Marcelo Mayer

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #1 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 60/High
  
  Track Record: After a standout career at Eastlake High outside San Diego, Mayer was a candidate to be drafted No. 1 overall by the Pirates in 2021. Pittsburgh and two others teams passed, leaving Mayer on the board for the Red Sox at No. 4 overall. Boston took advantage of its highest draft position since 1967 by selecting Mayer and signing him to a slot bonus of $6.64 million. He turned in a strong first full season at Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville in 2022, though he was limited to 91 games by a right wrist sprain. Mayer dominated at the start of 2023 in Greenville to earn a May 31 promotion to Double-A Portland at age 20. However, after some promising early adjustments, his performance unraveled as his strikeout rate soared in late July as he tried to play through a left shoulder impingement. The injury ultimately ended his season on Aug. 2 after 78 games and required a painkilling injection in September.
  
  Scouting Report: Mayer is gifted with a balanced, adaptable lefthanded swing that permits him to get on plane with pitches in different parts of the zone and drive them from line to line. Though he showed a surprising amount of chase as well as swing-and-miss in 2023, that trait was at least partly attributable to his shoulder injury and his youth. Most evaluators project Mayer to develop at least an average future hit tool with some forecasting a plus attribute as he develops better control of the strike zone. The combination of a professional strength regimen--he barely lifted in high school--and weighted-bat program produced improvements in bat speed and exit velocities. He topped out at 112 mph in 2023, which points to above-average to plus power potential, especially because his swing naturally allows him to get the ball in the air with loft. At shortstop, Mayer’s pure range is capped by a lack of foot speed, but even at 6-foot-3 he’s a rhythmic, fluid defender who moves efficiently to the ball with quick hands to pick and transfer it cleanly. Most evaluators see him sticking at shortstop in the near term, with an average glove and plus arm. If he outgrows short--a possibility in his mid 20s--he has the attributes of an excellent third baseman. Though Mayer has below-average speed, he shows good instincts on the bases.
  
  The Future: While Mayer likely will start 2024 at Double-A Portland, his combination of skills and aptitude has given the Red Sox comfort in putting him on a fast track. If Mayer stays healthy for a full season, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him in the big leagues by the end of the year. His offensive profile at a premium defensive position suggests a clear path to being an above-average regular with a chance he could emerge, in the words of one evaluator, as “a frickin’ monster.” n
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Field: 60 | Arm: 60
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #1 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 65/High
  
  Track Record: In 2019, Red Sox area scout J.J. Altobelli made several trips to Eastlake High to see eventual first-rounder Keoni Cavaco, but it was Mayer--then a sophomore--who repeatedly commanded his attention. Mayer's consistent excellence in high school and a stint on Team USA's 17U development team in 2019 established him as a clear top talent entering the 2021 season. He was the sort of player who would almost never be available to the Red Sox in the draft, but Boston's awful performance in the Covid-compressed 2020 campaign netted the organization's highest pick since 1967. While Mayer was a candidate to go to the Pirates with the top pick after a dominant senior year--he hit .397/.555/.886 with 14 homers, 31 walks and eight strikeouts--he remained on the board when the Red Sox picked at No. 4. They jumped at the chance to take him, signing him to a $6.64 million bonus. After the first two months of Mayer's first full pro season in 2022 were disrupted by a right wrist sprain, he excelled as a 19-year-old against more experienced competition with Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville. He showed impressive maturity and polish both in the field and at the plate.
  <br Scouting Report: Mayer's smooth lefthanded swing is the stuff of instructional videos. His ability to manipulate the barrel and adapt his swing plane to pitches of varying types and locations at a young age is captivating. He produces easy loft to left field--a trait that should eventually serve him well at Fenway Park--and the ability to hit rockets to his pull side. It's a combination that suggests a doubles machine with 20-plus homer upside. Though his 25% percent strikeout rate--and tendency to swing-and-miss on pitches below the zone--proved higher than expected, his 16% walk rate pointed to both good pitch recognition and swing decisions. Mayer showed the ability to respond to struggles in 2022. He bounced back after a tough start to his time in High-A Greenville--he hit .179 through 17 games--with a blistering .452/.553/.710 stretch to close the year. While his lack of speed limits his raw range, Mayer has excellent hands, a strong, accurate arm with the ability to vary his throwing angle, and the anticipation and well-calibrated clock of an above-average to plus shortstop. Some evaluators still wonder if he'll outgrow the position as he adds strength into his 20s, but such a move is unlikely to be considered as he moves through the minors. Though Mayer has below-average speed, his instincts allow him to play faster than his foot speed.
  
