In the higher levels to start the 2024 season will be one of the Red Sox’s less well-known relief prospects’ first taste of
competition.
Felix Cepeda’s Instagram account indicates that he has been assigned to Double-A Portland. The Sea Dogs take on
the Hartford Yard Goats in a three-game series at Hadlock Field starting on Friday to kick off the new season.
This is sort of a promotion because Cepeda, 23, divided the 2023 campaign between Low-A Salem and High-A
Greenville. Over 33 total bullpen appearances (53 innings), the right-hander recorded a 2.38 ERA and 3.45 FIP with
60 strikeouts to 29 walks, holding opponents to a.194 batting average against.
Cepeda returned to Salem at the beginning of the 2023 season, having spent the whole 2022 season there. Before
being promoted to Greenville in mid-July, the right-hander, who was born in the Dominican Republic, had a 3.03
ERA (3.61 FIP) in 19 appearances (32 2/3 innings) for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate with 39 strikeouts to 23
walks. He finished the regular season with the Drive by pitching to a 1.33 ERA (3.19 FIP) in 14 appearances (20 1/3
innings) with 21 strikeouts against just six walks. Subsequently, he appeared scorelessly in three consecutive
postseason games (including the game-winning one) as Greenville won its first South Atlantic League championship
since 2017.
For the most part, Cepeda’s performance in 2023 was strong. Cepeda was 20th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.19)
among Red Sox minor leaguers who reached the 50-inning mark in the regular season last year. He was also 16th in
strikeout rate (26.4 percent), third in batting average against, ninth in WHIP (.125), sixth in line-drive rate (17.2
percent), 15th in groundball rate (43.8 percent), 18th in groundball rate (13.7 percent), fourth in ERA, sixth in FIP,
and 19th in xFIP (4.31) according to FanGraphs. Additionally, he reduced his walk rate from 15 percent to 8.1 percent
after moving to Greenville during the summer from Salem.
By the time the Drive were declared South Atlantic League champions at Fluor Field in late September, Cepeda had
already accumulated a career-high number of innings pitched, but his season was far from done. Cepeda left for the
Arizona Fall League in early October, along with a number of other Red Sox prospects. He then made eight
appearances for the Glendale Desert Dogs, pitching eight innings of relief and giving up eight runs (six earned) on
eight hits, three walks, and six strikeouts.
After a wild 2023 that saw him earn his first-ever SoxProspects.com All-Star selection, Cepeda accomplished another
first this spring by playing in three Grapefruit League games last month. On March 23 at JetBlue Park, he recorded a
save while giving up a total of two runs (both in the same outing) on four hits, two walks, and two strikeouts in 1 1/3
innings pitched.
Though he turns 24 in July, Cepeda is presently ranked as the No. 48 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which is
ranked 20th among the organization’s pitchers, by SoxProspects.com. Cepeda, who is currently 6-foot-3 and 210
pounds, was originally acquired for $40,000 as an international free agency out of the city of Bonao in 2017. He
mostly uses a two-pitch mix, consisting of a 95-96 mph fastball with a peak velocity of 98 mph and an 83-86 mph
slider with a 10-to-4 break. He pitches from a high three-quarters arm slot.
Cepeda will likely join a bullpen in Portland that will include, among others, CJ Liu, Christopher Troye, Ryan
Zeferjahn, and Alex Hoppe (when healthy). Cepeda will essentially be pitching for a new deal this year since he can
become available for minor-league free agency following the 2024 season.
