The Boston Red Sox drafted high school shortstop Marcelo Mayer with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft.
Here are six things you need to know about Mayer:
Where Mayer ranked before the draft
Mayer, 18, was ranked the top overall draft prospect by MLB.com, Fangraphs and CBS Sports while ESPN and Baseball America had him second behind only Texas shortstop Jordan Lawlar. MLB Pipeline graded Mayer’s hit tool at 60 on the traditional 20-80 scouting scale, tied for the top grade in the class. He was thought to be in consideration for the Pirates with the No. 1 overall pick before Pittsburgh selected Louisville catcher Henry Davis.
How the stats measure up
Mayer is a 6-foot-3, 188-pound left-handed hitter and is considered a five-tool player. He already has the frame and athleticism for the big leagues while his speed around the bases is perhaps the biggest area for improvement. Mayer tallied a .363 batting average during his four high school seasons. He recorded a career-best 14 home runs and 45 RBIs in 34 games in his senior campaign, according to MaxPreps.
A product of a great program
Mayer attended Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, Calif. It’s the same high school that former Red Sox first baseman Adrián González, a five-time MLB All-Star, attended. González was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 draft by the Miami Marlins and went on to play 15 seasons in the big leagues. Keoni Cavaco, also an Eastlake product, was selected No. 13 overall by the Minnesota Twins in the 2019 MLB Draft.
Boston drafted a Yankees fan?
Mayer’s appearance on the ESPN broadcast Sunday night was short and sweet due to some technical issues, but he did acknowledge how he grew up a Yankees fan despite living on the West Coast. Red Sox fans will be happy to know that Mayer already has referred to himself and “the biggest Red Sox fan of all-time,” as he told ESPN.
College committed
Mayer had verbally committed to the University of Southern California his freshman year of high school, and while that’s where he remains committed, he is likely to forgo school and turn pro immediately.
Cinematic ending to high school career
Mayer led Eastlake to a league title in June before finishing his senior season with 14 homers — one shy of González’s single-season program record. Mayer’s last high school at-bat was a grand slam in a playoff game, making for quite the fairytale ending.
