While the Red Sox had a down season in the Major Leagues, their minor league system took a step up. It wasn’t enough to keep Chaim Bloom employed, but I think Brian O’Halloran and his leadership team have some depth to quickly rebuild their team if they choose.
The top is extremely strong, with Marcelo Mayer, Kyle Teel, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Roman Anthony leading the system. But it doesn’t stop there. I’m very intrigued by their young pitchers. Luis Perales and Yordanny Monegro are exciting arms that need to learn to throw strikes. At worst, they will be helpful bullpen arms but have the stuff to pitch as mid-rotation starters, if not more.
Will all of these players make it to the Major Leagues? Of course not. Will all of the players who make it to the Major Leagues out of this group become Red Sox players? Definitely not. The Red Sox will likely use many of them as trade bait as they wheel and deal at the Major League level to add established veterans. That’s just the way they roll.
Prospect Snapshot
- Top Prospect: Marcelo Mayer
- Biggest Mover: Roman Anthony
- Biggest Disappointment: Mikey Romero
- Emerging Prospect: Yordanny Monegro
1. Marcelo Mayer (SS)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2024-25 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SS
- Tools Summary: He had a poor season because of a shoulder injury. When healthy, his ceiling is a 20-home-run bat who hits with high on-base skills with modest stolen bases.
It was not the season Marcelo Mayer wanted. After a strong 2022 season and even a strong showing in High-A to begin the season, Mayer struggled in his promotion to Double-A and was put on the Injury List with shoulder inflammation on August 8th and never returned. He claimed he hurt it on May 7th when he tripped, rounding the bases, landing on his shoulder. He tried to play through the pain but could not. Before the injury, he was hitting .309; after the injury, he hit .190.
It’s easy to be cynical and suggest he’s pinpointing when he started to play poorly. However, he did fall, he did take off time after the injury, and candidly, he’s too good of a hitter to justify a sub .200 batting average. I tend to believe him, and once he’s healthy, I expect him to get back on track.
I’ve always viewed him as a high-floor player, but that high floor might be a .280/.360/.450 hitter with 20 to 25 home runs and 12 to 15 stolen bases early in his career. And I think he will likely hit those targets because he has such a good swing. I’m still bullish despite the difficult season.
2. Kyle Teel (C, #14)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 Catcher
- Tools Summary: He has a plus hit tool with average power.
Kyle Teel is a plus defender who hit .407 in his draft year at the University of Virginia, walking nearly as much as he struck out. He played even better in his first 26 games as a professional. He slashed .363/.482/.495 with two home runs, striking out 22 times and walking 21 times. He also showed impressive pop times with great receiving ability.
The ceiling is a Top 15 catcher in fantasy baseball with high on-base skills and 12 to 18 home run power. It’s not high-end exit velos, and the swing is not highly leveraged. Still, I’ll take mid-teens home run pop, with upside, and a guy with a chance to hit .280 with a .350 OBP at my catcher spot any day of the week.
3. Ceddanne Rafaela (OF)
- Highest Level: Majors ETA: 2023 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 40 OF
- Tools Summary: He has top-of-the-chart speed, but the approach is overly aggressive, which could limit his ceiling.
Ceddanne Rafaela was one of the pop-up players in 2022, ranking 66th on our pre-season Top 100 list. His carrying tool is top-of-the-chart speed, but the power he showed in 2022 did carry over to 2023 as he hit 20 across Double and Triple-A. The Red Sox liked what they saw and gave him a late August call-up to Boston, where he held his own, slashing .241/.281/.386 in 28 games.
While the fantasy tools are intriguing, his approach leaves a lot to be desired. His approach is extremely aggressive, with him walking about once a week. Plus, he’s getting by with an extremely high BABIP.
He needs to work on his approach, or there is real fourth outfielder risk with him. If his BABIP drops to even .330, he will post a sub .300 OBP, which will become problematic. Just ask Estuery Ruiz. I am keeping his ceiling as a Top 40 outfielder, but please understand and know the risks.
4. Roman Anthony (OF)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 40 OF with risk
- Tools Summary: He’s athletic with better strike zone control than his draft book indicated.
When Roman Anthony was taken in the supplemental second round in 2022 by the Red Sox, the early book on him was athletic with excellent bat speed and a chance for future power but with some concern about how much he would hit. In 2023, he showed those tools, growing into more power as the season progressed. However, a lot of the over-the-fence power he showed in High-A (12 home runs) was due to adding leverage. Once he did that, his strikeout rate ballooned to 31%. If it were not for a .410 BABIP, we might be talking about “what’s wrong with Roman Anthony.”
