With Alex Bregman slated to play third base at least to start the 2025 MLB season, the Boston Red Sox had several players competing for the team's second base vacancy. By the time spring training was winding down, the competition was between David Hamilton, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer.
Campbell wound up winning the competition somewhat controversially. While he certainly appeared to have been the favorite ahead of camp, he had performed the worst by far of the three candidates in spring training. Mayer, another top prospect, wound up performing the best of the trio, posting a .983 OPS in 36 at-bats. Despite that, he was the only one of those three players to get demoted to the minor leagues.
It's safe to say Mayer took the demotion personally based on how he performed in his Monterrey Series debut, going 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBI. His day began with a two-run double, he smacked a solo shot later on, and wound up driving in a pair of runs on outs. He sure looked like he belonged in a game that featured several regulars in Boston's lineup.
Red Sox No. 3 prospect Marcelo Mayer launches a Monterrey jack! pic.twitter.com/62VOHVhSAb
— MLB (@MLB) March 25, 2025
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Marcelo Mayer's huge game should give Alex Cora something to think about
This game might not have counted record-wise, but Mayer revealed that he had never played in front of as many fans as he did on Monday.
“It doesn't get much better than that. Especially for me,” Mayer said. “I've never played in a big league game, so that's definitely the most fans I've played in front of. And just the environment that they brought tonight was super electric. It was a great time.”
Often, young players playing in front of massive crowds for the first time results in an adjustment period. It's a big deal to play in front of tens of thousands of people! Mayer, however, seemed to be more than comfortable in as close to a big league environment as he's ever played in.
I get why the Red Sox left him down in the minor leagues. Mayer, while he was the best of the bunch in spring training, has not played a single Triple-A inning, let alone the big leagues. Hamilton has played for Boston in each of the last two seasons, and Campbell has some Triple-A experience. It'd probably be beneficial to give Mayer some time at the Triple-A level.
Still, Cora has to at least be thinking about the decision he made, knowing how well Mayer played in spring training and then watching him perform like this in as close to a big league game as he's ever played in. As long as Mayer continues to swing a hot bat, chances are, his stay in the minor leagues won't be too long.