View 5 photos

PORTLAND — Payton Tolle has been with the Portland Sea Dogs for just over a month. If Sea Dogs manager Chad Epperson had gotten his way in spring training, it would’ve been longer.

“I was pulling for him to start (the season) here. I saw a handful, whether it was games or live BP’s (batting practice) down in spring training, and I was like ‘let’s slot that guy in our rotation right now’,” Epperson said before Tuesday’s game against the Altoona Curve at Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field.

As it is, Tolle, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound left-hander, is on the fast track through the minor league system of the Boston Red Sox. Drafted in the second round last year, 50th overall out of Texas Christian University, Tolle bypassed Low-A Salem and began his pro career this spring in High-A Greenville. In five appearances since his promotion to Double-A, including four starts (his one relief appearance came on July 4 after Tanner Houck made a rehab start for the Sea Dogs), Tolle has established himself as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s organization.

“It was a goal of mine to try to get here as soon as possible. I think that’s everybody’s goal. It’s caught me a little off guard. I was just trying to keep my head down in Greenville,” said Tolle, who joined the Sea Dogs on June 24. “I love (Portland). I’ve tried to ask a ton of questions, and I’ve gotten a ton of answers. They’re open and honest with everybody, and I’m lucky to be with these guys.”

MLB Pipeline ranks Tolle as the third-best prospect in Boston’s system, while soxprospects.com has the big southpaw No. 1. His stats bear out the expectations. In 77 2/3 innings, Tolle has 110 strikeouts and only 19 walks. Opponents are hitting just .211 off him. The small sample size in Portland has been impressive: 31 strikeouts and five walks in 23 innings, with batters hitting a measly .154. Tolle’s WHIP (walks and hits over innings pitched) is an incredible 0.74 since his promotion.

With his size, Tolle’s fastball in the high 90s looks even faster when he reaches full extension, as he delivers the pitch that much closer to the plate.

“You’ve got that big body coming down the slope with that kind of extension, man, that ball gets on you in a hurry. You could tell, even in his last outing in Richmond, their game plan was to jump early,” Epperson said. “They were trying to ambush, and they were still having a hard time catching up. … It’s not a very fun AB (at-bat).”

Ronald Rosario has caught most of Tolle’s innings since the southpaw was called up to the Sea Dogs.

“The No. 1 thing you see out of him on the mound is attitude. A real, real positive attitude, like he’s going to win every single pitch,” Rosario said through translator Juan Rivera, Portland’s pitching coach. “Even if he fails on one, it’s the same attitude on the next one. Every time he throws a baseball, I feel like we’re in a winning position.”

When it comes to drafting or trading for pitchers in recent years, the Red Sox have a type: big, hard throwers who can develop offspeed secondary pitches while working off the fastball. Tolle is a perfect fit. Connelly Early (6-foot-3) and David Sandlin (6-4), two starting pitchers who were promoted from Portland to Triple-A Worcester on Sunday night, are other examples. So is Kyson Witherspoon, the 6-2, 205-pound righty who the Red Sox grabbed with the 15th overall pick in this year’s draft. Boston second-round pick was Marcus Phillips, a 6-4, 245-pound righty out of Tennessee.

“These guys are moving quick these days. You get in there and you dominate a level, we’re not keeping you hostage anywhere. They’re going to move you,” Epperson said. “These guys we’re going after are beasts. You look at our staff. They’re big, strong and physical.”

While Tolle is about the size of Garrett Crochet, Boston’s 6-6, 245-pound left-handed ace, he’s not there yet. Tolle said he’s working on his curveball and changeup and has enjoyed success with both since joining the Sea Dogs. What he really enjoys about Double-A, Tolle said, is working on the mental aspects of the game with Rivera, the pitching coach.

“Juan’s been great at talking us through hitters. There’s a whole lot more thinking that goes on here. Greenville and Salem are very development driven. We’re still working on stuff here, but it’s a lot more play the game and play with what you’ve got,” Tolle said. “Dugout talks, what are we going to do with these next three or four hitters? Just adding another element to the game that’s super enjoyable to me. I love the thought process to the game. That’s the goal. Make (hitters) solve problems, but keep giving them different problems to solve.”

Rivera said Tolle is a guy who doesn’t simply rely on that strong fastball. He’s working on becoming a pitcher, not simply a hard thrower.

“I say this about guys all the time who keep moving up: The work he does between 2 and 5 (p.m.) is his most important work of the day, and he treats it as such,” Rivera said.

Tolle’s next scheduled start is Saturday night. His journey through Boston’s minor league system is moving fast, and he might not be here long.