Anthony is still very young and will not turn 20 until next May. The upside is substantial, but there is work left with his approach and swing plane. While he’s walking nearly 18% of the time, I would like to see him get more aggressive to put himself into better counts. But the Red Sox know this and are good at developing their players.
5. Miguel Bleis (OF)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 30 OF with risk
- Tools Summary: He missed most of the season with shoulder surgery. There are significant tools, but the hit tool has a long way to go.
Miguel Bleis’ season ended in late May when he had surgery on his shoulder. Before the injury, Low-A proved challenging to the toolsy outfielder. He only hit .230 across 31 games and did not control the strike zone well (27% K-Rate and 7% BB-Rate). There are still big tools with plus power and speed, and we have to hope he returns in 2024 healthy and can hit his potential as an impact player and potentially a significant fantasy contributor.
6. Eddinson Paulino (SS)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SS, higher if he moves to 2B
- Tools Summary: He makes excellent contact with plus speed. He needs to get stronger; if he does, the upside is a full-time regular.
Edinson Paulino was on my sleeper list entering 2023, and he put up nearly an identical stat line as he did in 2022, except at a higher level. In 115 games in High-A, he slashed .257/.338/.420 with 12 home runs and 26 stolen bases. He struck out 22.6% of the time while walking 10% of the time.
He’s athletic with good bat speed and is a plus runner with excellent hand-eye coordination. Once he gets stronger, the home runs will likely increase. If it all comes together, he could be a 10 to 12 home run player with 15 to 20 stolen bases, who should hit.
7. Nick Yorke (2B)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2024 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 2B
- Tools Summary: He’s a contact-oriented hitter with a little bit of power and speed.
After a disappointing showing in High-A in 2022, Nick Yorke looked much better in his first taste of Double-A. He still has a nice swing and has added some loft to unlock more home run pop. He’s not a burner but could steal 10 to 15 stolen bases early in his career. The overall profile doesn’t scream an impact fantasy stud; instead, he will be a nice 15-15 second baseman who posts excellent batting average and OBP ratios.
8. Luis Perales (RHP)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2026+ Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 SP or Reliever
- Tools Summary: High-end velocity with an athletic delivery. He’s not throwing consistent strikes, but there are some exciting building blocks.
Luis Perales has high-end velocity, with his fastball touching the upper 90s. He doesn’t always know where the ball is going, but the more he pitches, the better he’s gotten. However, the delivery is simple, he’s athletic, and there is hope that eventually, he’ll throw enough strikes to pitch at the highest level. His secondary pitches are not there yet, but he shows the ability to spin a slider with a decent change-up. Everyone is always looking for deep names; well, here you go.
9. Nazzan Zanetello (SS, #50)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2027+ Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SS
- Tools Summary: He’s highly athletic but raw. There is an intriguing speed and power combo.
Nazzan Zanetello was the Red Sox’s second-round pick in the 2023 Draft. He’s highly athletic with plus speed and enough bat speed to project 15+ home run pop. He only played in 13 games in his professional debut before being shut down in late August with a minor injury. He only hit .158, striking out a third of the time.
For fantasy managers willing to make an investment, it’s likely to take a while. However, he’s a premium athlete with significant bat speed who could be a monster fantasy contributor if it all comes together. I’ve put his ceiling as a Top 15 shortstop, but with an ETA of 2027+.
10. Yordanny Monegro (RHP)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 SP or Closer
- Tools Summary: He’s a lanky 6-foot-4 with a fastball that can already touch 97. The delivery is not great, but arms like this don’t grow on trees.
The Red Sox signed Yordanny Monegro to a modest $35,000 bonus in 2019. He started the 2023 season in the Complex League but was quickly promoted to Low-A, where he debuted on June 25. After pitching well, he spent the last two weeks of the season in High-A.
He’s primarily a two-pitch pitcher, with his fastball topping out at 97 and a plus curveball with great shape and depth. He’ll spot a change-up, but it’s a work in progress. He’s starting to fill out his 6-foot-4 frame, but plenty of projection remains, so it’s reasonable to project an increase in velo as he matures. There is violence in his delivery, which, coupled with his lack of a third pitch, could eventually move him to the bullpen, but it’s a special arm, and the Red Sox will continue to develop him as a starter.
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