Entering the 2026 season, Payton Tolle is riding the momentum from his 2025 campaign, actively reshaping his game in the offseason to ensure he is a starter in the ever-so-loaded Red Sox rotation.
The 22-year-old left-hander exploded through Boston's farm system last year, earning promotions from High-A through AAA in record time, before finishing the season with a solid showing at the big-league level.
In 91 2/3 minor league innings, Tolle struck out 133 batters and posted a 3.04 ERA, showcasing a fastball that averaged 96 mph, while reaching as high as 98.6. That performance, and his MLB debut against the Pirates, where he struck out eight over 5 1/3 innings, secured his status as one of Boston's brightest pitching prospects.
Red Sox's Tolle Adding to Arsenal Before Important 2026 Season
But Tolle knows that pure velocity and a big fastball won't be enough at the highest level. He proved as much when he gave up seven runs in 5.0 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Athletics. He was put in the bullpen immediately afterwards until the end of the season.
But the Red Sox organization, along with Tolle himself, sees arsenal diversity and pitch refinement as the next decisive step in his development. This past winter, Tolle has been focusing intensely on expanding and polishing his secondary offerings.
While his heater remains elite, he's been working on adding a cutter, a more consistent changeup, and a new curveball so that opponents can't simply sit on his fastball.
More than anything, Tolle's offseason mindset reflects a willingness to experiment with his stuff and get feedback from coaches and analytics teams within the Sox organization. Rather than sticking with what worked in the minors, he's tinkering with grips and release points, giving his off-speed pitches more possible depth and deception.
Add that to his physical presence, standing 6'6" and 250 lbs with plus extension, and you get a pitcher capable of generating elite strikeout rates while also learning to keep his hitters off balance.
Tolle's drive alone means Spring Training will be a real audition for him, a scenario he welcomes. He's reinventing his profile so that when the Red Sox make their decision, there's no question he belongs.
His bulldog mentality is what got him this far, and getting his changeup and newfound curveball in order will create a bigger problem for opposing hitters. Much like Garrett Crochet, Tolle is trying to be just like him with a deeper arsenal.
This is what the Red Sox brass wants to see from a young pitcher on the cusp of making the rotation. He wants to put a stamp with his name on it; he just needs the paper.