Shortstop Prospect Will Not Be Part of the Red Sox Immediate Solution

The Boston Red Sox placed shortstop Trevor Story on the 10-day injured list with a dislocated left shoulder on Sunday. He’ll be out for more than 10 days as he will need to wait for swelling to subside before ramping up to game action. Story missed much of the 2023 season recovering from an internal bracing procedure on his right elbow. After leaving Friday’s game early with a left shoulder injury, it raised questions about who will fill in the void at shortstop. The Red Sox have internal options but The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal joined Monday’s episode of Foul Territory, ruling out one player who’s in their minor league system, Marcelo Mayer, the club’s top prospect.

“Short answer. No, they are not going to fast-track him. Let’s remember who Marcelo Mayer is- the fourth pick of the 2021 draft out of high school. So he’s not like Nolan Schanuel or Wyatt Langford, a high draft pick out of college who came really quickly because they were more advanced. Mayer has played only 44 games at the Double-A level. At Double-A, he didn’t hit. Now I expect he’s going to hit, this guy has star written all over him from everything I’ve heard from people in the game. But just because Trevor Story is down for a considerable length of time, it does not mean the Red Sox are going to fast-track Mayer.

No Plans for Marcelo Mayer to Be on the Roster

Rosenthal added that the Red Sox have other options, but not great ones in Pablo Reyes, David Hamilton and Romy González. If not, maybe a move of Ceddanne Rafaela from center field into shortstop. He could play both positions at a high level. They have depth in the outfield and they can probably afford to do that as they’re still waiting to see how extensive Story’s injury will be. Reyes started at shortstop on Saturday as it seems possible he will see a strong amount of playing time with Hamilton mixing in there too. Both players were part of the shortstop tandem that filled in for Story last season.

A Closer Look at the Internal Options

Reyes has played at second base to start the season even though he played 31 games at short last season. Hamilton made his major league debut last season, playing 15 games between June and August before having surgery on his thumb in September. In the minors, he was known to be an above-average defender, but that has yet to translate to the majors. Hamilton does have speed, tying a Red Sox franchise record for 70 stolen bases in Double-A Portland in 2022.

González is another utility man on the 40-man roster currently in Triple-A. González had a strong spring and is a versatile defender. He’s been off to a hot start with a 1.050 OPS through the first five games. He does have major league experience with 86 games under his belt throughout the past three seasons. Like Reyes, he spent his career at second base but has some experience at shortstop.

What About Rafaela?

Evaluators suggest that Rafaela is good defensively at shortstop as he is in center field due to an above-average range and a strong arm. The Red Sox could shift Rafaela if they decide to, especially with the surplus in the outfield they have. They could mix Jarren Duran and Tyler O’Neill in center and left field with Wilyer Abreu in right. Even though it is tempting to rush Mayer, it’s best that he can produce effectively and continue to develop in the minors. One last option to consider is Vaughn Grissom, who is on the IL with a groin strain. He is likely to remain out for a few more weeks with a late April return.