Jojo Ingrassia has been a pleasant surprise in the minors for the Red Sox
Jojo Ingrassia is not a name many Red Sox fans may be familiar with; however, that could be changing. In his first professional season, he has gotten off to an impressive start in Low-A and been one of Salem’s best pitchers. For a player drafted in the 14th round, Ingrassia has made the most of his opportunities.
Through 28.2 innings of work, Ingrassia has posted a 2.20 ERA while striking out 45 batters. Opponents are only hitting .196 against him and struggling to make hard contact. As Ingrassia has excelled, he has shown excellent control and has been able to work out of stressful situations. That is an encouraging sign in his first minor league season against more advanced competition.
So far, the Cal State Fullerton product has been asked to play various roles. Three of his 12 appearances have come as a starter, and Ingrassia has gotten two save opportunities. Regardless of the situation, he has gotten hitters out and shown why he was one of the Red Sox's targets in the 2023 draft.Â
Over the last few months, Ingrassia has been able to frustrate hitters with his unique arsenal. He possesses a changeup that fades away from righties and a fastball that tops out at 92 miles per hour. In Low-A, batters have struggled to barrel up his pitches partly due to Ingrassia's ability to hide the ball during his delivery.
At the moment, the talented left-hander projects to be a reliever in the majors. He doesn't blow people away with his speed but keeps batters off balance with his delivery and off-speed pitches. He has made a great first impression and become a prospect that is hard to ignore in a deep farm system.
As the season continues, Ingrassia will be a player to watch. He has shown he can handle any role and only allowed three runs in his last 10.2 innings. His stock has been on the rise every time he takes the mound and as long as he builds on his recent success he will not be flying under the radar much longer.