Red Sox top shortstop prospect to play other positions in 2025
The Red Sox are planning to utilize top shortstop prospect Marcelo Mayer at other positions in 2025. While speaking to the media at Fenway Fest in Boston, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that the team will work out Mayer at both second base and third base.
Mayer is expected to start the season with the WooSox and see the majority of playing time at shortstop. By playing other positions in the infield, it’ll give Boston positional versatility once he makes it to the big leagues.
“I think he has the ability and maturity to be an all the way around infielder,” Red Sox infield instructor Jose Flores said about Mayer on Saturday at Fenway Fest in Boston. “That being said, no doubt that he can play the left side of the field. Obviously second base will probably be a position that will be a little bit more awkward for him to learn on a faster pace just because it’s his blind side when turning double plays and all that. And it’s a little bit different. But it’s something that I know for a fact that he can pick up really fast. No doubt.”
The Calif. native has been exclusively a shortstop while in the Red Sox system with the exception of playing two games at the hot corner.
Boston promoted Mayer to Triple-A Worcester along with Kyle Teel and Roman Anthony. Both Teel and Anthony made their debuts with the WooSox. Mayer didn’t play a game at Worcester after his promotion on Aug. 12 because of a lumbar strain.
The 22-year-old initially injured himself on July 30 with what the Portland Sea Dogs described as hip soreness. Mayer hit .307/.370/.480 with 8 homers and 28 doubles in 77 games with Portland.
Mayer will join other Red Sox prospects on Tuesday for the club’s Rookie Development camp in Boston. The former first-round draft pick is ranked among baseball’s top 10 overall prospects by MLB.com (No. 7) and Baseball America (No. 10).
Mayer will need to see time facing Triple-A pitching and the ability to stay healthy before he gets the call to the majors. Getting playing time at other positions outside of shortstop will create an easier path to Boston.
