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Marcelo Mayer credited ‘unmatched’ trust he has in his father’s coaching
"We’ve always been super close and I think that helped on the baseball field.”
Marcelo Mayer credits his father for development: Red Sox rookie Marcelo Mayer enjoyed a breakout game on Wednesday, smashing a pair of home runs in a 4-3 win over the Rays.
As Mayer—one of the top prospects in baseball—continues to settle in at the Major League level, he took time to credit a foundational coach in his growth as a player: His father, Enrique.
In an interview with MLB.com’s Ian Browne, Mayer discussed the central role that Enrique has played in his development.
“I fully trusted him,” Mayer told Browne of his father. “Obviously, sometimes you don’t want to hear it from your dad, but I do know that he knows what he’s talking about. So I always listened to him.”
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Enrique Mayer played baseball up to the junior college level, winning the 1981 Arizona state championship alongside his brother (Marcelo’s uncle), Edward Mayer, for Nogales High School.
“We’ve always been super close and I think that helped on the baseball field,” Marcelo explained. “He pushed me really hard. He made sure that I played the game the right way, and if I didn’t, he let me know. There were a few times where, growing up, I’d have a bad attitude and practice with him because it wasn’t going the way that I wanted it to.
“And he’d make me pick all that stuff up and take everything to the house. So, yeah, I think that just kind of created me into who I am today.”
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The hard work paid off, as the Red Sox made Mayer the team’s highest drafted player in more than half a century with the fourth overall pick in 2021. After steadily moving his way up the Red Sox minor league system, he earned his call-up to the big leagues in May.
“It was super special for both of us and the whole family,” Mayer said of the first call he made after hearing the news. He obviously made sure it was a call to Enrique.
“I think the best coach is someone that knows you the best and someone who has been around you the most. The trust that I have with him is unmatched.”
Trivia: Prior to picking Marcelo Mayer fourth in 2021, who was the most recent top-10 draft pick made by the Red Sox?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: Picked in 2015, he eventually became a starter for the 2018 World Series-winning Red Sox.
Scores and schedules:
The Red Sox defeated the Rays 4-3 on Wednesday evening to take two of three in the series.
Boston will host the Yankees for a weekend series starting tomorrow (7:10 p.m.) at Fenway Park.
This Saturday, the Revolution face FC Cincinnati at Gillette Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
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- What Hunter Dobbins said of report he made false claims about dad’s playing career with Yankees
- Red Sox acquire hard-throwing reliever in trade with Twins
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- Red Sox acquire hard-throwing reliever in trade with Twins
- Go behind the scenes with ‘Toucher & Hardy’ on The Sports Hub: ‘There’s a history there’
Mayer’s (two) moments: Here’s a look at the two home run game from the Red Sox rookie.
On this day: In 2010, Daniel Nava took a swing at the first pitch of his Major League career, and drove it into the Red Sox bullpen for a grand slam in a 10-2 Boston win over the Phillies.
Daily highlight: In the spirit of a Red Sox-heavy Morning Sports Update, we’ll close things out with a 102 m.p.h. Aroldis Chapman fastball.
Trivia answer: Andrew Benintendi
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