Could Dylan Brown Zip Through Minor League System, Push for Red Sox Rotation Spot in 2027?

History has proven that teams can never have too much swing-and-miss out of their pitching staff -- be it from the starters or high-leverage relievers.

Dylan Brown, 22, is just the No. 19 prospect in the Red Sox system and he's only made it as far as High-A Greenville (S.C.) so far, but he projects as a pitcher who could move through the chain quickly because of his ability to miss bats.

Brown racked up a 32.2 percent strikeout rate this past season, ranking second in all of Minor League Baseball. Pitching between Class-A and High-A, the left-handed Brown led all Red Sox Minor League pitchers in strikeouts (143 in just 106 2/3 innings) and ERA (3.46). This past season at Greenville, Brown allowed just four home runs and the opposition hit just .250 against him.

Brown, an eighth-round pick in 2025 out of Old Dominion (Va.) University, has flown under the radar because he doesn't blow hitters away with overpowering stuff. His four-seam fastball usually sits at 95 mph, and his sinker is just a few ticks below that. But he changes speeds well, gets great movement on his secondary pitches and offers up deception that allows him to miss bats.

It will be interesting to see if Brown can continue to pile up enormous strikeout rates at Double-A and Triple-A in 2027 and potentially push for a spot in the Red Sox rotation. Or because he gets so swing and miss, could he be used in high-leverage spots out of the bullpen?