The Red Sox are parting ways with a former prospect whose time in their organization had ran its course.
Vaughn Grissom, who rose the ranks of the Atlanta Braves system before a blockbuster trade sent him north to the Red Sox for Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale, is on the move again.
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The Red Sox are trading Grissom to the Los Angeles Angels for a minor league player. The Angels are sending outfielder Isaiah Jackson to the Red Sox in return for Grissom, according to multiple reports.
Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com was first to report Jackson’s inclusion in the trade. Jeff Passan of ESPN was first to report Grissom was headed to Anaheim.
The 24-year-old infielder played 31 games for the Red Sox in 2024, slashing .190/.246/.219. Blocked at the major league level, Grissom spent the entire 2025 season with Triple-A Worcester and slashed .270/.342/.441.
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It’s a low-risk move for the Red Sox, who gain a 40-man roster spot and lose a player whose path back to the big leagues was murky at best.
Grissom appeared to be the Braves’ shortstop of the future for a time. He was the fourth-youngest player in the National League when he debuted in August 2022, and their number-7 prospect going into that season.
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But Grissom followed up his promising 2022 cameo (.291/.353/.440 slash line in 41 games) with a 2023 campaign that saw him play only 23 games in the big leagues as the Braves committed to Orlando Arcia as their primary shortstop.
In Boston, Grissom faced another roster logjam, with Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell pushing veteran shortstop Trevor Story for at-bats. Ultimately Grissom drew the short straw.
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Now he’ll head to an Angels team that has an entrenched shortstop (Zach Neto), but could have an opening at second base. Former first-round draft pick Christian Moore struggled (.198/.284/.370) in his first big league exposure in 2025 and isn’t assured of the starter’s job in 2026.
Jackson, 21, was the Angels’ eighth-round draft pick out of Arizona State in 2025. He went 7-for-32 (.219) in 10 games with the Angels’ Class-A affiliate Tri-City Dust Devils last season.
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