Red Sox promote power-hitting IF prospect Freili Encarnacion to High-A Greenville

The Red Sox have promoted infield prospect Freili Encarnacion from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, as was first reported by SoxProspects.com’s Chris Hatfield.

Encarnacion, 20, had gotten his second season with Salem off to a roaring start and was promptly rewarded with a promotion. In 45 games for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate this year, the right-handed hitter batted .303/.363/.566 with 14 doubles, one triple, a team-leading 10 home runs and 32 RBIs, 34 runs scored, five stolen bases, 11 walks, and 39 strikeouts over 193 plate appearances. That includes a .273/.385/.545 slash line against left-handed pitching and a .310/.357/.570 slash line against right-handed pitching.

Among qualified hitters in the Carolina League coming into play Tuesday, Encarnacion ranked first in slugging percentage and isolated power (.263), second in OPS (.929), third in batting average, fifth in wOBA (.434) and wRC+ (153), 19th in on-base percentage, and 21st in line-drive rate (24.6 percent), per FanGraphs.

On the other side of the ball, Encarnacion saw playing time at every infield position besides shortstop to begin the season with Salem. The 6-foot-2, 181-pounder logged 151 1/3 innings at first base, 44 innings at second base, and 154 innings at third base, committing nine errors in 212 total defensive chances. He also made four starts at DH.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Encarnacion originally signed with the Red Sox for $1.1 million as a highly-touted international free agent coming out of Santo Domingo in January 2022. He made his professional debut and held his own (.704 OPS in 41 games) in the Dominican Summer League shortly thereafter before a back injury limited him to just eight Florida Complex League games in 2023. In his first go-around with Salem last year, he slashed .244/.290/.329 with two home runs and 32 RBIs in 45 games.

Encarnacion, who just turned 20 in January, is not currently ranked among Boston’s top prospects by publications such as SoxProspects.com. He does, however, possess some of the best raw power in the system, as evidenced by the exit velocities (including a 120.6 mph single and a 117.2 mph home run) he has produced so far this season. If he can continue to refine his approach at the plate, he could put himself in a position to move up organizational prospect boards across the industry.