​It’s baseball at a different venue, and Franklin Arias views climbing the levels of pro ball that way. The Red Sox’ top prospect and the No. 7 overall prospect in minor league baseball, according to MLB.com, adopted that mindset when he signed with Boston in 2023. The philosophy has served the 20-year-old Venezuelan shortstop well, especially now as his promotion to Triple-A Worcester and, eventually, Boston have become frequent topics of conversation. For the moment, Arias’s home field is Hadlock Field in Portland, Maine, where he plays as a member of the Double-A Sea Dogs.
“I certainly see it. It’s on social media all over the place — get me to Triple-A,” Arias said through a translator, Sea Dogs pitching coach Juan Rivera, on Thursday before facing the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester. “I know that is out of my control but if I just focus on being a better baseball player today, it will come in time.”
The Sea Dogs wrap up their seven-game road trip against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats this weekend, with games Saturday night at 6:03 and Sunday at 1:05 p.m. Arias will represent the American League in the 2026 All-Star Futures Game on Sunday at noon at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, with the National League roster featuring Derry resident and St. Louis Cardinals pitching prospect Liam Doyle.
Arias batted .330 with a 1.019 OPS through his first 69 games for the Sea Dogs this season, his first full Double-A campaign. He also produced a career-high 18 homers, along with 48 RBIs and 47 runs scored over that span. “Whenever I’ve moved so far in my career, no matter what level I was going to, I never really wanted to think that this was greater than the previous level,” Arias said. “So long as I come in daily thinking, ‘Hey, this is baseball at a different venue,’ that’s what makes me tick.”
Strength gains from last offseason’s time in the weight room, as noted by acting Portland manager Kyle Sasala, have helped Arias understand how pitchers try to attack him. Sasala, who took over as acting manager after Chad Epperson—who lives in Derry and had led Portland since 2022—was named the Red Sox’ interim third-base coach in April.
In April, Arias earned the Eastern League Player of the Month honors after leading the league in total bases (55), OPS (1.196) and slugging percentage (.764. “He’s very good at making pitchers pay for their mistakes and he’s also shown that he can be a bad-ball hitter,” Sasala said. “Some of the home runs he’s hit haven’t come on strikes he’s been able to get the bat to, which is impressive.” As Portland’s leadoff hitter, Arias says his power surge has been an organic development. He’s adjusted where he makes contact with the ball this season without altering his swing.
In the latest game, a 15-8 loss to the Fisher Cats on Thursday, Arias continues to refine his approach and bring an ever-evolving mindset to a different venue, all while keeping his sights set on the next step in his professional journey.