Which Boston Red Sox prospects could crack the top 100 next season?
By Hunter Noll
Which Boston Red Sox prospect could find their way into the top 100 in 2023?
The Boston Red Sox organization currently holds three prospects in the official MLB top 100 list. Shortstop Marcelo Mayer leads the way as the seventh overall prospect in all of baseball. Following him is first baseman Triston Casas, who comes in at 25. Third is centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela, who takes up the number 96 slot.
Three prospects in the top 100 isn’t a bad number, especially when you have two in the top 25 and one in the top 10. But Casas will be graduating this year, seeing as he’s the projected starting first baseman for Boston heading into 2023. Meanwhile, Rafaela could find his way onto the team by the All-Star break, meaning he would graduate as well.
That would leave Just Mayer in the top 100. And honestly, he has a chance to take over the top spot by the end of 2023. The top three prospects are already in the Majors, and number four could start the year there. Meanwhile, five and six will start in Triple-A with legitimate chances to make their big-league debuts.
But who will be joining Mayer in the top 100? Who are some prospects in the Red Sox system that have a legitimate chance to crack the list?
Let’s look at a few prospects ranging from “sure-fire addition” to “long way to go but crazier things have happened.”
And before you question that, remember that at the end of the 2021 season, Rafaela wasn’t even ranked in the Red Sox top 30 prospects. By the end of the 2022 season, he was in the top 100 for all of baseball.
It should also be pointed out that not everyone can be mentioned. If I had my way, I’d be giving a shoutout to everyone. So players like Cutter Coffey and Brooks Brannon (who I didn’t get to see much of due to both finishing in Rookie Ball) don’t make the cut here, even though they’re within the realm of possibility.
We’re also skipping extremely talented prospects like Matthew Lugo and Niko Kavadas. While I think they’re great, unless they do something absurd, it’s hard to imagine the national media giving them the nod for a top-100 spot, even if they deserve it.
Okay now that I’ve given my excuse for being too positive, let’s get moving.