Marcelo Mayer, Red Sox top prospect, is tearing up the minor leagues
Marcelo Mayer is now batting .337 with four home runs and 23 RBI over 23 games with Greenville.
The Red Sox have tormented opposing pitchers this season, ranking first in MLB in doubles (80), third in both runs scored (208) and team batting average (.271), and fourth in OPS (.793).
That sterling production at the plate is also carrying over to the minor leagues, especially with Boston’s top prospect, Marcelo Mayer.
Mayer, tabbed by MLB.com as the game’s 7th-ranked prospect in the game, is currently on a tear with the High-A Greenville Drive.
The 20-year-old shortstop went 4-for-4 at the plate on Sunday afternoon against the Asheville Tourists, headlined by a solo shot out to deep center. It was the second straight game where Mayer left the yard in Asheville, with Boston’s 2021 first-round pick (fourth overall) clubbing a home run and driving in five runs on Saturday.
Mayer has been on a tear for over a month in Greenville.
After spending most of the 2022 season with the Salem Red Sox, Mayer started off slow against High-A pitching this year.
But after opening his second full pro campaign on a 2-for-20 skid with nine strikeouts, Mayer is now slashing .397/.460/.679 over his last 87 plate appearances, as noted by Red Sox Stats.
On the season, Mayer is batting .337 with four home runs and 23 RBI over 23 games with the Drive.
The crown jewel of Boston’s prospect pipeline, Mayer could be a potential successor for Xander Bogaerts as a franchise shortstop, even though the former is at least another year or two away from the big leagues.
Still, Mayer has continued to make major strides so far in his brief minor-league career. A promotion up to Double-A Portland could be in the cards if Mayer doesn’t start to cool down at the plate.
“We saw it last year in the first at-bat he took,” Alex Cora said of Mayer during spring training. “He controls the strike zone. He understands which pitches he has to swing at and which ones he doesn’t.
“Last year in Sarasota, first at-bat was a walk and today, he took some changeups down in the zone and he did a good job of that. He uses the whole field. He’s a good player. He had a great season last year. There’s some stuff he still has to work on, but this kid, he’s really good.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com