Only one-third of the Red Sox’s “big three” prospect group will be with Boston when it opens its regular season Thursday.
Kristian Campbell made the Red Sox’s Opening Day roster, and he’s set to be the club’s starting second baseman in Texas this week. Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony, meanwhile, will open the 2025 campaign in Triple-A Worcester.
Mayer didn’t earn a promotion despite putting together a very nice spring training. The 2021 fourth overall pick was very productive at the dish and showcased impressive defensive versatility, so much so that he was in the running for the second base job until the very end.
Speaking with the media Monday in Mexico, Mayer opened up about his MLB aspirations being put on hold.
“Obviously, I would love to be a big leaguer,” Mayer told reporters, per The Boston Globe. “I’d love to start this year in Dallas, but things don’t add up the way that you want them to sometimes. So I’m just going to go to Triple-A, keep playing the game that I love to play, try to get better every day so when my time is called, I’m ready to go. I feel really good. (This spring) is probably the best I’ve ever felt in my career, as far as my body, the way that I’m seeing the ball, defensively. …I’m really excited for this year.”
Mayer obviously shouldn’t view not making the Opening Day roster as any sort of slight. The Red Sox are loaded with talent all over the field, and there’s simply not a spot available to the 22-year-old at this time.
But the MLB season is a marathon, and so much can change over the course of a 162-game slate. Thus, it’s fair to assume Mayer will make his MLB debut at some point this year.