  The Future: Mayer likely will open 2023 back in High-A but should remain on an accelerated track that will bring him to the upper levels by the end of the year, with a potential big league ETA of late 2024. His first full pro season reinforced the sense that he's a potential cornerstone player. 'From what I've seen, he's going to be a superstar,' Salem hitting coach Nelson Paulino said.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #1 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Eastlake High featured an eventual first-rounder in 2019 in third baseman Keoni Cavaco—who was eventually drafted by the Twins in 2019—but whenever Red Sox area scout J.J. Altobelli went to see Cavaco, he invariably started raving about sophomore shortstop Marcelo Mayer. Based on his performance as an underclassman as well as a summer with Team USA’s 18U National team in 2019, Mayer entered last spring as one of the top players in the draft class and never disappointed, batting .397/.555/.886 with 14 home runs, 31 walks, and eight strikeouts against top competition in San Diego County while showing ease and fluidity both in the batter’s box and at shortstop. He was viewed as a candidate to go first overall in the 2021 draft, and the Red Sox felt the chance he’d get to them was remote. But when he remained available with the Sox in possession of the No. 4 pick, their highest in selection in more than 50 years, the team was elated and quickly selected him. Mayer signed for $6,664,000 to forgo a Southern California commitment and immediately stood out as the top prospect in the Florida Complex League in his pro debut, making the game look easy on both sides of the ball all summer long.
  
  Scouting Report: Mayer is a natural, graceful player with an advanced feel for the strike zone and the ability to manipulate the barrel with a sweet, lefthanded swing. His swing is mechanically sound and allows him to take a versatile offensive approach, alternately drilling line drives and turning on pitches to get to power. He will swing and miss at times, but with his strong plate discipline and good swing decisions, he should draw enough walks to post high on-base percentages while hitting for power. Though Mayer has below-average speed, his excellent instincts, smooth actions, sure hands, and plus arm strength all suggest a potential defensive standout at shortstop. He may outgrow the position, although his size and lefthanded swing draw frequent comparisons to Corey Seager, who has remained a shortstop throughout his major league career. Mayer never lifted weights in high school, creating both the possibility of additional power as well as the risk that he gets too big as he adds strength to his lean frame and has to move off of shortstop. If he does, any additional power potential he gains would help him profile at third base, where he would project as a potentially elite defender, would maintain his status as a standout player both in the batter’s box and on the left side of the infield.
  
  The Future: Mayer’s defense at a premium position and sound swing and approach give him an easy projection of at least an above-average regular. His ultimate ceiling will be determined by whether he stays at shortstop or outgrows it, as well as how his power develops in pro ball. Still, few who scouted him as an amateur would be surprised if he emerges as an all-star and Red Sox franchise cornerstone. That ascent should start in earnest in 2022, when Mayer is likely to begin the season at Low-A Salem and could finish it at High-A Greenville.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #2 prospect in 2021 draft
  Mayer is the next big prospect to come out of a powerhouse Eastlake (Calif.) High program that produced Adrian Gonzalez, 2019 first-round pick Keoni Cavaco and 2020 second-rounder Casey Schmitt (by way of San Diego State). Mayer started getting attention from scouts at Eastlake as a freshman, where he showed a smooth lefthanded swing and advanced defensive actions up the middle. He capped his four-year varsity career by hitting .410 with 13 home runs in the regular season this spring while playing excellent high school competition in San Diego County’s top division. Mayer is arguably the top defensive shortstop in a class that is deep at the position. He glides around the infield with silky smooth actions and has the hands, footwork and arm strength to stick at shortstop long term. He slows the game down and has no problem throwing from multiple angles with an accurate arm. Though he is a below-average runner, he moves fluidly around the dirt and should be at least an above-average defender. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Mayer also has upside offensively. He’s a plus hitter with excellent barrel control and extension in his swing and drives balls hard in the air from gap-to-gap. He can turn on good fastballs and drive them off the right-field fence or let pitches on the outer half travel deep and line them hard up the middle or the opposite way. He has fringe-average power now, but could tap into above-average power in the future as he fills out his projectable frame. He controls the strike zone and has a calm, steady presence in the batter’s box. Mayer is committed to Southern California, but as a surefire top-five pick, it’s unlikely he ever steps foot on campus. He has a chance to be taken with the top pick and join Gonzalez, who was selected first overall in 2000, in making Eastlake the only high school to ever have two players drafted No. 1 overall.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #1 prospect in 2021
  The fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Mayer makes the game look easy on both sides of the ball. He’s calm and balanced in the batter’s box with a smooth, fluid lefthanded swing. He makes frequent contact with good bat control and an advanced approach for his age to drive the ball to all fields. Mayer has a tall, lean frame with good strength projection remaining, with power that continues to trend up and could be an above-average tool as he fills out. Mayer is a below-average runner with a bigger frame, but he projects to stick at shortstop because of his easy actions, soft hands, nimble feet and a strong arm. He has a good internal clock, too, with a knack for slowing the game down. If everything clicks, Mayer has a chance to be a plus hitter in the middle of a lineup who can stick at a premium position.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #10 prospect in 2024
• Ranked Baseball America's #15 prospect in 2023
• Ranked Baseball America's #10 prospect in 2023
• Ranked Baseball America's #15 prospect in 2022

