MLB writer makes bold Marcelo Mayer prediction
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Mandatory Credit: Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK
Though Roman Anthony has garnered most of the attention, his fellow Boston Red Sox top prospect Marcelo Mayer is also knocking on the door of the majors.Â
The fourth overall pick of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft, Mayer has slowly climbed through the minor league ranks over his four years in the Red Sox system, albeit often slowed by injuries. 2024 was more of the same: He posted a terrific .307/.370/.480 with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs but was limited to just 77 games with a lumbar strain. This season, however, Mayer has been both healthy and productive, played in 32 of Triple-A Worcester’s first 36 games and once again posting an .850 OPS. Mayer has also picked up steam as the season has gone along, batting .357 with five home runs over his last 18 games.
The biggest remaining question for Mayer is what position he will play at the MLB level. Mayer has played primarily shortstop in the minor leagues, but Trevor Story is currently under contract through 2027. Second base could also be viewed as an option, but the Red Sox just locked in star rookie Kristian Campbell for the next ten years. That leaves third base, which is currently being occupied by Most Valuable Player Award candidate Alex Bregman. Yet Bregman’s contract has an opt-out after the 2025 season, one that he looks more and more likely to take with every clutch hit.
Regardless of Bregman’s status, third base may make the most sense for Mayer in the long term. There have already been discussions about whether the six-foot-three-inch Mayer might be better suited for the hot corner, where his solid hands and strong arm could make him one of the game’s best. Pair that with a potentially elite bat, and it’s no wonder why Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter predicted he would be baseball’s best third baseman by the year 2030.Â
“While he has good hands, he lacks the quick-twitch athleticism generally associated with the shortstop position, and his 6’3″ frame and strong arm would be a clean fit at third base,” Reuter wrote. “If Bregman decides to opt out of the final two years of his three-year, $120 million deal this coming winter, Mayer would be the obvious answer to replace him at the hot corner.”
Though Mayer might take a few years to fully settle in at the big league level, he figures to be at the peak of his powers in 2030 at his age-27 season. With Anthony, Campbell and Mayer each hitting their peaks at the same time, the Red Sox figure to have one of the strongest offensive cores in baseball for the rest of the decade and beyond.Â
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Daniel Fox
Daniel Fox is a freelance NBA and MLB writer for The Sporting News. A 2024 graduate of Ithaca College, Daniel earned his degree in Sports Media and Journalism and gained experience in a variety of media, including TV, Radio, Podcasting and Print. His previous editorial work includes contributions to FanSided, PitcherList, The World Baseball Network, and the Cape Cod Baseball League. Despite growing up in New Jersey, Daniel is a passionate fan of the Red Sox and Celtics.
