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Now that the Boston Red Sox have promoted top prospect Marcelo Mayer to Double-A, it's fair to start wondering when he might appear in the majors.
The first-round draft pick in the 2021 draft is a Top-5 prospect in all of baseball and could continue to accelerate quickly through the system.
Moreover, the Sox have questions in the middle infield that could make a quicker promotion likely.
For instance:
1) Enrique Hernandez is a free agent at the end of this season. He also leads the majors in errors at 11. He has shown no reason to give the Sox faith that he's the SS of the future.
2) Christian Arroyo is a player that is productive for the Sox when he plays, but he doesn't play enough. He was given the starting second baseman job heading into the year and has just played in 27 games. He has never played more than 87 games in a season, so the idea that he is a full-season starter in the future is tenuous.
Thus, it's perfectly conceivable that the Red Sox could promote Mayer this year if they want to, but it's also likely that they could go into next season with Trevor Story and Mayer in the infield on Opening Day. Mayer making the team out of camp isn't absurd, just ask Anthony Volpe and the Yankees.
Tom Caron, the Red Sox Insider at NESN, was on 'The Brady Farkas Show' on WDEV Radio this week and gave his assessment of the situation: You can listen below:
"...both Rafael Devers and Andrew Benintendi got moved up very quickly from Double-A... they aren't going to do anything to rush their top prospect, and not only their top prospect right now, but one of the top prospects they've had in years."
For more on Mayer, here's a look at his MLB.com prospect profile:
With the No. 4 overall pick in 2021, their highest selection in 54 years, the Red Sox had MLB Pipeline's top-rated prospect fall into their lap because the Pirates cut a deal with Henry Davis and the Rangers and Tigers had their hearts set on Jack Leiter and Jackson Jobe. The consensus among scouts was that Mayer was both the best hitter and best defender in his Draft class, a potential combination of Corey Seager's bat and Brandon Crawford's glove. Signed for a franchise-record $6,664,000, he batted .280/.399/.489 with 45 extra-base hits and 17 steals in his 2022 full-season debut despite dealing with a right wrist injury early in the year.
Like fellow Eastlake HS (Chula Vista, Calif.) product and former Red Sox All-Star Adrian Gonzalez, Mayer has a sweet left-handed stroke and advanced hitting ability. Despite a surprisingly high 25 percent strikeout rate in his first two pro seasons, he has displayed the ability to recognize pitches, make good swing decisions and use the entire field. He's adding strength to his 6-foot-3 frame, and his penchant for hard contact should translate into 25 homers per season once he learns to drive the ball in the air more consistently.
While Mayer is bigger than most shortstops, he has the smooth actions, quick hands and plus arm to make all the plays at the position. The only knock on his game is his fringy speed, though he makes up for it with a quick first step and good instincts on the bases and in the field. It's not impossible that he could slow down enough as he fills out that he might have to shift to second or third base, but he'd still profile as a difference-maker offensively and defensively at either spot.
He's hit .290 with seven homers and 34 RBI this season at Single-A prior to the call-up.
While the Sox wait for Mayer, they have been using a combination of Hernandez, Arroyo, Yu Chang and Pablo Reyes in the infield. They are waiting for Story to return from internal brace surgery and are also waiting for Aldaberto Mondesi to return from a torn ACL that he sustained last year.
The Sox are currently 28-27 and in last place in the American League East. They'll host the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. ET at Fenway Park.
They are 10.5 games out of first place in the division (Rays, Orioles, Yankees, Blue Jays are the order).
As for the Reds, they are 26-29 and in third place in the National League Central.
Chris Sale pitches for Boston on Thursday while young flamethrower Hunter Greene throws for the Reds.
More must-reads:
- Twins reliever shut down for six weeks with patellar tendon tear
- West Point alum made history in his MLB debut with Reds
- The 'No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft' quiz
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