Red Sox's Most Viral Prospect Knows How He Can Get Himself to MLB

Gonzalez went viral again in Red Sox circles when he lashed a 117.3-mph single in a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. He's built quite a bit of notoriety for himself considering he's yet to appear in a game above High-A, but he knows he's also got a long way to go.

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Justin Gonzales talks defense ahead of crucial development year

Gonzales wasn't just proud of the scorching single he hit, which was the second-hardest batted ball Statcast has tracked all spring. He also made a ridiculous 98.1 mph throw to third base from right field right on the money to third base, on which the Blue Jays baserunner wisely held up.

Gonzales knows if he wants to be an impact major leaguer, he'll need to show enough improvement from year to year to stick in the corner outfield, as players with his body type are always in danger of being pigeonholed as first basemen.

“That's something I've been working on in the offseason back home and also here at Spring Training, trying to be more accurate with my throws from the outfield,” said Gonzales on Monday via translator, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. “And that's a result of the hard work that we put in day in (and) day out and in the field.”

Aside from constantly working on that defensive toolkit, Gonzales will need to hit the ball in the air more consistently moving forward, something prospects his age are often working on. Last season, he only hit four home runs and slugged .390 in 93 games, despite having all the raw power and bat speed one could dream of.

Red Sox fans love feeling like they're in on the secret, but Gonzales won't be one for long if he carries over some of his loud tools into his age-19 season as a fast-rising prospect.