The Boston Red Sox have multiple young stars on the rise, but not enough people are talking about Marcelo Mayer.
To be fair, Roman Anthony deserves all of the praise and attention he's getting. Even if 2026 American League MVP projections for Anthony are a bit much, he's done nothing but consistently show that he's the next big thing in Boston, and the Red Sox are certainly operating as if that's a foregone conclusion.
Beyond Anthony, Boston also expects a big year from Wilyer Abreu, and rightfully so. The 26-year-old has won two Gold Gloves in his first two MLB seasons, but he's yet to put together a full season of fringe All-Star-level offense he's flashed before. Abreu's heroics in the World Baseball Classic only convinced onlookers that such a season is on its way.
Marcelo Mayer will emerge as one of Red Sox's best 3 players in 2026
Abreu and Anthony have both spent real time on the injured list so far in their young careers, but Mayer's injury history is far more concerning. This is the main hangup that's kept Mayer lower in the hierarchy of Red Sox fans' excitement about the future of this organization.
But it wasn't long ago that Mayer was considered the cream of Boston's farm system, side by side with Anthony. And at 23 years old, Mayer is still incredibly young, with his entire MLB future still intact.
Mayer showed MLB-readiness defensively from the moment he was promoted last season, and even though his bat wasn't at the same level, that could easily change in due time. Mayer is simply an all-around excellent baseball player — there's a reason Anthony has repeatedly told Red Sox media that Mayer is one of the best players he's ever seen.
Mayer is no longer the "shiny new toy" for the Red Sox fans and media to gloat about, but that doesn't change the fact that he still possesses All-Star talent, with years ahead of him to tap into that ability. And there's no reason that Mayer won't start grasping his MLB opportunity to the full extent in 2026.
Marcelo Mayer is capable of hitting 20 home runs and playing Gold Glove defense this year for the Red Sox
Red Sox manager Alex Cora did the whole "I'm gonna make you earn it" charade with Mayer this offseason, waiting until a few days ago to officially announce that he'd made the roster as the club's starting second baseman, as if it was ever in doubt.
Alex Cora says Marcelo Mayer is the second baseman. He told him he made the team this morning.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) March 21, 2026
Mayer spent the entire offseason strengthening his body to guard against further injuries, and now he has an MLB starting infielder job to wake up and embrace each day.
This is the year that Mayer's going to break out and start reminding the world of his tremendous gifts on the diamond. He'll continue to provide elite defense at second, but his bat will come alive this time around. Don't be surprised if Mayer hits 20-plus homers and ends up among Boston's leaders in on-base percentage.
Cora has said that he plans to keep sitting Mayer against lefty pitchers (another debatable tactic). By the time the playoffs roll around, Mayer will have had the type of season that forces Cora to feature Mayer in every Red Sox postseason lineup, regardless of who is on the mound.