Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle throws a pitch in a spring training game, Feb. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
The margin between a spot in the starting rotation and the minors can be small, and Payton Tolle is right in the middle of it this spring with the Boston Red Sox.
After making his MLB debut last August, the Red Sox’s top pitching prospect and MLB’s No. 19 overall prospect is now competing for Boston’s No. 5 starter job. A second-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of TCU, Tolle has quickly climbed the system behind a high-90s fastball.
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“I like to view it as a competition, just because that’s how we’re going to make each other better,” Tolle told MassLive.com, “whether that’s with Kutter (Crawford) or Connelly (Early) or (Patrick) Sandoval, whoever it is, we’re all fighting for that fifth spot and in the long run, that’s going to make us better.
“Everybody wants to be part of a starting five, so I’ll just try to do what I can, day after day. It’s a process that’s fun to be part of and I think that’s what makes everybody better.”
While his fastball has been his calling card, he knows his secondary pitches are where he needs to show improvement if he wants to break camp with the big-league club. Tolle said his offseason “was a process” as he worked to refine the pitches that will help his fastball play up at the major-league level.
“Changeups, curveballs, adding the sinker in there,” he told MLB.com. “Trying to prioritize those and really hammer in having things that are going to protect the fastball. So that’s going to be the big thing this year, and trying to execute those along with executing the fastballs where I need to execute them. I’m excited where I’m at with stuff. Obviously, you can keep getting better.”
As his career has accelerated, Tolle credits his faith in God for helping him stay grounded.
“It’s been a big part of my baseball career,” he told His Huddle in 2024. “I have always tried to surround myself with people that are like-minded in my faith, and that has played a role in where I have gone as well. Always trusting God and knowing He has a plan has put me in the best spots for me.”
He was baptized in January, and posted about the occasion on Instagram with the caption, “Ask me about my Jesus.” Tolle also carries a reminder of his faith with him every time he takes the mound. Stitched on his glove is “Matthew 5:16,” which reads, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Though he grew up around church, Tolle said it wasn’t until college that his faith became personal.
“My faith has changed over the years,” he told His Huddle. “When I got to college, I finally put my faith first and tried to make it my own.”
That faith has been especially important over the past couple years. In May 2024, while finishing his final season at TCU, Tolle’s mother, Jina, died at age 48 after a battle with cancer. He said he hopes the way he’s handled both success and hardship can point others to Christ.
“I think I just hope my platform can give others hope,” Tolle told His Huddle. “I have been through some hard things during the past few years, and I want to show people that by trusting God, you can make it through and have a good attitude. I feel like I have a unique opportunity to show others the love of Jesus with the platform He has blessed me with.”
The Red Sox open the 2026 regular season on March 26 on the road against the Cincinnati Reds.
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