Red Sox prospect Franklin Arias found gift hitting pebbles in Venezuela

PHILADELPHIA – Boston Red Sox prospect Franklin Arias fondly recalls his childhood in Venezuela. For a time, a wooden broomstick, a few pebbles and beer bottle caps were all he needed to play the game he loved.

As he recalled the memory, Arias was in a natural throwing motion, pretending to toss a couple of pebbles to the young boy he once was, waiting to take his best swing with a wooden broomstick.

In Sunday’s MLB All-Star Futures Game, Arias saw the dream of the little boy who once played with a broomstick, pebbles and bottle caps become a reality as he took the field at Citizens Bank Park.

Early gift

“People will toss me little pebbles, and I would hit them,” Arias said. “Then to see their faces and their reactions, I would say to myself, ‘I’m doing something.’ Then after that I started playing baseball and I said, ‘I do it well, let’s keep doing it.’”

Arias signed as an international free agent for $525,000 in 2023 when he was regarded as one of the top defensive infielders in his international class. After making headlines through the Red Sox farm system, the 20-year-old middle infielder started this season with Class AA Portland.

Red Sox No. 1 prospect Franklin Arias sharpened his swing as a young boy in Venezuela by practicing with a broomstick, bottle caps, and small pebbles. That training helped shape the hitting skills that have him ranked as Boston’s No. 1 prospect. 🔥⚾️🇻🇪#MLBFuturesGame #Venezuela pic.twitter.com/FVItrlurfV

— Our Esquina (@OurEsquina) July 12, 2026

Arias is hitting .325 with 86 hits, 16 doubles, 18 home runs, 48 RBIs and a 1.007 OPS. Growing up in Venezuela, you think of great defensive infielders like Omar Vizquel, Luis Aparicio, Andres Gimenez, Jose Altuve. However, Arias idolized two-time Gold Glove winner and 2016 Platinum Glove award winner Francisco Lindor of the Mets.

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Defensively, Arias has played 52 games at shortstop and five games at second base. In addition to 480 2/3 innings played, the 5-foot-11 infielder has made 69 putouts, 137 assists and only three errors.

“It’s a very big dream,” Arias said joining Lindor in the majors. “Like I said I dreamed of that. Since I was a little, he’s the person I would say, ‘I want to be like him or better.’ To have that person at my side would be super marvelous.”

On June 24, two earthquakes struck Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. At least 4,333 people were killed and 16,740 were injured, according to The Guardian. Many Major League Baseball teams have stepped up to provide some form of aid to Venezuela.

The first run of the Future's Game comes on an RBI groundout from Franklin Arias! pic.twitter.com/3xsvkRAmGD

— The Call Up | An MLB Prospect Podcast (@The_CallUpPod) July 12, 2026

The Red Sox hosted a weekend donation drive where Red Sox players, their families, and staff collected donations outside Fenway Park. The Astros held a relief supply drive outside Daikin Park. The Brewers are set to host a “Unidos por Venezuela” night on Tuesday, July 21. Fans can purchase a special $20 ticket, with every dollar from ticket sales going toward relief efforts.

Venezuela strong

Arias, a native of Caracas, wanted to showcase Venezuela on the field. On the toe of his New Balances cleats, the cleat reads “Fuerza Venezuela,” which translates to Venezuela Strong.

“Excitement and joy,” Arias said of representing Venezuela. “I know we’re going through a difficult time, but like I said, one tries to lift Venezuela’s name up high despite what we’re going through. I know that united we will get out of this.”

Arias represented the Red Sox and Venezuela well, starting at second base and batting second in the MLB All-Star Futures Game. The Red Sox No. 1 prospect recorded a RBI ground out in his first at-bat and struck out swinging in his second at-bat.