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 65/High
  
  Track Record: In 2019, Red Sox area scout J.J. Altobelli made several trips to Eastlake High to see eventual first-rounder Keoni Cavaco, but it was Mayer--then a sophomore--who repeatedly commanded his attention. Mayer's consistent excellence in high school and a stint on Team USA's 17U development team in 2019 established him as a clear top talent entering the 2021 season. He was the sort of player who would almost never be available to the Red Sox in the draft, but Boston's awful performance in the Covid-compressed 2020 campaign netted the organization's highest pick since 1967. While Mayer was a candidate to go to the Pirates with the top pick after a dominant senior year--he hit .397/.555/.886 with 14 homers, 31 walks and eight strikeouts--he remained on the board when the Red Sox picked at No. 4. They jumped at the chance to take him, signing him to a $6.64 million bonus. After the first two months of Mayer's first full pro season in 2022 were disrupted by a right wrist sprain, he excelled as a 19-year-old against more experienced competition with Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville. He showed impressive maturity and polish both in the field and at the plate.
  <br Scouting Report: Mayer's smooth lefthanded swing is the stuff of instructional videos. His ability to manipulate the barrel and adapt his swing plane to pitches of varying types and locations at a young age is captivating. He produces easy loft to left field--a trait that should eventually serve him well at Fenway Park--and the ability to hit rockets to his pull side. It's a combination that suggests a doubles machine with 20-plus homer upside. Though his 25% percent strikeout rate--and tendency to swing-and-miss on pitches below the zone--proved higher than expected, his 16% walk rate pointed to both good pitch recognition and swing decisions. Mayer showed the ability to respond to struggles in 2022. He bounced back after a tough start to his time in High-A Greenville--he hit .179 through 17 games--with a blistering .452/.553/.710 stretch to close the year. While his lack of speed limits his raw range, Mayer has excellent hands, a strong, accurate arm with the ability to vary his throwing angle, and the anticipation and well-calibrated clock of an above-average to plus shortstop. Some evaluators still wonder if he'll outgrow the position as he adds strength into his 20s, but such a move is unlikely to be considered as he moves through the minors. Though Mayer has below-average speed, his instincts allow him to play faster than his foot speed.
  
  The Future: Mayer likely will open 2023 back in High-A but should remain on an accelerated track that will bring him to the upper levels by the end of the year, with a potential big league ETA of late 2024. His first full pro season reinforced the sense that he's a potential cornerstone player. 'From what I've seen, he's going to be a superstar,' Salem hitting coach Nelson Paulino said.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 65/High
  
