The best player coming out of Puerto Rico in the 2019 Draft, Lugo landed with the Red Sox in the second round. He first gained some traction as a prospect in 2022, reaching Double-A and then playing well in the Puerto Rican Winter League that offseason. He couldn’t replicate his success with a full-time move to Double-A in 2023, but made some mechanical adjustments at the plate that enabled him to really take off and get to Triple-A. The Angels acquired him at the Trade Deadline in 2024 in the Luis García deal, but Lugo played just one game in his new organization because of a thumb injury. After a combined .954 OPS, he earned a spot on the Angels’ 40-man roster in the offseason.
Once Lugo simplified his setup and swing (getting rid of a bat wiggle, raising his hands and shortening his right-handed stroke), things really started clicking. He still can get too pull-happy, trying to sell out for power to left field, but his overall approach and plate discipline took a step forward. He was getting to better pitches to drive more routinely and making harder contact more consistently.
Now healthy, the Angels will get to see whether the changes stick in his new environment. He’s played multiple positions -- starting as a shortstop, moving to third base, then focusing on the corner outfield spots for the last year-plus. The Angels plan to give him another look at the hot corner, perhaps with designs on him being an offensive-minded utility player.
A nephew of nine-time All-Star Carlos Beltran, Lugo went to school and trained at his uncle's baseball academy in Puerto Rico en route to signing for $1.1 million as a second-rounder in 2019. After playing well in High-A in 2022 and sharing Rookie of the Year accolades in the Puerto Rican Winter League that offseason, he struggled in Double-A last year. Simplifying his load and swing helped him bat .315/.405/.664 in 43 Double-A games in 2024 before he forced a promotion to Triple-A. He was sent to the Angels right at the Trade Deadline as part of the return for right-hander Luis García.
Lugo had a lot going on with his right-handed swing before eliminating a bat wiggle, raising his hands and shortening his stroke. He's still pull-conscious and looks to launch balls to his pull side, but he has shown more discipline this year and done a better job of waiting for pitches to drive. His swing is quicker, he's hitting balls harder and he has been productive against both lefties and righties.
Lugo's instincts help him make the most of his average speed on the bases. Signed as a shortstop, he opened 2023 at third base but has played primarily on the outfield corners since mid-May last year. He's a competent outfielder best suited for left field, and his lessened defensive responsibilities seem to have helped his hitting.
The nephew of nine-time All-Star Carlos Beltran, Lugo attended school and trained at his uncle's baseball academy in Puerto Rico before signing for $1.1 million as a second-round pick in 2019. He led the High-A South Atlantic League in hits (135), triples (10), extra-base hits (54) and total bases (235) at age 21 last season before making a three-game cameo in Double-A. He starred against older competition in the Puerto Rican Winter League during the offseason, sharing rookie of the year honors.
One of the more advanced young hitters in the system, Lugo arrived in pro ball with the ability to recognize pitches and use the entire field, He always has made consistent contact with a simple, quick right-handed swing and he made an adjustment in 2022 to allow him to drive balls in the air more easily. He could develop into a .270 hitter with 20 homers on an annual basis if he can tone down his overly aggressive approach.
Lugo has solid speed and good instincts on the bases, but his quickness doesn't translate as well on defense. Despite his athleticism, he doesn't cover a lot of ground and is an inconsistent defender at shortstop. He projects more as an offensive-minded second or third baseman with solid arm strength. His competitiveness and willingness to learn help his cause.
The nephew of nine-time All-Star Carlos Beltran, Lugo attended school and trained at his uncle's baseball academy in Puerto Rico before the Red Sox signed him for $1.1 million as a 2019 second-round pick. He made his full-season debut in 2021 as a 20-year-old in Low-A, and it was a tale of two halves. He batted .228/.273/.278 in the first two months before improving to .303/.383/.429 afterward.
Lugo has advanced feel for his simple right-handed swing and already shows the ability to recognize pitches and use the opposite field. But his approach detracts from his above-average raw power, which he won't tap into until he starts turning on more balls and launching them in the air more regularly. If he gets stronger and learns to wait for pitches to drive, he could develop into a .270 hitter with 15-20 homers per season.
