Unsurprisingly, Red Sox top prospect Marcelo Mayer earned the organization’s highest ranking on the MLB Pipeline’s latest top 100 prospects. Mayer was selected by the Red Sox with the fourth overall pick in 2021 and at No. 9 on Pipeline’s list, the 20-year old shortstop was one of four Boston players ranked.
While he is still a year or more away from joining the Red Sox at Fenway Park, Mayer is a prime candidate to replace Xander Bogaerts after the longtime Boston shortstop signed with the Padres.
At the start of the 2022 season, Mayer was assigned to the Salem Red Sox, where he had a .286 batting average, .406 on-base percentage, and nine home runs. He was then promoted to the Greenville Drive and across 91 games with both teams had a .280 batting average with 13 home runs and 53 RBIs.
Tristan Casas followed behind Mayer on Pipeline’s list, ranked 23rd, and “is the top first-base prospect in baseball,” according to MLB.com. Casas spent much of the season in Worcester, but earned his first major league nod on Sept. 4. With the Red Sox, he batted .197 with five home runs, while batting .273 with 11 home runs with Triple-A Worcester.
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Ceddanne Rafaela is “one of the best defenders — and the most versatile – in the Minors,” and was ranked No. 86. He has the potential to see time at Fenway Park this season after his time with the Greenville Drive and Portland Sea Dogs. Rafaela batted .299 with 21 home runs and 86 RBIs.
Last on the list was Miguel Bleis at No. 93. The 18-year-old prospect was with the Florida Complex League Red Sox, batting .301 with five home runs and 27 RBIs.
“Bleis is the system’s best international prospect since Rafael Devers,” wrote MLB.com.