Jedixson Paez, the Red Sox pitching prospect, was among the exclusive group of eight teenagers who pitched 50 or more innings in the Carolina League in the previous season.
Having recently turned 20, Paez established himself as a reliable presence on the mound for Low-A Salem in 2023. As a 19-year-old right-hander, he recorded a 3.31 ERA and a 3.69 FIP, accumulating 73 strikeouts and issuing only 12 walks in 18 appearances, 16 of which were starts, covering 84 1/3 innings.
Ranking second in innings pitched for the team, trailing only Jose Ramirez, who has since been acquired by the White Sox in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft last month, Paez faced early challenges in the season. After a tough outing where he allowed a season-high nine runs (six earned) in four innings during a 13-4 loss to the Lynchburg Hillcats in April, he ended up on the injured list due to shoulder stiffness.
Upon making a comeback in mid-May, Paez appeared to undergo a positive transformation, maintaining a 3.04 ERA (3.60 FIP) in his subsequent 11 starts, covering 50 1/3 innings, until the conclusion of July. Following his recognition as SoxProspects.com’s Pitcher of the Month for July, the right-handed pitcher continued his strong performance with a 2.65 ERA in three starts throughout August, totaling 17 innings. Towards the end of the season, he transitioned to Salem’s bullpen.
19 year old Red Sox RHP Prospect Jedixson Paez (Low-A)
Per @SoxProspects his Fastball last year in DSL was around 84-86. In one year it’s increased 6-8 mph and now tops out at 92 .
Yesterday: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K (43 Pitches/26 Strikes)
18 CSW @ 42%
🧰 in the comments pic.twitter.com/w3ZQNrcIjO
— Prospect Larceny (@ProspectLarceny) May 13, 2023
Functioning in a substantial relief capacity during matchups against the Fredericksburg Nationals on August 27 and the Augusta GreenJackets on September 3, Paez allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits. Notably, he issued zero walks, hit one batsman, and recorded nine strikeouts over a span of nine innings.
In total, Paez delivered a commendable performance, earning recognition as a 2023 SoxProspects.com All-Star. Among the 28 pitchers who surpassed the 80-inning mark in the Carolina League last season, Paez demonstrated impressive statistics. He ranked first in walks per nine innings (1.28) and walk rate (3.6 percent), second in WHIP (1.01) and groundball rate (49.4 percent), ninth in batting average against (.228), and 10th in swinging-strike rate (14.3 percent), according to FanGraphs.
Hailing from Venezuela, Paez initially joined the Red Sox as an international free agent approximately three years ago. As the Tinaquillo native received the highest bonus ($450,000) among pitchers signed by Boston during the 2021 signing period, he made a noteworthy professional debut in the Dominican Summer League, recording a 3.86 ERA in 13 starts. This performance earned him the distinction of being named the organizational Latin Program Pitcher of the Year.
Following a schedule of pitching approximately once a week in the Florida Complex League in 2022, Paez continued a similar routine with Salem last year, resulting in an increase in fastball velocity. Standing at 6 feet 1 inch and weighing 170 pounds, the right-handed pitcher showcased a fastball that typically ranges between 89-91 mph, reaching a maximum of 92 mph. In addition to his fastball, Paez incorporates a 76-79 mph curveball with a 10-to-5 break and an 82-84 mph changeup that exhibits late movement.
Paez currently holds the No. 39 prospect position in Boston’s farm system, ranking 17th among pitchers, according to SoxProspects.com. Another notable evaluator, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs, designated Paez as his 35th-ranked Red Sox prospect during the summer, drawing a comparison to a former major leaguer.
“Paez is Vance Worley with a shorter arm action,” Longenhagen stated in June. “An athletic little righty with a sinking/tailing fastball that runs off the hip of lefty batters and back into the zone. He doesn’t throw very hard, he isn’t especially projectable, and he’s already liberally mixing in his secondaries just to get by in the lower levels of the minors, but Paez has a remarkable command for a 19-year-old and his fastball/changeup duo diverge from his slider in a way that keeps the baseball off the barrel.”
Unless there’s an unexpected trade or another surprising development, Paez is anticipated to transition to High-A Greenville at the beginning of the 2024 minor-league season. Some observers have noted that Paez could enhance his skill set by increasing his pitching velocity as he progresses through the prospect ranks. With the Red Sox revamping their pitching infrastructure under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow this winter, achieving this improvement may be a realistic possibility.