  Track Record: In 2019, Red Sox area scout J.J. Altobelli made several trips to Eastlake High to see eventual first-rounder Keoni Cavaco, but it was Mayer--then a sophomore--who repeatedly commanded his attention. Mayer's consistent excellence in high school and a stint on Team USA's 17U development team in 2019 established him as a clear top talent entering the 2021 season. He was the sort of player who would almost never be available to the Red Sox in the draft, but Boston's awful performance in the Covid-compressed 2020 campaign netted the organization's highest pick since 1967. While Mayer was a candidate to go to the Pirates with the top pick after a dominant senior year--he hit .397/.555/.886 with 14 homers, 31 walks and eight strikeouts--he remained on the board when the Red Sox picked at No. 4. They jumped at the chance to take him, signing him to a $6.64 million bonus. After the first two months of Mayer's first full pro season in 2022 were disrupted by a right wrist sprain, he excelled as a 19-year-old against more experienced competition with Low-A Salem and High-A Greenville. He showed impressive maturity and polish both in the field and at the plate.
  <br Scouting Report: Mayer's smooth lefthanded swing is the stuff of instructional videos. His ability to manipulate the barrel and adapt his swing plane to pitches of varying types and locations at a young age is captivating. He produces easy loft to left field--a trait that should eventually serve him well at Fenway Park--and the ability to hit rockets to his pull side. It's a combination that suggests a doubles machine with 20-plus homer upside. Though his 25% percent strikeout rate--and tendency to swing-and-miss on pitches below the zone--proved higher than expected, his 16% walk rate pointed to both good pitch recognition and swing decisions. Mayer showed the ability to respond to struggles in 2022. He bounced back after a tough start to his time in High-A Greenville--he hit .179 through 17 games--with a blistering .452/.553/.710 stretch to close the year. While his lack of speed limits his raw range, Mayer has excellent hands, a strong, accurate arm with the ability to vary his throwing angle, and the anticipation and well-calibrated clock of an above-average to plus shortstop. Some evaluators still wonder if he'll outgrow the position as he adds strength into his 20s, but such a move is unlikely to be considered as he moves through the minors. Though Mayer has below-average speed, his instincts allow him to play faster than his foot speed.
  
  The Future: Mayer likely will open 2023 back in High-A but should remain on an accelerated track that will bring him to the upper levels by the end of the year, with a potential big league ETA of late 2024. His first full pro season reinforced the sense that he's a potential cornerstone player. 'From what I've seen, he's going to be a superstar,' Salem hitting coach Nelson Paulino said.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 55. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 65/Very High
  
  Track Record: Eastlake High School featured an eventual first-rounder in 2019 in third baseman Keoni Cavaco, but whenever Red Sox area scout J.J. Altobelli went to see Cavaco, he invariably started raving about sophomore shortstop Marcelo Mayer. Based on his performance as an underclassman as well as a summer with Team USA&#39s 18U National team in 2019, Mayer entered last spring as one of the top players in the draft class and never disappointed, batting .397/.555/.886 with 14 home runs, 31 walks, and eight strikeouts against top competition in San Diego County while showing ease and fluidity both in the batter&#39s box and at shortstop. He was viewed as a candidate to first overall in the 2021 draft, and the Red Sox felt the chances he&#39d get to them were remote. But when he remained available with the Sox in possession of the No. 4 pick, their highest in selection in more than 50 years, the team was elated and quickly selected him. Mayer signed for $6,664,000 to forgo a Southern California commitment and immediately stood out as the top prospect in the Florida Complex League in his pro debut, making the game look easy on both sides of the ball.
  
  Scouting Report: Mayer is a natural, graceful player with an advanced feel for the strike zone and the ability to manipulate the barrel with a sweet, lefthanded swing. His swing is mechanically sound and allows him to take a versatile offensive approach, alternately drilling line drives and turning on pitches to get to power. He will swing and miss at times, but with his strong plate discipline and good swing decisions, he should draw enough walks to post high on-base percentages while hitting for power. Though Mayer has below-average speed, his excellent instincts, smooth actions, sure hands, and plus arm strength all suggest a potential defensive standout at shortstop. He may outgrow the position, although his size and lefthanded swing drawing frequent comparisons to Corey Seager, who has remained a shortstop throughout his major league career. Mayer never lifted weights in high school, creating both the possibility of additional power as well as the risk that he gets too big as he adds strength to his lean frame and has to move off of shortstop. If he does, the additional power potential at third base, where he would project as a potentially elite defender, would maintain his status as a standout player.
  
