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Red Sox Unexpectedly Trade Former First-Round Pick On Monday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jake Elman | Last updated Apr 7, 2025 11:27 AM ET

Apparently, the surging Boston Red Sox don’t need young starting pitcher Quinn Priester, after all.

Boston traded Priester, a 2019 first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates, to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday morning. The Red Sox acquired OF Yophery Rodriguez, a Competitive Balance Round A draft pick, and a player to be named later or cash considerations in return.

Priester, 24, allowed two runs over four innings in his lone start at Triple-A Worcester. It is unclear if he’ll immediately join the Brewers’ big-league club or report to their Triple-A affiliate in Nashville.

The No. 18 pick in 2019, Priester is 6-9 with a 6.23 ERA across 99.2 big-league innings. Almost all that work came for the Pirates, who promoted him to the majors midway through 2023.

Priester started 15 of his first 21 games, including a five-inning, one-run performance for the Red Sox last September. Boston traded utility infielder Nick Yorke, the club’s 2020 No. 17 pick, to Pittsburgh for Priester last July.

Major League Baseball’s official website ranked Priester as a top-60 prospect every year from 2021-23.

Rodriguez, who turned 19 in December, is 5-for-12 with a double and triple thus far. He opened the year at High-A Ball after hitting .250 with 23 doubles, seven home runs, and a .726 OPS at Single-A last season.

Given his age, we likely won’t see Rodriguez in Boston anytime soon. However, the Red Sox may not mind, seeing as they entered play Monday with five straight wins.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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