The Red Sox have pushed John Holobetz up to Triple-A, a move reported by Christopher Smith of MassLive after the right-hander kept piling up strikeouts in Double-A.
Holobetz’s path through the organization has been a little unusual. Boston got him as part of the return from the Milwaukee Brewers for Quinn Priester, though he didn’t show up in the deal right away.
The Red Sox initially landed outfielder Yophery Rodriguez, cash considerations, a compensation pick, and a Player to be Named Later. Holobetz ended up filling that final spot.
He opened 2025 in Single-A with Milwaukee, then moved to High-A once he joined Boston’s system. From there, he didn’t linger long before another jump to Double-A. He finished last season there and began 2026 in Portland before earning this latest promotion.
At the time Boston acquired him, Holobetz was something of a surprise name to come back in the Priester trade. A Player to be Named Later usually doesn’t generate much buzz, but Holobetz looked like more than a throw-in. Even so, he wasn’t exactly the kind of prospect fans were lining up to celebrate.
That has started to change this year. Holobetz has built a reputation as a guy who can take the ball, throw strikes, and keep innings moving. The strikeout totals weren’t especially loud in 2025 - he finished with 120 strikeouts in 124 2/3 innings - but 2026 has brought a different version of him.
In Double-A this season, the right-handed pitcher put up a 4.33 ERA, a .236 BAA, and a 1.22 WHIP across 17 games, including 15 starts. He struck out 93 batters and walked 25 in 79 innings.
His strikeout rate has taken a clear step forward. Holobetz posted an 8.66 K/9 in 2025, and that number has climbed to 10.59 in 2026.
His latest outing was another strong one: three hits allowed over five scoreless innings, 10 strikeouts, and no walks. It was his second double-digit strikeout game of the season.
Holobetz works with a low-to-mid 90s fastball that has good movement, along with a slider, curveball, and changeup. None of those pitches is overwhelming on its own, but his command gives the whole package real value. He’s the kind of arm who can survive and keep advancing because he throws strikes and knows where to put the ball.
He’s stayed mostly under the radar publicly, but there’s a case that he could make some noise in Worcester and eventually help the big club because of that strike-throwing ability.
Holobetz is 23 and turns 24 on July 31, which means he’ll celebrate his birthday in Worcester - or technically in Norfolk, Virginia, since that’s where the WooSox are playing this week.
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