The Boston Red Sox drafted one of the top high school prospects in shortstop Marcelo Mayer during Sunday’s 2021 MLB Draft.
Mayer was rumored to be in play as the No. 1 overall pick, and the Red Sox very well could have landed one of the draft’s biggest steals.
Mayer, 18, is a product of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, Calif. He is 6-foot-3 and 188 pounds and has been praised for his potential.
Check out Mayer’s scouting report on MLB.com:
He has average or above tools across the board, starting with a plus feel to hit from the left side of the plate. He has an advanced approach and knowledge of the strike zone to go with elite bat-to-ball skills and a pure stroke. Long and lean, there’s a lot of raw power for him to grow into, with some scouts seeing a Corey Seager-like offensive profile if it all comes together.
While not a burner — some scouts have a tick above-average run grades, some have fringy ones — no one doubts Mayer will be able to stay at shortstop for a long time. He has easy actions, plus hands and footwork and an arm that plays plus. All of it plays up because of his instincts and aptitude, in a Brandon Crawford kind of way. He’s committed to Southern Cal, but as a potential first-round pick, the odds of him setting foot on campus are slim.
Louisville catcher Henry Davis was selected No. 1 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Vanderbilt pitcher Jack Leiter was taken No. 2 by the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers selected pitcher Jackson Jobe with the No. 3 pick.
