Red Sox prospects perform well, show off custom cleats at Futures Game
All three Red Sox prospects that played in Saturday's game made a contribution, while Marcelo Mayer and Nick Yorke wore customized cleats with a Fenway Park touch.
The Red Sox got a good showing from a pair of their top prospects in Saturday’s All-Star Futures Game.
Top prospect Marcelo Mayer was busy in the brief action he saw. Mayer, who got the start at shortstop for the American League team, made a strong defensive play in the field in the top half of the first inning. In the bottom of the frame, Mayer hit a single up the middle off Phillies pitching prospect Mick Abel, who ranked as the 34th-best prospect in Baseball America’s recent top 100 rankings. Mayer stole second base in the following at-bat, but the American League wasn’t able to capitalize.
That was the end of Mayer’s day as Orioles prospect and 2022 No. 1 overall pick Jackson Holliday replaced him in the second inning.
As Mayer’s day ended, Nick Yorke’s day was just getting going. He started at second base for the American League squad. After hitting a comebacker to end the second inning in his first at-bat, the right-handed hitter hit a double to left-center to open the fifth. Yorke ended his day 1-for-3 when he struck out on a breaking ball to end an AL scoring threat with the bases loaded and two in the sixth inning.
Pitcher Luis Guerrero came in for just one batter in the seventh inning, but he did what he needed to do. He struck out Yanquiel Fernandez with a 100 mph fastball in the seventh inning.
While Mayer and Yorke have been projected to be major leaguers since the Red Sox selected each of them in the first round, Guerrero has had a different path. The 22-year-old and 17th-round pick in the 2021 draft has pitched out of the bullpen during his time in the Red Sox’ system, but he’s thrown well this year with Double-A Portland. He’s gone 3-1 with a 1.11 ERA, giving up 16 hits, 20 walks, and throwing 31 strikeouts in 32 ⅓ innings pitched over 27 outings.
In addition to showing out on the field, Mayer and Yorke showed off some creativity with their cleats. Mayer’s left cleat had dirt from Fenway Park in the Nike swoosh part, and the right cleat paid tribute to his hometown of San Diego.
Yorke, meanwhile, wore cleats that had Wally the Green Monster and the Fenway Park scoreboard on the heels.
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