After years of hype and months of anticipation, the Boston Red Sox have called up their No. 2 prospect, Marcelo Mayer.
The promotion came after unfortunate circumstances, as Alex Bregman is headed to the injured list with quad tightness he sustained in Boston's May 23 tilt with the Orioles. Nonetheless, excitement for Mayer's arrival is palpable among Red Sox Nation.
There was an argument to promote the young shortstop to the big leagues after his excellent spring training, when he slashed .333/.455/.528 with a .983 OPS and 11 RBI over 20 games. He carried his success into his short, 43-game stint in Triple-A, where he's batted .271/.347/.471 with an .818 OPS and an International League-leading 43 RBI.
Bregman's IL stint will be an audition in the major leagues for Mayer, and if he sparks Boston's offense, he may well earn his permanent roster spot. Here are four Red Sox whose roster spots could be in danger if Mayer sticks in Boston.
4 Red Sox players whose roster spots are in danger after Marcelo Mayer promotion
Abraham Toro
The Red Sox summoned Abraham Toro, a 2025 minor league signing, after Triston Casas and Romy González were both injured and unable to play first base. He's been decent all around, slashing .233/.233/.400 with two doubles and a homer in his 10 appearances so far. He's made one error at first base, and he even stepped in to close the Sox's May 23 game against the Orioles.
Boston has begun working Kristian Campbell out at first base, although Alex Cora confirmed that it's still a long way from using him there. If Campbell is ready by the time Bregman is healthy, he could move to first base, and Mayer or Trevor Story could slot in at second base or shortstop. Mayer has logged 84 innings at second base since he started this season in Worcester.
Nick Sogard
Nick Sogard's roster spot is up in the air for the same reason Toro's is — he was called up this season as another option at first base in Casas and González's absence. Sogard still has three minor league options, though, so the Sox could option him to Worcester without subjecting him to waivers, which is not the case for Toro.
Sogard only batted .188/.314/.248 though his first 28 games with the WooSox, but his luck changed with Boston. He's slashing .282/.317/.359 and has fanned just seven times in his 11 big league appearances this year. Despite his minimal experience, he's been defensively solid at first base, with one error and some flashy plays for his highlight reel.
David Hamilton
David Hamilton is yet another player contributing to the Red Sox's middle infield logjam and excess of lefty hitters. The speedy infielder came to Boston via the 2021 Hunter Renfroe trade, and the Sox are determined to roster him despite inconsistencies on both sides of the ball.
Hamilton is batting .212/.246/.333 over 28 appearances this year and he has two clutch homers on his stat sheet. The Red Sox turn to him in the late innings of close games for his speed on the base paths, and his eight stolen bases help them keep the pressure on opposing defenses. His defense is much improved from last year as well, with two errors in 133 1/3 innings at second base, potentially making him a better trade candidate than before.
Trevor Story
Story is last on this list because he is by far the least likely roster casualty for Mayer's promotion, but his recent struggles can't be ignored. Story has been one of the worst hitters in baseball since mid-April, batting .176/.234/.261 in his last 30 games (and he's logged just two extra-base hits in May). Not even his defense has been solid, with negative three outs above average and a ninth percentile range, according to Baseball Savant, to date this season.
The Red Sox have insisted that they wouldn't call up their top prospects until jobs were open at their natural position. The team's circumstances have changed since Casas and Bregman's injuries, but it'd be hard to argue that Boston is a better team with Story at shortstop over Mayer. The Red Sox would have to designate Story for assignment and eat the rest of his contract with well over $75 million remaining to place Mayer at shortstop full time, which is unlikely, to say the least, but Sox fans can dream. Or ... he could just accept a full-time role on the bench.