Marcelo Mayer: 'I always wanted to be a professional baseball player, that was always the dream, I got the opportunity, so I took it'
Mayer is inching closer to the big leagues while drawing comparisons to MLB superstars
The hype around Marcelo Mayer continues to grow as he makes jumps in the Red Sox minor league system. The former No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, Mayer is inching closer to realizing his dream of being a big leaguer.
While recording with JP25 Media, Mayer was asked whether he knew if he wanted to go to college at USC or sign with an MLB upon being drafted.
“You never know what can happen with this game, so you know I always kept an open mind. But… I always wanted to be a professional baseball player, that was always the dream, I got the opportunity so I took it,” said Mayer.
Now that Mayer is a professional baseball player, the 20-year-old phenom has been compared to Rangers shortstop Corey Seager and Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford by Red Sox amateur scouting director Paul Toboni.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel recently compared Mayer to Brewers outfielder and former National League MVP Christian Yellich.
"Mayer has the choice to lean more into power or contact, but either way he will come with defensive value, like Yelich did in the outfield," McDaniels wrote Wednesday. "I'll split the difference and call both Mayer's hit and power tools 55-grade ability (.270 with 20-25 homers), but either could also be a 60, and there are no concerns that he can post at least average defensive performances at shortstop.
"Mayer isn't a burner and isn't traditionally explosive in the 'I'd love to see this guy at an NFL combine' way, but he has all the little baseball-specific skills that are required to be a perennial All-Star."
While Mayer continues to earn comparisons to other notable big league players. Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. is Mayer’s favorite baseball player. He told MLB.com in an interview before he was drafted that he likes the way he plays, but see’s himself as his own player.
“I like to see it as, ‘I’m my own player,’" said Mayer to Prospects Live, “and I’m going to do the best I can the way I am. I do like the way Tatis and [Francisco] Lindor play. They have fun and they play with a lot of passion. But with swing mechanics and stuff like that, I just do what I do.”
Mayer will be another top Red Sox prospect that fans and media alike will be watching with a close eye this spring. Kiké Hernández will be keeping the shortstop position warm for Mayer who is inching closer to realizing his big league dreams and becoming his own player.
The Chula Vista, Calif. native is coming off a 2022 season where he split time between both High-A Greenville and Single-A Salem. He hit .280 with 98 hits, 30 doubles, two triples, 13 homers, 53 RBIs with a .887 OPS. The sweet-swinging Mayer will continue to draw comparisons to other big leaguers as he puts up impressive numbers in the minors.
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