Here’s where Red Sox best prospects ranked in Baseball America’s top 100 list
A pair of recently traded Red Sox prospects also cracked the list.
A few of the Red Sox’ top prospects are at the top of another best prospects in baseball list.
Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer were each listed as top 15 prospects on Baseball America’s most recent top 100 prospects in baseball list, which was released Wednesday. Additionally, Franklin Arias cracked the top 100, giving Boston four prospects in the top 100.
Here’s a breakdown of each prospect who made the list.
OF Roman Anthony
Anthony is no longer the No. 1 prospect on Baseball America’s top 100 list, losing that spot to recently signed Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaski. Sasaki, 23, has been regarded as one of the top pitchers to ever come out of Japan, helping his native country win the World Baseball Classic in 2023.
But Anthony isn’t too far from the top spot. He only dropped to No. 2 due to Sasaki’s signing.
Anthony has been ranked as the best prospect in baseball by other outlets since the end of the 2024 season, recently being ranked No. 1 by Baseball Prospectus. Had Anthony remained at No. 1 in Baseball America’s ranking, he would have become the third Red Sox player to hold that spot entering a season in the publication’s 35-year history, joining Daisuke Matsuzaka and Andrew Benintendi.
The 20-year-old has had a relatively quick rise up the Red Sox’ system and prospect rankings since the team selected him in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft. He was a consensus top-25 prospect entering 2024 before posting a .269/.367/.489 slashline with 15 homers and 16 stolen bases in 84 games with Double-A Portland. He was called up to Triple-A Worcester late in the summer, posting a stronger slashline (.344/.463/.519) with three homers and five stolen bases in 34 games.
As Anthony impressed in Worcester, he’ll seemingly have a chance to make the Red Sox’ Opening Day roster.
“I’m going to go into spring training with that attitude and do everything I can,” Anthony told reporters at the Red Sox’ Rookie Development Program earlier in January. “But also, at the same time, trusting the front office and what they have planned. But for me, that’s the mentality going into spring training.”
2B/OF Kristian Campbell
Campbell was also included in the top five, with Baseball America ranking him as the fourth-best prospect in baseball. It marks another top-five ranking for the versatile position player, who was ranked as the third-best prospect in baseball recently by Baseball Prospectus.
As Anthony has quickly climbed up the Red Sox’ system, Campbell’s surge has been more sudden and certainly more of a surprise. The 22-year-old only needed one full season to establish himself as one of the best prospects in baseball, posting strong numbers in high-A ball, Double-A, and Triple-A. He slashed .362/.463/.582 with eight homers and 17 stolen bases in 56 games of Double-A ball before slashing .286/.412/.486 with four homers and four stolen bases in 19 games with Triple-A Worcester.
Campbell, who the Red Sox selected in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft, earned Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year for his strong play in 2024. As Baseball America didn’t rank Campbell in its top 30 Red Sox prospects ahead of the 2024 season, Geoff Pontes wrote that it was an “obvious choice” to make him the publication’s Minor League Player of the Year.
“His rise is atypical,” Pontes wrote of Campbell. “Since the Prospect Handbook launched in 2001, Campbell is the first Minor League POY who did not rank among his organization’s preseason Top 30. This wasn’t a misevaluation by the entire industry, but rather a testament to Campbell’s work ethic and the advances in Red Sox hitting development.”
Campbell’s sudden emergence has suddenly put him in play for a major role on the Red Sox as soon as Opening Day. With Boston not addressing second base or its outfield in a notable way this offseason, there are multiple paths for Campbell to make the Opening Day roster.
SS Marcelo Mayer
Mayer is also featured high up on Baseball America’s top 100 prospects list again, but he’s actually down a spot from where he was at this point last offseason. The 22-year-old shortstop was ranked as the 15th-best prospect in Baseball America’s top 100 after placing 14th in its pre-2024 ranking and 10th in its pre-2023 ranking.
While Mayer’s drop is relatively minuscule, he has developed some early injury concerns. His 2024 season was cut short after lumbar strain, preventing him from playing a game in Triple-A Worcester following his call up in August.
But there’s obviously a strong reason why Mayer has continually been placed high up in these prospect rankings since Boston selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft. He had a stellar year at the plate with Double-A Portland, slashing .307/.370/.480 with eight homers and 13 stolen bases in 77 games.
Unlike Anthony and Campbell, a spot on the Opening Day roster doesn’t seem in play for Mayer as he’s coming back from an injury and still hasn’t recorded an at-bat in Triple-A. But Mayer will be ready to hit the ground running when spring training opens.
“Marcelo’s doing great,” Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham told reporters at the team’s Rookie Development Program earlier in January. “He’s doing all baseball activities. A full go for spring training. I’ve spoken to him a good amount along with our staff, and he’s in a really good spot to prepare for the rest of this offseason and be ready for spring.”
Additionally, the Red Sox don’t have long-term concerns about Mayer’s injuries, adding that he’s “right on track” with where he and the organization want him to be.
“Yeah, anytime you’re banged up, it’s tough for these guys, they’re competitors,” Abraham said. “They want to win. They want to compete. They want to get better. It’s difficult. But I think we are optimistic. I know Marcelo is optimistic that he’s going to continue to improve. When he’s been on the field, he’s performed incredibly well. I have no doubt that that will be the case this year.”
SS Franklin Arias
The 19-year-old’s surge has also continued up prospect lists this offseason, ranking as the 76th-best prospect by Baseball America.
Like Campbell, Arias was also in his first full season with the Red Sox’ organization in 2024. He signed with the team as an international free agent as an international free agent from Venezuela for $525,000 in 2023.
Despite his climb, Arias is still projected to be at least a couple of seasons away from reaching the majors. He only played in rookie and A-ball last season, slashing .309/.409/.487 with nine homers and 35 RBIs in 87 games.
Where did recently departed Red Sox prospects rank?
The Red Sox could have had six players featured on Baseball America’s top 100 list if they didn’t make the trade for Garrett Crochet. Catcher Kyle Teel and outfielder Braden Montgomery were both included in the publication’s top 100 prospects.
Teel, who was considered a part of the Red Sox’ “big four” prospect group with Anthony, Campbell, and Mayer, was ranked noticeably lower than those three, placing 52nd. Boston’s 2023 first-round pick was called up to Triple-A at the same time as Anthony and Mayer last season.
Montgomery, meanwhile, was ranked as the 66th-best prospect in baseball by Baseball America. The Red Sox selected him in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft, but an ankle injury prohibited him from playing after he was drafted.
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