The Boston Red Sox are getting their Spring Training underway and will have a lot of interesting evaluations to make. One of the main ones will be the infield.
While Willson Contreras has first base locked down, and Trevor Story is locked in at shortstop, the third base and second base competitions are up in the air.
Unexpectedly, Marcelo Mayer is included in that competition. Alex Cora, as Christopher Smith of MassLive reports, isn’t guaranteeing Mayer an MLB roster spot for the 2026 season.
Marcelo Mayer is not guaranteed a Red Sox roster spot
“Alex Cora said Marcelo Mayer needs to earn a job on the Red Sox Opening Day (roster),” Smith reports, “needing to show something this spring. Asked what he needs to show, Cora said he needs to be better offensively than he was in the majors last year.”
Mayer is a top prospect of the Red Sox and is only 23 years old. He played a bit in the Majors last season, getting into 44 games and having 136 plate appearances.
During his stint with the Red Sox, Mayer hit .228 with a .674 OPS. His 85 OPS+ was a bit below league average, but he wasn’t a terrible hitter by any means.
But Cora wants Mayer to improve his offense this spring and have a better build-up to the beginning of the season to prove he deserves an MLB roster spot.
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Despite seeming like a lock for the starting third base or second base spot heading into the 2026 season, Cora has no plans to just hand it to Mayer.
This might be an unexpected decision from Cora, but it’s not that unrealistic. If Mayer struggles, and some other infielder plays far better this spring, the Red Sox should seriously consider keeping Mayer in Triple-A to begin the year.
While it might not be a popular decision, if his offensive struggles are too apparent this spring, it might be a good idea to let him build up some more confidence in the minor leagues before getting another chance in the Majors.
