Red Sox top shortstop prospect Marcelo Mayer likely done for the season with lower back injury (report)
Marcelo Mayer will likely not get to play his first Triple-A game until next season.
The 21-year-old shortstop, who hasn’t played in a game since he left the game on July 30 when playing for the Portland Sea Dogs, is dealing with a lumbar strain, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.
Mayer will not be with the WooSox this week when they return home from their road trip in Norfolk. He will rehab down in Fort Myers, Fla., which means his season is likely over.
Boston expects Mayer to make a full recovery, and he will have a normal offseason.
Mayer was enjoying a strong season, reinforcing him as one of the game's best prospects. In 77 games with Double-A Portland, he hot .307/.370/.480 with 8 homers, 36 extra-base hits, and 13 steals. He was later promoted to Triple-A Worcester with Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel on Aug. 13.
This is the second straight season that Mayer’s year has been cut short due to injuries. Last year, he was placed on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation in early August, ending his short stint with the Sea Dogs, where he hit .189 with 32 hits, eight doubles, one triple, six homers, 20 RBI, and four stolen bases, posting a .609 OPS.
With his season all but finished, Anthony, Teel, and Kristian Campbell will highlight the new-look WooSox lineup. Campbell has been red-hot since his promotion and is a candidate to become a September call-up.
He has been scorching hot, going 8-for-19 (.421) with two homers, one triple, nine RBI, and three runs in his first four games. His two homers came in the same game on Friday night.
Between High-A Greenville, Double-A Portland, and his cup of coffee with Triple-A Worcester, Campbell is hitting .343 with a .445 on-base percentage, .583 slugging percentage, 1.028 OPS, 18 homers, 31 doubles, three triples, 69 RBI, 80 runs, and 21 stolen bases (100 games).
Yeah, he'll make a complete recovery...until his next injury.