Marcelo Mayer leads four Red Sox on Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects for 2022

The Red Sox have four prospects ranked in Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects for 2022 — including three in the Top 31 — which were released on Wednesday.

Marcelo Mayer, the fourth overall pick of last year’s draft, is the highest ranked Red Sox prospect at No. 15. He’s followed by Triston Casas at No. 19, Nick Yorke at No. 31 and Jarren Duran at No. 91.

Mayer moved up 14 spots in Baseball America’s final rankings from last year. Casas, who had an impressive 2021 that included helping Team USA win the silver medal at the Olympics will likely start 2022 in Triple-A with a chance at reaching the majors this year.

Yorke, the Red Sox’ minor league offensive player of the year in 2021, moved up 32 spots. The second baseman was extremely impressive in his first full professional season, slashing .325/.412/.516 with a .928 OPS as he was promoted to High-A Greenville by the end of the season.

“Yorke’s performance suggests a player who may be one of the best pure hitters in the minors,” Baseball America’s scouting report said. “He profiles as a top of the order hitter and will see the upper levels of the minors in 2022.”

Duran, who was No. 37 in last year’s prospect rankings, will be one of the more interesting Red Sox players this season after struggling offensively in his first chance in the majors last season, when he slashed .215/.241/.336 with a .578 OPS and 35.7% strikeout rate in 112 plate appearances.

“Duran will likely open 2022 back in Triple-A,” Baseball America wrote. “Despite his initial struggles, he has demonstrated the athleticism and aptitude to adjust and should re-emerge as the Red Sox’s center fielder of the future.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3FCzhkY