Even before the signing of Alex Bregman added a new wrinkle to the situation, second base was already going to be the most interesting position battle for the Boston Red Sox this spring.
Much of the focus has been on top prospect Kristian Campbell (ranked No. 7 in MLB Pipeline's Top 100) as the Red Sox's shiny new toy who can earn an Opening Day roster spot with a strong spring, but David Hamilton and Vaughn Grissom haven't gone anywhere. Grissom was supposed to be Boston's starting second baseman last year; but injuries put him behind the ball before spring training even began, allowing Hamilton to get more playing time at the position during the season.
Red Sox beat writer Ian Browne of MLB.com recently wrote that while Grissom has become somewhat of a "forgotten man" amid all the Bregman drama and the Campbell hype, he could actually be a dark horse candidate to not only make Boston's 2025 Opening Day roster but to win the starting second base job.
"After a bust of a first season in Boston thanks to multiple leg injuries that kept him out for an extended period and limited his production when he did play, Grissom is fully healthy this spring," Browne wrote. "Not only that but he’s added 12 pounds and picked up some bat speed, as evidenced during a live batting practice when he belted a 100 mph from Aroldis Chapman into right field for a hit. Though he still has options, Grissom could still win a job on the team either as the second baseman or a utility player."
Vaughn Grissom laces a 100 mph from Chapman into right. pic.twitter.com/3VmIzFfHyU
— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) February 18, 2025
Red Sox insider goes against the grain with Opening Day second base prediction
Grissom got the start at second base in the Red Sox's first spring training game Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays. He went 0-for-3 at the plate, but Browne noted that he looked "noticeably stronger" than he did during his injury-plagued 2024 season. Campbell came in off the bench, went 0-for-1 with a walk and made a diving grab off a line drive in the seventh inning.
Of course, this all becomes moot if the Red Sox opt to keep Rafael Devers at third base and move Bregman to second. Until an official decision is made, though, this second base battle is going to be one of the biggest storylines to watch at Red Sox spring training this year.
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