After an offseason that noticed the Crimson Sox get aggressive in bettering the massive league membership by including Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, and Alex Bregman, the membership confirmed a unique form of aggressiveness after they included high infield prospect Kristian Campbell on their Opening Day roster. That transfer has definitely paid off for them to this point; not solely has Campbell signed on with the membership long-term, however he’s hitting a wonderful .318/.426/.545 throughout his first 13 video games within the main leagues whereas serving because the membership’s common second baseman and infrequently making appearances within the outfield.
Campbell wasn’t the one high prospect the Crimson Sox had knocking on the door to the majors this spring, nonetheless. Outfielder Roman Anthony and infielder Marcelo Mayer are rated simply as extremely as Campbell, with all three being consensus top-15 prospects throughout your complete sport. Whereas a emptiness at second base and Campbell’s spectacular work flying by means of the minor leagues final 12 months have been sufficient to get him known as as much as the majors first among the many trio, it ought to shock nobody if all three are within the majors in comparatively brief order. With that being mentioned, it stays unclear which of Anthony and Mayer are more than likely to make it to the majors subsequent.
Anthony, 21 subsequent month, has a robust case to return up and contribute quickly. As a consensus top-two prospect within the sport who has been ranked primary general by a number of main publications, Anthony’s ceiling is immense. Final 12 months, he slashed .291/.396/.498 between the Double- and Triple-A ranges, together with an exceptional .344/.463/.519 slash line when wanting simply at his 35 video games (164 plate appearances) on the highest stage of the minor leagues. That scorching end at Triple-A created loads of buzz about the opportunity of Anthony breaking camp with the Crimson Sox over the offseason, however Anthony’s .206/.391/.324 slash line in Spring Coaching this 12 months wasn’t sufficient to persuade Boston brass that their high prospect was prepared for the subsequent step.
His early season efficiency at Triple-A hasn’t precisely demanded consideration for a promotion, both. By way of ten video games, Anthony is hitting .177/.364/.412 in his return to the membership’s Worcester affiliate. Whereas that’s a pattern of simply 44 plate appearances, Anthony’s 31.8% strikeout fee to this point this 12 months on the very least suggests he’s working a bit chilly proper now, although that he’s been in a position to stroll at a 22.7% clip and bash a pair of homers whereas doing so is definitely spectacular. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo just lately recommended that the Crimson Sox are at the moment hoping to see extra manufacturing from Anthony in opposition to left-handed pitchers earlier than he makes it to the massive leagues. That’s on high of a necessity for Anthony to work on his protection, which shall be challenged as he seems prone to transfer from middle subject to left upon being known as as much as the majors.
That to-do checklist and Anthony’s middling play early within the season might open the door for Mayer to beat him to the majors. The 22-year-old offered a robust problem to Campbell for the second base job throughout Spring Coaching as he hit .333/.455/.528 throughout camp, although Mayer’s lack of expertise above the Double-A stage at all times made him a much less doubtless choice to get the job. Mayer’s first style of Triple-A has seen him cool off vital relative to his spring efficiency, as he’s hit simply .243/.282/.405 with a 28.2% strikeout fee by means of 9 video games on the stage. He’ll certainly want to start out hitting higher than that with Worcester earlier than he will get known as as much as the majors, though the membership hasn’t laid out any extra particular points that Mayer wants to deal with earlier than he could be known as up like they’ve with Anthony.
The truth that the membership has particular areas they’d wish to see Anthony develop earlier than he reaches the majors, along with Mayer ending as arguably the runner up behind Campbell for the membership’s beginning second base job, would appear to counsel that Mayer is nearer to being promoted than Anthony is. Nevertheless, Anthony has one main leg up on this dialog relative to Mayer: the development of Boston’s lineup. With Campbell serving because the membership’s common second baseman, there isn’t a longer an apparent spot on the infield which Mayer can take up. Campbell, Triston Casas, Alex Bregman, and Trevor Story are all slated for normal at-bats this 12 months, and even the DH function is stuffed by Rafael Devers each day.
Both an damage someplace on the infield, a transfer to the outfield for Campbell, or a stunning transfer to bench Story would doubtless be essential for Mayer to muscle his manner into the lineup at this level. The identical can’t be mentioned of Anthony, who has a reasonably easy path to taking part in time within the membership’s outfield combine. Ceddanne Rafaela has served because the membership’s normal middle fielder getting into the 2025 marketing campaign, however he’s hit simply .243/.275/.378 within the majors thus far in his profession, together with a paltry .205/.279/.205 line to this point this 12 months. Whereas he’s a superb defender in middle subject, that’s not the kind of manufacturing that ought to hold a workforce from selling the game’s high prospect to the majors as soon as he’s prepared. Rafaela, who has the flexibility to play each the infield and the outfield, might transfer to a utility function on the bench much like the one Enrique Hernandez as soon as stuffed as soon as Anthony is able to go. Anthony might both plug in straight for Rafaela in middle subject, or he might be tasked with manning left subject whereas Jarren Duran slides over to middle.
How do MLBTR readers assume issues will play out? Will Anthony make it to the majors first, off the again of his standing as the game’s #1 prospect and a possible opening within the outfield? Or will the membership’s want to see Anthony hit extra in opposition to southpaws within the minors and Mayer’s sturdy work in Spring Coaching be sufficient to get him to the majors first? Have your say within the ballot under:
