The Will Middlebrooks era is set to begin in Boston, as the consensus top-100 prospect has been called up to the Red Sox Wednesday afternoon.

Will Middlebrooks' star has risen fast over the last couple of years. A fifth-round pick in the 2007 draft, Middlebrooks overcame a slow start to his career in Lowell and Greenville with a surprising July in 2010. While he slipped after that hot month in Salem, Middlebrooks nevertheless earned a promotion to Double-A Portland in 2011, going on a tear for through the dog days of summer to earn his first mid-season promotion.

While things went poorly for the third baseman in his first start in Pawtucket after a mid-season promotion, Middlebrooks came out on fire to start 2012. Already having clubbed nine homers in the young season, Middlebrooks ranks among the top performers in the Triple-A International League with a line of .333/.380/.677, surrounded exclusively by much older Quadruple-A type players.

Though the Sox have yet to announce a counter move, in all likelihood the ailing Kevin Youkilis will be moved to the disabled list to make room.