Marcelo Mayer is doing everything he can to persuade the Boston Red Sox to pick up the phone and promote the 22-year-old from Triple A Worcester.
Boston entered this season with a problem that most teams would kill for: the Red Sox have an abundance of candidates to play multiple positions and fill the major league roster.
This includes Mayer, the organization’s fourth overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. Mayer has spent the last week of his first Triple-A season tearing it up the plate, producing a sample size that is both impressive and helps solidify his case for a promotion.
Mayer was named the International League Player of the Week after hitting.450 with three home runs, three doubles, 12 RBIs, and 12 bases in his last six games with Worcester.
It took Mayer 77 games with Double-A Portland to hit eight home runs last season, but after only 23 games with the WooSox this season, he has already gone deep eight times.
Concerns about Mayer’s previous lumbar strain, which sidelined him before he had a chance to compete at Polar Park last season, have quickly dissipated.
Mayer has transformed into a highlight-producing machine, leaving fans in Worcester oohing and ahhing while those at Fenway Park eagerly await his arrival.
“Obviously, balance means a lot to us offensively,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora stated in March, according to The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey. “Like I said before, (Mayer and Roman Anthony) are an injury away, probably, from the big leagues, but I actually think it’s the other way around, they’re going to push us to make decisions.”
Worcester’s shortstop has made it extremely simple to make the case for immediate promotion. Mayer is hitting.280/.324/.548 with 26 hits (11 extra bases) and 34 RBIs in 93 at-bats.
It’s easy to believe that if the Red Sox hadn’t been dealing with an overcrowded options list, Mayer would have been promoted sooner. Nonetheless, the team is not rushing through the process, despite the fact that the case is solidifying by the day — as evidenced by viral social media highlights.
Mayer has all the support and at this point, it’s just a matter of time.
“He’s a tremendous talent,” WooSox hitting coach Doug Clark told MassLive’s Katie Morrison-O’Day. “We can’t wait for him to get what he deserves, and that’s to be a champion up there with Boston.”
Kristian Campbell, 22, was promoted to the Red Sox’s Opening Day roster right after spring training ended. Campbell was named the starting second baseman and has since demonstrated skills in both the infield and outfield.
Boston also has Trevor Story at shortstop, Alex Bregman at third base, Triston Casas at first base, and a plethora of outfield options, including Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, Rob Refsnyder, and Masataka Yoshida, who is currently recovering from right shoulder surgery.
It is not the best situation for any roster, but it is not a bad one either.
Boston has struggled with depth and consistency in recent seasons. Whether in the rotation, bullpen, or infield, the Red Sox have lacked the depth to keep them from falling into the pits of the American League East. Fans have been waiting for the front office’s draft work to pay off, and Mayer will be the latest reward for the organization’s patience.
According to MLB Pipeline, Mayer is currently the No. 11 prospect in baseball and the second highest-ranked player in Boston’s farm system.
