The Red Sox selected fifth, fourth and third in the first three Drafts from 1965-67, but just once have they picked that early in the subsequent 57 Drafts. That came in 2021, when their wretched pandemic-season performance the year before and some fortunate circumstances allowed them to grab the consensus best player in the talent pool.
With the No. 1 overall choice, the Pirates wanted to save money to spread around later selections, which led them to Henry Davis. At Nos. 2 and 3, the Rangers (Jack Leiter) and Tigers (Jackson Jobe) had their hearts set on pitchers. So, Marcelo Mayer dropped right into Boston's lap.
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Not quite four years later, Mayer makes his big league debut, batting sixth and playing third base in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader against the Orioles. The No. 8 prospect on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 list, he's taking over for Alex Bregman, who went on the injured list with a significant quad injury. Mayer slashed .271/.347/.471 with nine homers and 43 RBIs in 43 Triple-A games before his promotion.
At the time of the 2021 Draft, Mayer was considered both the best hitter and the best defender available, with one scout likening the Eastlake HS (Chula Vista, Calif.) product to a combination of Corey Seager's bat and Brandon Crawford's glove. That might be a little lofty, but he more than gets the job done on both sides of the ball.
Mayer has become more aggressive at the plate as he has gotten stronger, looking to make the most of what has become plus raw power. He still has a fluid left-handed stroke and makes respectable swing decisions, but he turns his bat loose more often and generates impressive exit velocities while looking to drive the ball to right field. He could produce 20-25 homers per season, perhaps more if he learns to lift pitches in the air more frequently.
A career .273/.360/.466 hitter in five pro seasons, Mayer scuffled at times in 2024 against non-fastballs (.690 OPS versus 1.019 against heaters) and same-side pitchers (.674 OPS versus .896 against right-handers). He made some adjustments this year as one of the youngest regulars (age 22) in the International League, producing a .758 OPS against southpaws and a .762 mark against breaking balls and changeups.
The only real knock on Mayer's game is his fringy speed, though he compensates with a quick first step and good instincts on the bases and in the field. He has swiped 48 bases in 56 attempts (85.7 percent) as a pro and could steal 15-20 annually in the big leagues.
Mayer's positioning and high baseball IQ enhance his range at shortstop, where he has spent almost all of his time in the Minors. He's an average-to-solid defender with plus arm strength at short. Some scouts believe he could become a Gold Glover at third base, where he has played just six games (including four this year).
His versatility is huge for the Red Sox. Before Bregman got hurt, Mayer had spent five of his last six Triple-A games at second base, fueling speculation that Boston might move rookie second baseman Kristian Campbell to first base to fill a large void left when Tristan Casas ruptured the patellar tendon in his left knee three weeks ago. Mayer also could be more productive offensively and defensively at shortstop than struggling veteran Trevor Story.
The Red Sox have been spinning their wheels during a 27-26 start that has them 4 1/2 games back in the American League East and a game behind in the AL Wild Card race. They also have outfielder Roman Anthony, baseball's best prospect, raking in Triple-A and pushing for a callup, though no obvious place in their lineup for him at the moment.