Lugo has good instincts and fluid actions at shortstop, though he still makes youthful errors and may not have more than average range. With solid speed, arm strength and athleticism, he's capable of playing all over the infield and outfield as needed. He may wind up moving because Boston has more talented shortstop defenders in its system, though his offensive ceiling compares favorably to all of them except for 2021 first-rounder Marcelo Mayer.
The nephew of nine-time All-Star Carlos Beltran, Lugo attended school and trained at his uncle's baseball academy in Puerto Rico. He generated some first-round buzz as the island's top prospect in the 2019 Draft, but his poor offensive performance at a showcase that May allowed the Red Sox to get him in the second round, where they signed him for $1.1 million. He reached short-season ball at the end of his pro debut but his 2020 development was limited to instructional league, where he didn't hit because of a minor wrist injury.
Lugo doesn't have a plus tool but could develop average to solid attributes across the board. He has a simple right-handed stroke and already understands how to use the entire field, drive balls in the air and manage the strike zone. His bat speed and propensity for making hard contact give him above-average raw power and could translate into 15-20 homers annually once he adds strength.
Lugo flashes plus speed but figures to lose a little quickness as he matures physically. Though he has solid hands and arm strength, some clubs projected him as more of a second or third baseman coming out of the Draft. The Red Sox disagree, seeing enough twitchy athleticism, quickness and range to remain at shortstop.
The nephew of nine-time All-Star Carlos Beltran, Lugo trained and went to school at his uncle's baseball academy in Florida, Puerto Rico. The island's top prospect in the 2019 Draft, he drew some first-round interest, so Boston was happy to find him available toward the end of the second round. Signed for $1.1 million, he has the best all-around tools of the system's young middle-infield prospects.
Lugo's bat speed and feel for making hard contact give him above-average raw power, and he could develop into a 20-homer threat once he gets stronger. Though he was one of the younger players in the 2019 Draft, the right-handed hitter already shows an understanding of using the entire field, driving the ball in the air and managing the strike zone. He flashes plus speed but probably will slow a bit as he fills out physically.
While some clubs projected Lugo as more of a second or third baseman before the Draft, the Red Sox are convinced he'll remain at shortstop. They view him as a twitchy athlete with the quickness and range for the position. There are no concerns about his arm strength or hands.
Puerto Rico has had at least one shortstop taken in the top 10 rounds of the Draft every year since 2006, with No. 1 pick Carlos Correa (2012) and 2016 first-rounder Delvin Perez headlining the list. While Lugo may not go quite as high as that duo, the middle infielder who raised his profile with a strong showing on the summer showcase circuit does have the chance to go in the Draft's first few rounds.
Lugo's bat is what has stood out the most, especially over the summer and at the World Wood Bat Association World Championship in October. He has an advanced approach at the plate, especially given his age, with a line-drive, up-the-middle philosophy. While he's not nearly as big as Correa, Lugo looks the part already and has more pop from the right side of the plate than you might expect, with some feeling he could have better than average power in the future. While he's not a burner, he runs well underway and is a solid athlete.
The Carlos Beltran Academy product gets some mixed reviews defensively. Some see a move to third or second, depending on where the bat would profile best, but others feel he can stay at shortstop and just needs to smooth some things out. A team signing him away from his University of Miami commitment might give him the chance to play his way off the premium position.
These run values are leveraged, meaning the base/out situation at the time of the event does impact the run value (thus introducing context outside the batter's own contribution).
Note: xHR tells how many of this player's home runs would have been out of other stadiums. The "Adjusted" view here accounts for different wall heights, distances and environmental effects using Statcast Park Factor data.
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Note: xHR tells how many of this player's home runs would have been out of other stadiums. The "Standard" view here accounts for different wall heights and distances but excludes environmental effects. It is based purely on the observed trajectory of the hit.
! Note: Shifts are through the 2022 season, Shaded starting from the 2023 season, Shift: three or more infielders are on the same side of second base, Shade: positioned outside of their typical responsible slices of the field. Learn more about how positioning is defined here
