The Boston Red Sox have quietly built one of the deeper pitching staffs in baseball heading into 2026, and while the front-end names like Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray, and Johan Oviedo draw the headlines, there’s a left-hander lurking just beneath the surface who could make a real impact this spring: Shane Drohan.
Drohan has been one of Boston’s most intriguing developments this offseason. After dominating Triple-A Worcester in 2025 with a 2.27 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and a blistering 35.2% strikeout rate over 12 outings (11 starts), he’s earned a spot on the 40-man roster and a serious look in spring training. Opponents hit just .185 against him last year, and those numbers aren’t just window dressing - they reflect a pitcher who’s refining his game and pushing toward a major league breakthrough.
What makes Drohan especially valuable to Boston right now is his versatility. He’s open to starting or coming out of the bullpen, and that flexibility could be key for a team that’s rich in starters but a little light on left-handed relief.
“I think it’s easy to get caught up in all kind of like the titles,” Drohan said recently. “At the end of the day, I want to pitch in the big leagues, so whether that’s starting or relieving, it doesn’t really matter to me.”
That mindset, combined with his evolving arsenal, gives the Red Sox options - and that’s a luxury every contender wants.
The tools are there. Drohan throws five pitches - fastball, cutter, slider, changeup, and curveball - and he’s not just throwing them to fill out a scouting report.
Each pitch serves a purpose, and his slider in particular has emerged as a legitimate swing-and-miss weapon. It became a go-to pitch in 2025, giving him a sharper edge against right-handed hitters.
Meanwhile, his cutter gained more vertical movement after surgery in 2024, adding another layer to his repertoire.
This offseason, he’s been working to get his changeup back to its peak form, balancing his pitch mix after leaning more heavily on the slider last year. That kind of attention to detail shows a pitcher who’s not just riding momentum - he’s building something sustainable.
Boston added Drohan to the 40-man roster back in November, along with fellow arms David Sandlin and Tyler Uberstine. That move didn’t just protect him from the Rule 5 Draft - it signaled that the organization sees real potential here.
And with spring training just around the corner, Drohan has a legitimate shot to crack the Opening Day roster. Whether he breaks camp with the big-league club or not, he’s firmly on the radar.
In a rotation that’s already solid on paper, Drohan could be the X-factor - the kind of arm who steps in midseason and flips a game, a series, or even a playoff race. He’s not just a depth piece.
He’s a potential weapon. And Boston’s watching closely.