MINNEAPOLIS – With a deep prospect pool and a desire to hold onto their young big-league core, the Boston Red Sox may opt to trade from their farm system this week.

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has shown in the past he’s willing to do so.

On the final day of Winter Meetings, Breslow swung the Garrett Crochet trade, sending the club’s two most recent first-rounders at the time in catcher Kyle Teel and outfielder Braden Montgomery, both top 100 prospects, to Chicago as part of a four-player package for Crochet. It marked a deal that’s shaped their 2025 season in many ways.

That same December day, he sent one of Boston’s top-20 pitching prospects, Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, to the Yankees in exchange for catcher Carlos Narváez, who at the time was a little known rookie. Narváez has had a breakout season and become Boston’s starter behind the plate.

At the deadline last summer, Breslow traded multiple Rule 5 eligible players, including 2020 first-rounder infielder Nick Yorke.

Even with Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell graduating from prospect status, the Red Sox system is still viewed by many evaluators as one of the league’s strongest.

Meanwhile, Boston’s trade-deadline strategy may have shifted in recent days. Though the club has a surplus of young, big-league outfielders, there’s some debate whether the team is still willing to trade from that group, particularly now that infielder Mayer’s wrist injury has forced outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela to second base. That has made Jarren Duran, whose name has been popular in trade rumors, even more valuable to the Red Sox, with one National League evaluator suggesting an offseason trade of Duran may be more likely.

The Red Sox had been rolling with wins in three of their last four games before a walk-off, 5-4 loss to the Twins on Monday in a rain-delayed game.

What they acquire at the deadline remains to be seen, but they are likely to trade from their minor-league pool between now and Thursday at 6 p.m. Here’s a look at who might in the mix:

LHP Payton Tolle

Tolle, Boston’s second-round pick in 2024, has emerged as the best arm in the system, and owns a 1.96 ERA in five games, four starts, since being promoted to Double A earlier this year. In High A, he had posted a 3.62 ERA across 11 starts. A big, physical lefty, Tolle is the type of pitcher the Red Sox would love to further develop and have in their rotation for years to come. But Breslow has noted the desire to make the postseason this year. If trading Tolle can help get the Red Sox a proven, big-league controllable starter, it’s something they’d have to consider, but likely the only situation in which they’d consider trading him.

Likelihood: low

OF Jhostynxon Garcia

If the Red Sox are hesitant to trade from their group of big league outfielders, Garcia has little pathway to the majors. But as the No. 46 prospect in baseball per The Athletic’s Keith Law, he’s likely to garner significant interest from teams. The 22-year-old has an OPS close to .900 in roughly 50 games since being promoted to Triple A. He may be Boston’s biggest trade chip for any team seeking a close-to-big-league ready position player.

Likelihood: high

INF/OF Kristian Campbell

Campbell could use more of a chance to prove himself after being demoted to Triple A in June, especially after signing a team-friendly eight-year, $60 million deal this spring. The Red Sox may still give him that chance. However, it was telling that they decided not to call him back up from Triple A when Mayer went on the injury list. Campbell wouldn’t be traded easily, but as part of a package to a team looking for young, big-league ready position players, Campbell could fit.

Likelihood: medium

SS Franklin Arias

Law’s No. 9 overall prospect, Arias is the highest Red Sox player in his current rankings. He has immense potential but is at least two or three years away from the majors. For a rebuilding team looking to sell, Arias would be a key trade piece. The 19-year-old is hitting .280 with a .714 OPS in 81 games between Single A and High A. Again, trading him wouldn’t be easy, but with Mayer expected to be the shortstop of the future, the Red Sox could use Arias now to headline a package for a controllable starter.

Likelihood: medium

LHP Connelly Early

Early is another promising young starter in the system, drafted in the fifth round in 2023. After posting a 2.51 ERA in 15 games, 12 starts, with a 32 percent strikeout rate, he was promoted to Triple A this week. If the Red Sox don’t want to budge on Tolle, there’s likely to be plenty of interest in Early.

Likelihood: medium

RHP David Sandlin

Similar to Early, Sandlin was promoted to Triple A this week after posting a 3.61 ERA in 17 games, 13 starts, with a 25 percent strikeout rate at Double A. The caveat here, though, is that Sandlin is Rule 5 eligible this offseason, meaning he would have to be added to the 40-man roster or be subject to the Rule 5 Draft. He’s the type of pitcher the Red Sox are likely to add to the roster for pitching depth – if they don’t trade him this week.

Likelihood: medium

1B Blaze Jordan

Though the Red Sox have needed first base help much of the season since Triston Casas’ injury, they’ve yet to promote Jordan, which suggests trading him is on the table. That’s especially the case since he’s Rule 5 eligible this winter. Jordan is known for his raw power, but his offense dropped off a bit when promoted to Triple A earlier this year. He had posted a .928 OPS in 44 games in Double A but has an .808 OPS through 43 games in a very hitter friendly Polar Park at Triple A.

Likelihood: high

OF Miguel Bleis

As a Rule 5 eligible outfielder, Bleis also seems likely to be traded. Injuries have interrupted his career at multiple points, but he once was a top 5 player in the system. He’s still just 21 and in High A, but could be part of a big package for a team looking to take a flier on a player with equal parts risk and potential.

Likelihood: high

(Top photo of Kristian Campbell: Eric Canha /Imagn Images)