Eric Hosmer is now a member of the Boston Red Sox. One of the people most excited about that fact is Triston Casas -- who presumably will be competing with the veteran for his job in the coming months.
Hosmer was acquired in the final hours leading to the Major League Baseball trade deadline on Tuesday alongside prospects Max Ferguson and Corey Rosier and a boatload of cash. In his statement to the media following deadline day, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom made it clear he was looking at Hosmer as a potential stable influence on the position.
Despite words from Bloom that argued the contrary, many have prognosticated the move for Hosmer could have a negative effect on the highly ranked prospect Casas. The prospect didn't seem too worried.
"He's a really great player. He adds a lot of value to any team. He adds a lot of experience," Casas said Tuesday, as transcribed by Worcester Telegram and Gazette's Joe McDonald.
You may be wondering what a 22-year-old minor leaguer knows about a 32-year-old former World Series champion and All-star game MVP. Well, they went to the same high school, with Casas breaking a number of Hosmer's records before he was drafted by the Red Sox.
They didn't go to school together obviously, as Hosmer is a member of American Heritage High School's class of 2008 and Casas is a member of the class of 2018. Hosmer has been very complimentary of Casas in the past.
"For me, Triston hits home," Hosmer said. "A first baseman, from my same high school. I've heard nothing but good things... and a lot of people have been telling me about him. Any time he's in the cage taking swings, I immediately think of (Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman) Freddie Freeman. Just with his whole setup and how he looks in the box."
That's high praise for the youngster, but welcome if you're a Red Sox fan who's hoping those two can work together to form a favorable duo in the (possibly near) future.
