Getty Images Triston Casas celebrates with Trevor Story after hitting a home run
As the Red Sox continue to build for the future, Triston Casas is critical to their success. The 24-year-old is coming off an impressive rookie season in which he drove in 65 runs in 132 games. Despite a rough start, he was on fire in the second half.
Due to his play, there has been growing chatter about what an extension could look like. On February 18, Casas revealed what he was looking for when talking with MLB.com’s Ian Browne.
“One that sets me and my family for the rest of my life,” Casas told Browne. “I don’t know what that looks like. I’m low maintenance. I don’t need a lot. So I got a small family. I don’t need much but something that I think would suffice [for] the work that I put into it my whole life would be nice.”
Triston Casas Impresses During Rookie Campaign
While Casas is just getting started, his impact was on full display last year. In 502 plate appearances, he posted a .263 batting average while hitting 24 home runs. He also added 21 doubles and two triples to his resume. However, what stood out was his ability to make adjustments.
Triston Casas had the 4th highest OPS (1.034) among hitters following the All-Star break!
The @RedSox 24-year-old slugger debuts at #10 on our #Top10RightNow.
From June 1 to September 14, Casas posted a .299 batting average. After the All-Star break, he posted a 1.034 OPS, according to MLB.com. His red-hot finish further cemented himself into the Red Sox’s future and placed him in special company.
The 24-year-old ranked first among AL rookies with at least 400 at-bats in OPS (.857), slugging percentage (.490) and on-base percentage (.367). He also finished second in walks with 70. Due to his impressive numbers, Casas finished third in the AL Rookie of the Year Voting.
Casas Makes His Desire to Stay in Boston Clear
While the Red Sox have plenty of time to make Casas an offer, he has enjoyed his time in Boston. During his interview with Browne, Casas made that clear.
“Yeah, of course. I want to be here forever,” Casas said. “So this is not a bad place to play. It’s actually the best, I think. So I’d love to be here.”
That has been reflected in Casas’ actions as he has taken on more of a leadership role. Over the winter, he was a surprise guest at the Red Sox’s Rookie Development program. At the program, he interacted with some of the team’s top prospects, such as Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kyle Teel.
Expectations for 2024
After an impressive 2023 campaign, Casas will be watched closely this season. He showed last year that he could carry an offense and adjust to major-league pitching. His focus will be on improving his defense.
In 1,037 innings in the field, the 2018 draftee committed five errors. While he improved with more experience, Casas sometimes fell into bad habits with his footwork. His mistakes were magnified due to the fact that, as a whole, the Red Sox were not a great defensive team.
Despite his struggles, Casas showed an ability to improve his game. That is why he is seen as an important piece of the Red Sox’s next core. That group is expected to include Mayer, Ceddanne Rafaela and Nick Yorke.
If Casas can improve his numbers from last year, then the chances of an extension should increase.