Red Sox Prospect Report: Marcelo Mayer Showing More Power In 2023

Even with the Boston Red Sox season in full swing, there is plenty going on down on the farm. NESN.com will take a look at several high-level prospects at the midway point of the season and see how they are faring. First up: Marcelo Mayer.

No other prospect in the Red Sox pipeline has as much buzz and hype around him than Marcelo Mayer. And it’s for good reason.

The Red Sox selected the 20-year-old shortstop out of high school with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft. The California native is in his second full season of pro ball, showcasing some incredible highs while battling through some lows.

Here’s what you need to know about Boston’s most prized prospect at the midway point of the season.

2022 Season Stats: .280/.399/.489 (350 at-bats), 13 HRs, 53 RBIs, 68 BB, 17 SBs
2023 Season Stats: .249/.322/.471 (257 at-bats), 13 HRs, 52 RBIs, 29 BB, 9 SBs

Overview of Season
Mayer began the season where he ended it last year with High-A Greenville, but he didn’t stay there for long. After 35 games with the Drive this season, in which he batted .290 with seven home runs and 34 RBIs, the 6-foot-2, 188-pound middle infielder earned a promotion to Double-A Portland in late May.

But things haven’t exactly clicked yet for Mayer at that level. He began his Double-A tenure in an 0-for-16 slump before finding his groove a little bit. The production with Portland, though, hasn’t been sensational — with Mayer hitting just .196 with six home runs and 18 RBIs. He went into the break on a good note, going 6-for-17 (.353) with one round-tripper and four RBIs over his last four games.

Mayer is still seen as one of the top prospects in all of baseball. He played in the 2023 MLB All-Star Futures Game, where he singled in his only at-bat and stole a base.

The power certainly has been there for Mayer this season with him matching his total from last year already in nearly 100 less at-bats, but he could improve on hitting for average more consistently.

Best Performance of Season
Mayer’s top showing of the season came in early May playing for Greenville against the Asheville Tourists. The left-handed hitter went 4-for-5 out of the No. 3 spot in the order with one home run, two doubles and three RBIs. That was a part of a torrid stretch for Mayer, as he batted .516 (16-for-31) with a 1.516 OPS to go along with three home runs, six doubles and 12 RBIs in a span of a week.

Change In Prospect Ranking?
Mayer entered the season as the consensus top prospect of the Red Sox and he remains at the top of the list. SoxProspects.com has had Mayer as the No. 1 prospect in the organization since July 2022.

Expected Arrival To Boston
With Mayer looking to find his form and consistency at Double-A, a call up to the big leagues this season seems out of the cards. SoxProspect.com has Mayer’s arrival to the Red Sox estimated for late next season.