Red Sox Hit With Disappointing Update on $6.6 Million Rookie

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Marcelo Mayer was set for an MRI on his injured wrist Thursday.

Heading into the 2025 season, the Boston Red Sox had the No. 1 farm system in baseball, according to the Baseball America rankings, loaded with players tabbed for future stardom such as outfielder Roman Anthony, second baseman Kristian Campbell, and the top-rated prospect in the 2021 MLB draft, Chula Vista, California, shortstop Marcelo Mayer.

The Red Sox owned the No. 4 overall pick in 2021, thanks to their disastrous 24-36 last-place finish in the pandemic-truncated 2020 season. But they were happy to select Mayer after the Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers all passed him over.

Mayer Was Highest Red Sox Pick Since 1967

The Red Sox paid the high schooler a $6.664 million signing bonus, the full value assigned to his slot in the draft. But while Mayer’s ability has never been in doubt, as he put together an .826 OPS with 46 home runs over his 1,411 minor league plate appearances, one problem with the player selected higher than any other Boston draft pick since 1967 when the Red Sox had the No. 3 pick soon became evident.

Both of his 2023 and 2024 seasons were cut short by injuries, with a lumbar strain last year, and a shoulder soreness the year before that. In 2022, when he was still at the Single-A level, Mayer also missed time with an injury to his right wrist, leading to concerns about his ability to stay on the field.

Mayer Pulls Himself From Wednesday Game

On Wednesday, after drawing a walk in the top of the fifth inning — an at-bat that keyed a six-run rally for the Red Sox — Mayer took himself out of the game in Philadelphia. ESPN cameras caught the 22-year-old rookie pointing to his right wrist before he headed out of the dugout to the clubhouse at Citizen’s Bank Park.

Later, Mayer confirmed to reporters that he felt “a tight grab” in his right wrist during a swing in the fifth-inning at-bat.

“I knew I really couldn’t do anything after that, so I just called it,” Mayer said, as quoted by Boston Globe reporter Tim Healey.

Mayer told the Globe that he would get an MRI exam on the wrist, and that he was “in pain,” but added, “hopefully it’s not too serious and I can get back on the field soon.”

Injury Could Devastate Boston Infield

But the injury looked rather serious. Mayer was wearing a brace on the wrist when he spoke with reporters after the game.

“A serious or long-term injury to Mayer could be devastating for Boston’s infield at the moment,” wrote Fansided scribe Katie Manganelli on Thursday. “Alex Bregman still isn’t running at full speed or playing every day after the quad injury that kept him on the sidelines for nearly two months, and Kristian Campbell is still struggling to find his swing in the minor leagues.”

The Red Sox raced into the All-Star break riding a 10-game winning streak that propelled them into the thick of the AL Wild Card race and even put them seemingly in contention for the AL East pennant.

No Injured List Announcement Yet

Since play resumed after the break, however, the Red Sox have dropped four of their six games, losing losing two in each three-game inter-league series against the Chicago Cubs and the Phillies.

As of late Thursday, the Red Sox had not announced the results of Mayer’s MRI which was reportedly scheduled for that day, nor was there any news on whether the rookie infielder, who had put together a .674 OPS and four home runs in 136 Major League plate appearances, would require a stint on the injured list.

Jonathan Vankin JONATHAN VANKIN is an award-winning journalist and writer who now covers baseball and other sports for Heavy.com. He twice won New England Press Association awards for sports feature writing. He was a sports editor and writer at The Daily Yomiuri in Tokyo, Japan, covering Japan Pro Baseball, boxing, sumo and other sports. More about Jonathan Vankin