Forgotten Red Sox Prospect Unsure Of Future With Club

When the Boston Red Sox acquired infielder Vaughn Grissom from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for left-hander Chris Sale in December 2023, it appeared that the team was adding a young player who would join a slew of ascendant prospects and form the team’s next championship core.

Unfortunately for Grissom and the Red Sox, things didn’t exactly work out as originally planned. Injured for much of the 2024 season, the former Braves prospect could only manage a .190 batting average with 20 hits and six RBIs in limited time with Boston last year. He spent the majority of last season in Worcester, where he would hit a respectable .259 in 55 games.

Arriving at spring training camp healthy and ready to earn a roster spot, the 24-year-old was ultimately beaten out by fellow top prospect Kristian Campbell for the Red Sox’s second base opening. Optioned to Triple-A Worcester to begin the season, Grissom quickly became a forgotten man, despite injuries to Triston Casas and Alex Bregman.

Currently batting .278 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs with Worcester, he recently spoke to MassLive‘s Katie Morrison-O’Day about his uncertain future with the Red Sox organization leading into Major League Baseball’s trade deadline.

“I don’t really expect much more opportunity here just because decisions that were made were made, and it kind of didn’t involve me,” said Grissom, per Morrison-O’Day. “I mean, all those decisions, they make sense in a way, but I guess it sucks a little bit.”

Those decisions included the recent promotion of top prospect Marcelo Mayer, who joined the team in late May when the Red Sox placed Bregman on the 10-day injured list with a quad injury. With Campbell mired in a prolonged slump after an impressive MLB debut, the team opted to keep Grissom in Worcester despite having a clear need for a second baseman when Campbell was demoted to Triple-A in June.

While things could certainly change for Grissom with injuries a near certainty at the big league level, he remains ready to contribute should the Red Sox decide to make that call.