James Tibbs: Meet the Power-Hitting College Baseball Star Destined for the 2025 MLB Draft

Blockbuster Devers deal puts rising outfield slugger James Tibbs III in the Red Sox pipeline Less than 24 hours after completing a sweep of the Yankees, Boston’s front office stunned MLB by shipping perennial All-Star Rafael Devers to San Francisco and headlining the return with 22-year-old corner-outfield prospect James Tibbs III. The power-hitting lefty instantly becomes one of the most intriguing bats in the Red Sox system and a name fantasy players and prospect watchers need to know. Who is James Tibbs III? • 13th overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Florida State, where he won ACC Player of the Year. • Listed at 6-0, 205 lbs; bats and throws left-handed. • Opened 2025 in High-A Eugene and owns a .245/.377/.480 line with 12 homers, a 16.3 % walk rate and 17.9 % strikeout rate through mid-June. • Graded by scouts with a 60 hit tool, 55 game power and above-average arm strength, projecting as a right-field regular. Why Boston prioritized Tibbs Boston’s new front office has targeted hitters who combine plate discipline with impact contact; Tibbs checks both boxes. His 90th-percentile exit velocities already eclipse several MLB regulars, and his chase rate sits well below league average. The Red Sox also value left-handed power in Fenway, where Tibbs’ pull-side lift profiles perfectly against the short right-field porch. What the move means for Tibbs’ timeline Expect Tibbs to report to Double-A Portland, a level that often serves as Boston’s proving ground before quick ascents to Triple-A Worcester. If his disciplined approach holds against Eastern League pitching, a September 2026 MLB debut is realistic, with outside chance of forcing the issue as early as next summer. How the depth chart shifts • Short term: Wilyer Abreu and Masataka Yoshida anchor the big-league corners, allowing Tibbs development time. • 2026 outlook: A Triston Casas–Marcelo Mayer–Ceddanne Rafaela core could be joined by Tibbs as the everyday right fielder, giving Boston cost-controlled left-hand thump throughout the lineup. Stat snapshot (2025 through June 15) Level: High-A Eugene (NWL) Games: 56 HR: 12 RBI: 45 AVG/OBP/SLG: .245/.377/.480 wRC+: 132 (Sources: MLB.com player page, FanGraphs leaderboard) Bottom line By prying James Tibbs III from the Giants, Boston turned a contract-driven superstar swap into a potential cornerstone for its next competitive window. If the hit-tool projections hold, Red Sox fans may soon view Tibbs as more than “the prospect in the Devers trade”—he could be the franchise’s next middle-order mainstay.