3 Red Sox who don’t deserve to be on the 40-man roster heading into 2024

INF Bobby Dalbec

Bobby Dalbec has been with the Red Sox organization since 2016 when he was drafted. Fast forward nine years and the first baseman still has no clear path out of Worcester. Dalbec is a good player, but it's mind-boggling that Sox have held onto him as long as they have when a far better, more consistent first-base prospect was also coming through the system in Triston Casas. Sure, Dalbec can play other positions, but he's not better than the guys the Sox already have at any single one of them.

Dalbec had a good year at the plate in Triple-A and he has a tendency to hit some bombs, but his production is inconsistent. He batted .269/.381/.557 in Worcester in 2023 but hit .204 with a .570 OPS in 21 games with the Sox.

The infielder's best year in the majors was in 2021, during which he hit 25 home runs and was part of the Red Sox's playoff roster. He struck out a lot, though — so much so that his power didn't make up for it. He posted 156 strikeouts in 417 at-bats in 2021, his longest stint in the majors. His consistency has only dropped from there.

Dalbec has the potential to reach the major leagues and stay there on another team. But with Casas as the Sox's everyday first baseman and all of the other infield positions filled, Dalbec will continue to struggle to find a home at Fenway. Had the Red Sox traded him after 2021 when his value was higher, they could've gotten a good reward for him, too. Now, not so much.