Last season didn't go the way top Boston Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer envisioned, especially when he was promoted to Double-A Portland.
Mayer hit just .189 in 43 games with the Sea Dogs and had his season come to a premature end in early August due to a shoulder injury.
That provided the 21-year-old shortstop with plenty of motivation this year and he's returned with a vengeance for Portland. Mayer's early-season results have been spectacular with the left-handed hitter batting .317 with two home runs and eight RBIs to go along with two stolen bases.
"The biggest thing is the look in his face," Portland manager Chad Epperson told The Boston Globe's Alex Speier. "He's not worried about the injury. He's showing up every day and he's healthy, bouncing around, a smile on his face, and obviously off to a good start. You can tell the difference from last year.
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"He wanted to barrel balls and have the bat path, but he just couldn't because of the shoulder. This is a totally different Marcelo than I personally saw, and I can see where this organization is very, very high on him."
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Mayer set the tone for himself when he altered his appearance during the middle of spring training. Mayer shaved off his trademark locks for a buzz cut look. The haircut was metaphoric in a sense.
"It's all business now," Mayer told Speier. "I'm (expletive) ready to go, ready to ball out, play hard. For my standard, it was a bad year for me. I was hurt, didn't play the way I wanted to. So this year, it's a fresh start and I'm ready to just get out there and compete."
Mayer certainly has been all business in the batter's box, as the Hartford Yard Goats found out Tuesday night. Mayer reached base four times, going 3-for-4 with a no-doubt solo blast to right field.
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Red Sox farm director Brian Abraham sees what Epperson does in Mayer this season. The No. 14 prospect in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline is not only rejuvenated but looking to make a point, too.
"It can be hard to say this for a prospect that is ranked so highly, but I think he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder," Abraham told Speier. "He wants to prove some people wrong, whether that be to show that he's the best within the Red Sox organization and to show that he's better than some of the other shortstops that have made their debuts or (are) toward the top of the top."
Featured image via Chris Cameron
