12 Days of Prospects: Day 7, Marcelo Mayer
As we reach the seventh day of December, it takes us to the seventh overall prospect in MLB. Shortstop Marcelo Mayer is in the Red Sox organization and is also the team’s No. 1 prospect. The former fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft has lots of offensive and defensive tools, which has earned him multiple major league comparisons.
The Numbers:
Scouting grades based on 20-80 scale:
- Hit: 60
- Power: 55
- Run: 45
- Arm: 60
- Field: 60
- Overall: 60
Since Mayer was drafted only a year ago, he’s only reached High-A. He started the 2022 season in Low-A, batting .286 with 26 doubles, nine home runs, and 16 stolen bases in 66 games. Mayer ended the season in Advanced-A, where he batted .265/.379/.449 with four home runs and 26 hits in 25 games. Defensively, Mayer had 108 putouts and 186 assists with 12 errors. His elite bat speed is what helps him hit for high average, and the home run numbers will come with time.
The Potential
When Mayer was drafted, he was viewed as a combination of Corey Seager’s bat and Brandon Crawford’s glove. His sweet left-handed swing, quick feet, and strong arm support those comparisons, and being only 19 years old he has plenty of time to mold into that.
He has incredible bat-to-ball abilities at the plate, especially with pitch recognition. His bat speed and strength project him to be a 20-25 home run hitter and hitting left-handed in Fenway Park will definitely boost that. His feet are quick and has an exceptional arm to be an everyday shortstop.
Mayer’s only flaw at the moment is his fringy speed, although he has good explosiveness with the first step and is smart on the base paths. Assuming the speed isn’t able to develop more, Mayer may slide over to a position like third base with less range.
Again, he’s only 19 years old with plenty of time to work on that. Either way, he’s an All-Star caliber shortstop who the Red Sox will be able to have long after Xander Bogaerts is gone.
The Verdict
The Red Sox are most likely going to lose Bogaerts and/or Rafael Devers, so having Mayer in the background is going to do wonders for this team. Mayer is developing fast, and his hit tool is clearly already there. All he needs is to increase his speed and just progress through the minor leagues.
He’ll be in Double-A during 2023 and could potentially end the year in Triple-A. Mayer’s ETA is 2024, and so far, he’s on track to reach that. Even though he was the fourth pick, it’s safe to say the Red Sox got a steal. Once fully developed, the Red Sox will have yet another extremely talented infielder.
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