Red Sox Minor League Roundup: Salem RidgeYaks Debut with a Win

Greenville Drive rally falls short in extras, while Worcester-St. Paul is postponed

Apr. 4, 2026 at 1:18am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold colors depicting the action and movement of a minor league baseball game, with players and the field deconstructed into sharp, overlapping shapes.A cubist interpretation of the excitement and energy of minor league baseball, as young prospects vie for their shot at the big leagues.Greenville Today

In the Red Sox minor league action on Thursday, the newly rebranded Salem RidgeYaks won their season opener, while the Greenville Drive fell in extra innings to the Greensboro Grasshoppers. The Worcester Red Sox game against the St. Paul Saints was postponed due to rain.

Why it matters

The Red Sox farm system is an important pipeline for developing future major league talent, and these minor league games provide an early look at some of the organization's top prospects as they work their way up the ranks.

The details

In Greenville, the Drive fought back from a 3-0 deficit in the 9th inning, tying the game on a 3-run homer by Freili Encarnacion. But the Grasshoppers pulled away in the 11th inning to win 9-5. For Salem, 2025 8th-round pick Dylan Brown threw 5 shutout innings in his first minor league start, and Skylar King drove in 3 runs to lead the RidgeYaks to a 5-4 victory over the Delmarva Shorebirds. The Worcester-St. Paul game was postponed due to rain and will be made up on Friday.

  • On Thursday, the Greenville Drive lost 9-5 to the Greensboro Grasshoppers in 11 innings.
  • Also on Thursday, the Salem RidgeYaks won their season opener 5-4 over the Delmarva Shorebirds.
  • The Worcester Red Sox game against the St. Paul Saints on Thursday was postponed due to rain.

The players

Freili Encarnacion

A Greenville Drive player who hit a game-tying 3-run homer in the 9th inning.

Dylan Brown

The Salem RidgeYaks' 8th-round draft pick in 2025 who threw 5 shutout innings in his first minor league start.

Skylar King

A Salem RidgeYaks player who had two doubles and drove in 3 runs in their season-opening win.

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The takeaway

The Red Sox minor league affiliates got their seasons underway, with the newly rebranded Salem RidgeYaks picking up a win in their debut. While the Greenville Drive came up short in extra innings, the performances of prospects like Freili Encarnacion and Dylan Brown provide optimism for the future of the Red Sox farm system.