The 2025 Red Sox season featured two long-awaited milestones: A return to the postseason for the first time since 2021, and months earlier, the debut of a top prospect, who immediately cemented himself as the newest franchise cornerstone.

History will repeat itself this year if Franklin Arias has his way.

Inspired by Roman Anthony, who came up last June just weeks after his 21st birthday and inked to a long-term extension barely a month later, Arias is dreaming big in 2026.

Why not? Arias, who is now the organization’s No. 1 prospect, certainly made last year’s double-promotion dream come true.

“That was my goal that I put (for) myself before last year, and I was able to accomplish it,” Arias said via team translator, during Red Sox Rookie Development. “For me, every time you put (for) yourself a goal, that’ll give you the motivation when things are not going your way… to reduce those moments where things are not going your way and try to look at the bigger goal.”

Much like Anthony in ‘23, Arias began the ‘25 season in Single-A Salem and finished in Double-A Portland. Arias slashed .278/.335/.388 over 116 games between those three levels of the Red Sox farm system.

Arias’ promotion from Salem to High-A Greenville came quickly — after 19 games — but the Red Sox typically want to see if a prospect can sustain success over a prolonged period of time before moving them up. He played 87 games with Greenville, where he hit .265 with a .709 OPS before getting that coveted second bump, then squeezed in 10 Double-A games before the minor league season ended.

All before Nov. 19, when Arias celebrated his 20th birthday, too.

“Keep improving and taking advantage of every opportunity the team gives me,” Arias explained of his mindset. “When you focus on doing the little things that everybody talks about, the details, taking care of those details, I feel like everything else will take care of itself.”

Arias’ youth makes him something of a wunderkind, in the vein of Anthony and Xander Bogaerts, who was 20 when he debuted with the ‘13 Red Sox.

It’s also a reminder that Arias still has room to grow. Both as a ballplayer and in the most literal sense.

“One of the things we’ve talked to him a lot about is his physicality,” said Brian Abraham, the organization’s senior director of player development. “Continuing to add strength, add size so he can impact the baseball.”

Or as Arias puts it, “Working on my body, getting stronger.” Though he profiles as an above-average defender with elite potential, he knows skyrocketing rise through the ranks requires pulling his offensive abilities up to match.

“I think that you can’t take anything for granted or to settle with how you are right now,” Arias said. “I feel like I need to improve my other qualities, at the same level of my defense… That’s where my mind is.”

“Obviously a really good defender, really good range, consistency in the field,” Abraham said. “Swing decisions have been phenomenal, his bat-to-ball skills have been really strong, but at the end of the day, him impacting the baseball consistently as he gets to the upper levels is really important.”

Arias will likely be back in Double-A to begin the season, but with his desired final destination clearly marked in his mind’s bullseye.

“Las Grandes Ligas.”

Major League Baseball.

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