Orioles Add Another Top Prospect to Adley Rutschman Trade as Harold Rivas Heads to Baltimore
The Baltimore Orioles’ return for Adley Rutschman just became even more substantial.
The Boston Red Sox are sending 18-year-old outfielder Harold Rivas to Baltimore as the player to be named later in the blockbuster trade that sent Rutschman and catcher Jake Rogers to Boston, according to reports Tuesday night. Red Sox reporter Tyler Milliken reported the news while crediting prospect reporter Andrew Parker.
That means Baltimore’s final return for Rutschman and Rogers is catcher Carlos Narváez, right-handed pitchers Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon, outfielders Enddy Azocar and Harold Rivas.
That is five players coming back to Baltimore, including four legitimate prospects from what had been considered one of baseball’s stronger farm systems.
When the trade was completed Aug. 3, Rivas was not officially included. The announced return featured Narváez, Eyanson, Witherspoon, Azocar and either a player to be named later or cash considerations.
Now Baltimore appears to have gotten the player.
And Rivas is not simply organizational filler.
Who is Harold Rivas?
Rivas is one of the more interesting young outfielders in Boston’s lower minor league system.
The Venezuelan prospect was born May 10, 2008, making him just 18 years old. He stands approximately 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, bats and throws right-handed and originally signed with Boston as an international free agent in January 2025.
Boston gave Rivas a $950,000 signing bonus, the second-largest bonus the organization handed out during its 2025 international signing class.
That alone illustrates how highly the Red Sox regarded him.
Rivas immediately showed promise in his first professional season.
Playing in the Dominican Summer League in 2025, Rivas hit .258 with a .393 on-base percentage and .384 slugging percentage across 46 games. He recorded six doubles, four triples and two home runs while stealing 18 bases.
He took another step forward this season.
In 46 games for the Florida Complex League Red Sox, Rivas hit .241/.343/.429 with six home runs, six doubles, four triples and 23 stolen bases.
For an 18-year-old playing professional baseball, the combination of speed, defensive ability and emerging power is significant.
Rivas has intriguing tools
Rivas’ value goes beyond his statistics.
SoxProspects describes him as possessing high-end athleticism and a projectable frame. The scouting service notes his quick hands and above-average bat speed while projecting the possibility of average major league power as he physically develops.
His defense may be an even bigger strength.
Rivas has plus speed, quality instincts in center field and a strong throwing arm. SoxProspects believes his defensive ability gives him a legitimate chance to remain in center field long term.
That creates a particularly intriguing profile.
Even if Rivas never develops into an impact offensive player, his speed, arm and center-field defense could provide a path to the major leagues. If his bat develops along with the rest of his tools, his ceiling becomes considerably higher.
Baseball America has also highlighted Rivas as one of the more promising players from Boston’s 2025 international class and recently identified him among notable young prospects rising through the lower levels.
Was Rivas really a top-10 Red Sox prospect?
Depending on the ranking service, yes.
FanGraphs currently lists Rivas as the No. 9 prospect in Boston’s organization, giving him a 40-plus future value grade.
Other outlets ranked him somewhat lower earlier in the season as he was only beginning to establish himself in professional baseball.
That distinction is important because social media posts describing Baltimore’s return as including “four top-10 Red Sox prospects” are technically dependent upon which ranking service is being used.
There is no question, however, that Baltimore received a massive amount of young talent.
The complete Rutschman haul
Baltimore’s return now includes:
RHP Anthony Eyanson
Eyanson was Boston’s No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline at the time of the trade and the No. 49 overall prospect in baseball. The 21-year-old had gone 4-0 with a 1.32 ERA through 16 appearances during his first professional season.
RHP Kyson Witherspoon
Witherspoon was Boston’s first-round selection in the 2025 MLB Draft, taken 15th overall. MLB Pipeline ranked him fourth in Boston’s system when the trade was completed.
The 21-year-old immediately became another major pitching prospect for Baltimore’s system.
OF Enddy Azocar
Azocar may eventually become one of the most fascinating pieces of the entire trade.
The 19-year-old was batting .286 with 18 home runs and 63 RBIs across 85 games when the deal occurred.
Baseball America ranked Azocar as Boston’s No. 5 prospect before the trade, while MLB Pipeline had him No. 10.
He is already making an impression with Baltimore.
MLB Pipeline currently ranks Azocar as the No. 8 prospect in the Orioles organization, and he quickly began producing after joining High-A Frederick.
OF Harold Rivas
Now Baltimore adds another extremely young, athletic outfielder with significant developmental upside.
C Carlos Narváez
Narváez gives Baltimore an established major league catcher while the organization determines its long-term plans behind the plate following Rutschman’s departure.
This makes the trade look even bigger
The initial reaction to Baltimore trading Rutschman within the American League East was understandably emotional.
Rutschman was not simply another Orioles player.
He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, one of the faces of Baltimore’s rebuild and a three-time All-Star. He helped usher in the Orioles’ return to contention after years of losing.
Trading him to Boston was always going to be controversial.
But the return Baltimore received continues to change the conversation.
Eyanson is an elite pitching prospect.
Witherspoon is a recent first-round pick.
Azocar has become one of the fastest-rising outfield prospects in the minors.
Rivas gives Baltimore yet another high-upside teenager.
And Narváez provides immediate major league catching depth.
One veteran talent evaluator reportedly described Boston’s price for Rutschman as one of the most surprising trade packages he had seen in decades.
With Rivas now apparently completing the deal, it becomes easier to understand why.
Orioles continue rebuilding their farm system
The Orioles spent much of the 2026 trade deadline converting established major league talent into young players.
The Rutschman trade was easily the biggest example.
Baltimore is now betting heavily on another wave of prospects developing behind the organization’s current young core.
The strategy carries obvious risk.
Prospects are never guaranteed.
Eyanson, Witherspoon, Azocar and Rivas could all become productive major league players, or some could never reach their projected ceilings.
Rutschman, meanwhile, is already an established major league catcher.
But Baltimore did not receive one lottery ticket for its former franchise cornerstone.
The Orioles received an entire group.
That distinction matters.
MSB Take
The Adley Rutschman trade was painful for Orioles fans when it happened, and nothing about acquiring another prospect changes what Rutschman meant to Baltimore.
But judging a trade and judging the return are two different things.
The Orioles received an enormous return.
Adding Harold Rivas makes it even better.
Baltimore now has Eyanson, Witherspoon, Azocar and Rivas — four prospects with legitimate upside — plus Narváez for Rutschman and Rogers.
Rivas might actually be one of the most interesting pieces because he is only 18.
There is a long development road ahead of him, but an athletic center fielder with plus speed, a strong arm, emerging power and a nearly $1 million international signing pedigree is exactly the type of player a rebuilding organization should want.
The Orioles gave up the face of their franchise.
Boston paid accordingly.
And with Rivas now joining the deal, Baltimore’s return somehow looks even larger than it did on deadline day.
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