Red Sox minor leaguer Max Ferguson provides heroics in Arizona Fall League opener Monday night
The 2024 Arizona Fall League began on Monday night with the Mesa Solar Sox playing the Surprise Saguaros. The two teams began the 32nd season of AFL ball, with the first pitch thrown at 9:30 e.t. The league will play for the next six weeks.
The Solar Sox defeated the Saguaros 1-0.
Right-hander Jake Walkinshaw (A’s) earned the start for Mesa; he wasn’t factored into the decision. Walkinshaw hurled three scoreless frames, allowing two hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
One of the Red Sox infielders participating in the AFL, Max Ferguson, collected two hits in the win, including the game winner to walk it off in the home half of the ninth inning.
Ferguson went 2-for-4 with the game-winning RBI while batting out of the No. 9 hole and playing second base. Catcher Brooks Brannon went 1-for-4 out of the cleanup spot and served as the team’s designated hitter.
Ferguson, 25, who isn’t considered a top prospect, finished the season with the WooSox, playing in three games and also played 25 games for the Portland Sea Dogs. The Jacksonville native spent the majority of the season on the 60-day injured list with an ankle injury.
The former fifth-round pick out of the University of Tennessee was traded to the Red Sox along with Corey Rosier and Eric Hosmer in a deal with the Padres. Ferguson offers speed and athleticism and the ability to play all over the diamond as he navigates through the Sox’ system.
Catch up on the Bruins | Patriots’ safety legal troubles | Japanese hurler posted?
Boston isn’t featuring any of their top prospects within the system, but it’ll be worth keeping an eye on the pitchers who’ll be competing over the next six weeks. The Sox sent four right-handed pitchers and one lefty: Cooper Adams, Danny Kirwin, Conor Steinbaugh, Tyler Uberstine, and left-hander Zach Fogell.
With the emphasis the Red Sox have been putting on their pitching development program, it'll be interesting to see how they handle facing some of the better prospects around the game.
They’re sending eight players in total that will be part of the Solar Sox roster during the AFL.
