FORT MYERS, Fla. — Johan Oviedo will be back on the bump Monday making his second start in a Red Sox uniform, and he will be backed up by one of the club’s premier young talents.
As announced by Alex Cora over the weekend, top Red Sox hitting prospect Franklin Arias will start at shortstop when the club treks up to Dunedin to face the Toronto Blue Jays. The 20-year-old infielder is currently ranked as the No. 49 prospect in MLB by Baseball America and is the No. 2 prospect in the Red Sox organization after Payton Tolle.
Oviedo and Arias highlight a traveling roster that is primarily composed of players likely to start the season in the minors. Nick Sogard will bat second and start at first base, and in addition to Arias, two other prospects of note who are making the trip are outfielder Justin Gonzales (Boston’s No. 7 prospect) and infielder Yoeilin Cespedes (No. 17).
Once Oviedo’s day is done, Ryan Watson, Kyle Keller, Seth Martinez and Jeremy Wu-Yelland are scheduled to pitch for Boston.
Red Sox lineup
Braiden Ward CF
Nick Sogard 1B
Matt Thaiss C
Mickey Gasper DH
Vinny Capra 2B
Allan Castro RF
Tyler McDonough LF
Max Ferguson 3B
Franklin Arias SS
Johan Oviedo P
How to watch
When: 1:05 p.m.
Where: TD Ballpark, Dunedin, Fla.
Broadcast info: NESN, NESN 360, WEEI 850 AM
