Boston Red Sox prospect Kier Meredith didn't get much attention last season. And it had nothing to do with his performance on the field.
There are a few reasons for Meredith's lowkey 2022. Let's get the most obvious ones out of the way: the outfielder was one of the older players on the Low-A roster all last year. He turned 23 on September 12, 2022.
How can Kier Meredith shine in the Boston Red Sox system in 2023?
Meredith also shared that roster at different times with players like Marcelo Mayer, Blaze Jordan, Mikey Romero, Eddinson Paulino, Brainer Bonaci, and Niko Kavadas (as well as some other big names). Flying a little bit under the radar with all that talent is understandable.
Then there is the fact that he's not a "sexy" prospect. I'm not talking about my guy's looks, either. Meredith signed as a free agent. He stands at 5'10". And in 185 ABs last season, he had one home run.
Meredith found ways to make up for that lack of power, though. The left-handed hitter boasted a solid .265 batting average in 2022. Meanwhile, he walked as many times (35) as he struck out (35). Those walks helped Meredith record a .415 OBP. And what did he do with that OBP, you ask? He went 25-for-25 on stolen base attempts.
Meredith saw his most consistent playing time come in the final month of the 2022 season. With it, he slashed .296/.419/.423 over 71 ABs.
In 2023, Meredith should start the year in High-A. That puts him on a stacked roster that might have you worried about his playing time again. However, Meredith earned more respect at the end of last season.
Now, instead of seeing him pushed from the lineup, imagine him getting on ahead of Mayer, Jordan, and Paulino. That's a whole lot of runs waiting to happen.
Kier Meredith is a great defensive outfielder with elite speed. He has more power than he showed in 2022 as well. Given consistent playing time, he could be a breakout star in 2023 for a Boston Red Sox farm system that is expected to produce great things in the years to come.