The Boston Red Sox officially play a real baseball game this week.
Saturday marks the first day of Grapefruit League action for the Red Sox as they take on the Minnesota Twins. With that being said, pitchers and hitters are starting to ramp things up on the minor-league side to help fill rosters for the big-league games, especially with so many players leaving for the World Baseball Classic.
That list of players ramping up on the back fields includes pitcher John Holobetz, the Red Sox's 14th-ranked prospect according to SoxProspects.com. Holobetz, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in the Quinn Priester trade, had a successful debut in Boston's system in 2025, split between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland. The Old Dominion product went into the offseason determined to increase the swing and miss stuff after only putting up 6.45 K/9 in 37 innings in Portland.
Holobetz threw a bullpen Tuesday that showed off a new grip on his changeup, which has been a work in progress since turning pro. He also debuted a brand new pitch he calls a "Bullet Slider.
Other Red Sox Notes:
-- Two-way prospect Conrad Cason has been getting work in with the minor league infielders after having Tommy John surgery in August of 2025. Cason will not get to pitch in 2026, but will make his pro debut as a position player.
-- Catching prospect Brooks Brannon showed up to camp looking like a different player. Brannon told me he added 25 pounds of muscle over the offseason and is now floating around 250 pounds. He also noted he was working on swing decisions and pulling the ball in the air more to utilize the power to his pull side.
-- Brandon Neely threw another bullpen today, which is an encouraging sign, given that he missed all of 2025 with forearm stiffness and has yet to make his pro debut. He has been touching 95 mph this spring.
-- Outfield prospect Will Turner tweaked his swing mechanics over the offseason after having a down year in 2025 while dealing with a nagging wrist injury. He has shown up to camp fully healthy.
-- Austin Ehrlicher impressed staff watching on during his live BP on Tuesday. The California native touched 96 mph during his time on the mound.