The 2025 MLB trade deadline isn't until the end of July, but that didn't stop the Boston Red Sox from wheeling and dealing shortly after Opening Day. With a plethora of expendable pitching depth on their hands, the Red Sox traded right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for outfielder Yophery Rodriguez and "a player to be named later."
It's been nearly a month since the trade was announced, and Red Sox fans still don't know the unknown player's identity. At least, that was the case until Boston finally put the mystery to bed to begin the new week.
Red Sox Acquire RHP John Holobetz to Finalize Quinn Priester Trade With Brewers
On Monday afternoon, the Red Sox announced that right-handed pitcher John Holobetz is the final piece of last month's Priester trade with the Brewers. The 22-year-old hurler was drafted by Milwaukee in the fifth round of last year's draft and has spent the 2025 campaign pitching with Single-A Carolina.
Holobetz played college football at Old Dominion University and Radford University before being drafted by the Brewers. Interestingly enough, Red Sox director of pitching Justin Willard is a Radford alumnus who was also the program's pitching coordinator from 2017 to 2021, meaning he might be somewhat familiar with Boston's newest prospect.
It's a small sample size, but Holobetz has played relatively well in Carolina this season. The 6-foot-3 righty has made five appearances (3 starts) so far, going 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA, 31 strikeouts, and five walks allowed across 24 innings of work. If he continues at that pace, it might not be long before he ascends the Red Sox's rankings.
Meanwhile, Priester has looked anything but comfortable since joining the Brewers. The ex-Red Sox RHP has pitched to an abysmal 5.79 ERA after giving up 15 earned runs and 16 walks in 23 1/3 innings across five outings (4 starts), with 12 of those earned runs coming in his last two appearances alone.
As for Rodriguez, the 19-year-old outfielder has shown potential during his first month with High-A Greenville. He's slashing .224/.402/.418 with two HRs, nine RBIs, and 19 walks in 19 games (67 at-bats). If he can figure out how to strike out less at the plate, the trade will only look better for Boston.
Red Sox fans likely won't see Holobetz or Rodriguez on a big-league field this season, but it's encouraging to know the club's future is bright. In the meantime, Boston is tied for the eighth-best 2025 World Series odds (+1800) on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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