especially being this close (to the majors) now, but just trying to take it one day at a time.'
When it comes to being a starter or a reliever the rest of the way, Tolle says he's game for whatever. The tall left-hander has enjoyed his rapid rise through the Red Sox ranks the past year.
He hopes it continues.
'The end goal of this whole thing is to have a long, prosperous big-league career,' Tolle said. 'And whatever that role may be, whatever is going to put the organization in the best position possible. So whether that's bullpen, whether that's starting, whether that's handing out water, like, whatever.
'Whatever I need to do to give myself the best career, but also the most successful in the team aspect as well.'
The returns on Payton Tolle have been good so far in Worcester. And he hasn't even thrown a pitch.
'We're definitely excited to have him,' Tracy said.
—Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Top Red Sox pitching prospect Payton Tolle promoted to Triple-A Worcester
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