The Boston Red Sox ran into a dilemma on May 3 when Triston Casas went down with a season-ending injury, which highlighted the poor depth at first base in the organization.
It wouldn't be a problem if this were a short-term injury. However, Casas is out for the entire season, and maybe into 2026. The Red Sox need a long-term solution; someone who can help them for the rest of the year and potentially beyond.
One internal answer they could consider hasn't even reached Triple-A yet. Blaze Jordan was selected as a third baseman in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft. He started to get some time at first base in 2021. In 2025, he's played 21 games at first base compared to just eight at third base.
The hype has died down as Jordan's in-game power hasn't shown up in Double-A. However, there are multiple reasons the Sox should seriously consider him.
During the 2023-24 offseason, Jordan worked on his conditioning. He's lost weight and gained some athleticism. It isn't a stretch to say Jordan is the best defensive first baseman in the system (likely battling with Portland teammate Tyler Miller). Jordan would provide defensive stability at the position, and has actually played the position, unlike a lot of the other options being thrown around.
Red Sox should look to former third-round pick Blaze Jordan as first base option
Through May 15, the right-handed hitter is slashing .272/.382/.408 with eight doubles and two home runs. However, he's a notoriously slow starter and has begun heating up.
There's offensive potential in his bat. We've seen Jordan hit the ball extremely hard with consistency, even if it doesn't always translate to home runs.
Jordan's eye has vastly improved in 2025. Last season, he drew just 18 walks in 380 plate appearances. That's a 4.7% walk rate. He's already drawn 17 walks in 123 plate appearances this year for a 13.8% walk rate.
Meanwhile, Jordan's always put the bat on the ball. Last year, he had a 12.1% strikeout rate (46 in 380 plate appearances). He has an 11.8% strikeout rate with 14 strikeouts this season.
Not only does Jordan have more walks than strikeouts (17 to 14), and leads the team in doubles (8), he's first on the team in RBI (20) and second in runs scored (20).
Jordan has had over 600 plate appearances in Double-A. It's time to challenge him in Worcester and have him knocking on the door of the major leagues. Jordan should be a legitimate option for Boston by mid-June. He'll provide good defense at first, he won't fill up the box score with strikeouts, and there's something in his bat that can be unlocked.
The Red Sox don't have many options (in-house). Jordan should be a serious contender on the short-list for first base.