  The Future: Mayer&#39s defense at a premium position and sound swing and approach give him an easy projection of at least an above-average regular. His ultimate ceiling will be determined by whether he stays at shortstop or outgrows it, as well as how his power develops in pro ball. Still, few who scouted him as an amateur would be surprised if he emerges as an all-star and Red Sox franchise cornerstone.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 65. Power: 55. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Eastlake High featured an eventual first-rounder in 2019 in third baseman Keoni Cavaco—who was eventually drafted by the Twins in 2019—but whenever Red Sox area scout J.J. Altobelli went to see Cavaco, he invariably started raving about sophomore shortstop Marcelo Mayer. Based on his performance as an underclassman as well as a summer with Team USA’s 18U National team in 2019, Mayer entered last spring as one of the top players in the draft class and never disappointed, batting .397/.555/.886 with 14 home runs, 31 walks, and eight strikeouts against top competition in San Diego County while showing ease and fluidity both in the batter’s box and at shortstop. He was viewed as a candidate to go first overall in the 2021 draft, and the Red Sox felt the chance he’d get to them was remote. But when he remained available with the Sox in possession of the No. 4 pick, their highest in selection in more than 50 years, the team was elated and quickly selected him. Mayer signed for $6,664,000 to forgo a Southern California commitment and immediately stood out as the top prospect in the Florida Complex League in his pro debut, making the game look easy on both sides of the ball all summer long.
  
  Scouting Report: Mayer is a natural, graceful player with an advanced feel for the strike zone and the ability to manipulate the barrel with a sweet, lefthanded swing. His swing is mechanically sound and allows him to take a versatile offensive approach, alternately drilling line drives and turning on pitches to get to power. He will swing and miss at times, but with his strong plate discipline and good swing decisions, he should draw enough walks to post high on-base percentages while hitting for power. Though Mayer has below-average speed, his excellent instincts, smooth actions, sure hands, and plus arm strength all suggest a potential defensive standout at shortstop. He may outgrow the position, although his size and lefthanded swing draw frequent comparisons to Corey Seager, who has remained a shortstop throughout his major league career. Mayer never lifted weights in high school, creating both the possibility of additional power as well as the risk that he gets too big as he adds strength to his lean frame and has to move off of shortstop. If he does, any additional power potential he gains would help him profile at third base, where he would project as a potentially elite defender, would maintain his status as a standout player both in the batter’s box and on the left side of the infield.
  
  The Future: Mayer’s defense at a premium position and sound swing and approach give him an easy projection of at least an above-average regular. His ultimate ceiling will be determined by whether he stays at shortstop or outgrows it, as well as how his power develops in pro ball. Still, few who scouted him as an amateur would be surprised if he emerges as an all-star and Red Sox franchise cornerstone. That ascent should start in earnest in 2022, when Mayer is likely to begin the season at Low-A Salem and could finish it at High-A Greenville.
  
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  The fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, Mayer makes the game look easy on both sides of the ball. He’s calm and balanced in the batter’s box with a smooth, fluid lefthanded swing. He makes frequent contact with good bat control and an advanced approach for his age to drive the ball to all fields. Mayer has a tall, lean frame with good strength projection remaining, with power that continues to trend up and could be an above-average tool as he fills out. Mayer is a below-average runner with a bigger frame, but he projects to stick at shortstop because of his easy actions, soft hands, nimble feet and a strong arm. He has a good internal clock, too, with a knack for slowing the game down. If everything clicks, Mayer has a chance to be a plus hitter in the middle of a lineup who can stick at a premium position.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Mayer is the next big prospect to come out of a powerhouse Eastlake (Calif.) High program that produced Adrian Gonzalez, 2019 first-round pick Keoni Cavaco and 2020 second-rounder Casey Schmitt (by way of San Diego State). Mayer started getting attention from scouts at Eastlake as a freshman, where he showed a smooth lefthanded swing and advanced defensive actions up the middle. He capped his four-year varsity career by hitting .410 with 13 home runs in the regular season this spring while playing excellent high school competition in San Diego County's top division. Mayer is arguably the top defensive shortstop in a class that is deep at the position. He glides around the infield with silky smooth actions and has the hands, footwork and arm strength to stick at shortstop long term. He slows the game down and has no problem throwing from multiple angles with an accurate arm. Though he is a below-average runner, he moves fluidly around the dirt and should be at least an above-average defender. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Mayer also has upside offensively. He's a plus hitter with excellent barrel control and extension in his swing and drives balls hard in the air from gap-to-gap. He can turn on good fastballs and drive them off the right-field fence or let pitches on the outer half travel deep and line them hard up the middle or the opposite way. He has fringe-average power now, but could tap into above-average power in the future as he fills out his projectable frame. He controls the strike zone and has a calm, steady presence in the batter's box.