When the Boston Red Sox used the fourth overall pick on Marcelo Mayer in 2021, it looked like they had gotten a steal. Mayer had been thought of as a potential first overall pick, but slipped to Boston, becoming who they hoped would become their franchise shortstop.
From the outside looking in, Mayer has done the right things. He’s worked his way up through the Red Sox farm system, and is now in MLB, working through growing pains. However, a new report from Sean McAdam of MassLive shed some light on concern that those within the organization have about Mayer.
“Some question his mental toughness and his tendency to withdraw during slumps,” McAdam wrote. “Others wonder if he couldn’t do a better job making himself more available through the day-to-day minor physical setbacks that inevitably occur.”
Injuries have certainly become a major concern for Mayer during his time with the Red Sox. He’s not the only young player to have those issues, though, as Roman Anthony and Triston Casas have both now missed significant time with injury issues. So, fair or not, it’s easy to see why frustration may be growing with those injuries.
On the field, it’s been a rough transition to MLB for Mayer. Since getting called up in 2025, he has played in 114 games for the Red Sox, and is hitting .223 with a .278 OBP, a .346 slugging percentage, and a .625 OPS. In particular, he’s struggled with offspeed pitches lower in the strike zone.
Defensively, Mayer has split his time at third base, second base, and shortstop. That’s supposed to be a strength, but Baseball Savant has him in just the 29th percentile for Fielding Run Value in 2026.
“As for the disappointing on-field performance, it’s worth noting how much development time Mayer lost along the way in the minor leagues,” McAdam wrote. “Each of his last four pro seasons, including his rookie debut with Boston last year, was cut short by injuries. He lost the equivalent of about a season and a half, which may partly explain his current struggles.”
The Boston Red Sox Need to Decide What to do With Marcelo Mayer
GettyBoston Red Sox rookie Marcelo Mayer sliding into home
Ultimately, the Boston Red Sox need to decide if Marcelo Mayer is a piece of their long-term future. If he is, then they need to decide on a position for him and let him go through those growing pains and develop.
This offseason, there were very real trade rumors involving Mayer. In particular, with the Arizona Diamondbacks for Ketel Marte, though a trade never did materialize.
On top of that, the top-ranked prospect in the Red Sox farm system is Franklin Arias. Like Mayer, his natural position is shortstop, and he could easily take that job in Boston at some point in the future. If that’s the case, the Red Sox will either need to have moved Mayer or change his position to second base full-time.
“It may well be that Arias and not Mayer is the Red Sox’ shortstop of the future,” McAdam wrote. “But there’s no rush to make that call especially since Arias has yet to reach Triple A, much less Boston. And given how much a number of prospects have struggled to meet expectations upon reaching the big leagues the last few years — Mayer, Kristian Campbell and Roman Anthony among them — there’s value in slow-playing Arias’s promotion.”
The Red Sox Lack a Veteran Presence to Lean On
GettyThe Boston Red Sox infield gathered together
Marcelo Mayer is far from the only young player on this year’s Red Sox. In fact, it’s a roster full of youth and potential, which has struggled to transition to the major leagues.
The concern about Mayer is not unique to him on the Red Sox. That’s, in large part, because the Red Sox lack veteran leadership in their lineup. It’s leadership that they let walk in the offseason, when Alex Bregman left the team in free agency.
Having that veteran who is capable of being a leader to young players would go a long way to helping this young team break out of slumps and change its approach. It may not fix every problem the Red Sox have, but it’s also hard to ignore that lack of leadership.
Concerning Report Emerges on Boston Red Sox Rookie INF Marcelo Mayer