Perhaps no player had a better spring training for the Boston Red Sox than shortstop Marcelo Mayer. He was so good that despite not playing an inning in Triple-A, there were legitimate rumblings that he could win a spot on the Opening Day roster.
Mayer was ultimately placed in Triple-A, and he didn't waste any time producing. In his second game at the level, the left-handed hitter got his first two hits, his first run scored, his first two RBI, and his first stolen base.
On April 1, the shortstop manned third base. In his first at-bat, he hit a single. When he came up in the sixth inning, Worcester was down 9-1 and in desperate need of some offense. Mayer hit his first Triple-A home run (off a lefty, no less) to make it 9-4. Suddenly, the Red Sox had life sparked back into them. Although Worcester lost 10-5, Mayer finished the game 2-for-4 with a walk, a home run, and three RBI.
We caught up with Mayer after the game to talk about his performance, spring training, his expectations, and more.
Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer discusses his time in Triple-A
Q: Big spring training. What was that like? How did that feel? (someone in the clubhouse shouts "MASSIVE spring training")
"It was good. It was good to be playing after I missed the last month of the season. So just to be out there was a good feeling."
Q: Did you have a moment that stood out for you, not counting the Spring Breakout game?
"The biggest thing was just getting to see live arms again, and especially the caliber of arms I saw. I think I saw a lot of really talented arms. Like, I saw [Jhoan] Duran two times. I saw [Jose] Alvarado from the Phillies. So just to see those guys and see their pitch type and their velocity made me more comfortable in the box."
Q: You, Roman Anthony, and Kristian Campbell went on essentially a press tour for the Red Sox this offseason. What was it like to see him get called up?
"It was cool, man. Anytime you get to see somebody live out their dream, especially when you've played with them in the minor leagues is super cool. We were cheering him on in the clubhouse here in Worcester. He's had a great start to his career already. It was cool to see."
Q: Has it made you envision getting to Boston more?
"Not really. I'm where my feet are. I'm in Triple-A right now. Obviously, I think about being in Boston every single day. Seeing KC do it is super cool. But we're on different paths, so I don't really see it that way."
Q: Was there a veteran in spring training who stood out to you as someone who helped you along?
"The biggest one was Alex [Bregman]. Just the way he carries himself. He set the tone in Spring Training after it was his first run with the team. His drive to win was super cool to watch and super cool to be around.
"Another guy I'm lucky enough to have in this locker room is Trayce Thompson. The guy's 34 years old, and he's the hardest worker on the team. To see how he goes about his business and the way that he wants us to succeed and talks to us about the game is super cool to be around."
Q: On Sunday (March 30), you had a bunch of firsts in Triple-A (hits, RBI, run, stolen base). How was that day for you?
"Good. [laughs] I mean, I know it's my first time in Triple-A, but me being in big league camp, I got kind of used to being with those guys. So to me, it's just really playing baseball at this point."
Q: You hit your first Triple-A home run, and it was off a lefty. The big reaction online seemed to be that you hit it off a lefty. Is that something you feel you've worked on in the last year or two?
"Yeah, the big thing about lefties is, especially as a left-handed hitter, you don't get to see them much. So the biggest thing for me is just doing whatever I can any time I get to see a lefty or hitting off the machine. The more comfortable I get, the more I see them, the better off I'll be.
"Yeah, I feel really good today off that guy."
Q: What was the dugout reaction when Roman Anthony rounded third and tried to score in the first inning?
"I was like, no way he hit a homer like that [laughs]. That was crazy. I saw him kind of hesitate rounding third. If that shortstop didn't make a perfect throw, he'd probably have another homer.
"I was like, dude this f****** this guy's gonna have so many home runs this year. He doesn't need an inside-the-parker before I have one."
Q: Do you guys have any running bets on home runs, steals, average, anything?
"No, but I'm sure throughout the season, we'll have it in the back of our minds. We've definitely talked about it. I think I'm going to hit more than him, and he thinks he's going to hit more than me. We'll see."