After losing qualified free agent Nathan Eovaldi to the Rangers in December 2022, the Red Sox received a compensatory pick that fell between the fourth and fifth rounds of the 2023 amateur draft.
With that pick at No. 133 overall last July, the Red Sox selected Wright State infielder Justin Riemer, who was roughly four months removed from suffering a torn ACL in early March that cost him most of his redshirt sophomore season. As such, the Virginia native signed with Boston for $500,000 but did not make his professional debut until this summer.
Having expended much of last winter and this spring rehabbing in Fort Myers, Riemer opened the 2024 campaign on the 60-day injured list and later began a rehab assignment with the Florida Complex League Red Sox on July 11. The right-handed hitting 22-year-old spent two weeks with the rookie-level affiliate, batting .296/.462/.407 with one double, one triple, four RBIs, six runs scored, one stolen base, 10 walks, and five strikeouts in 10 games (39 plate appearances). He was then activated and assigned to High-A Greenville, meaning he would skip Low-A Salem, on July 27.
In his next 28 games for the Drive, Riemer slashed .240/.397/.280 with four doubles, three RBIs, 21 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 19 walks, and 24 strikeouts over 126 plate appearances. Among the 180 hitters who made at least 120 trips to the plate in the South Atlantic League this year, Riemer ranked second in swinging-strike rate (4.1 percent), 12th in on-base percentage, 21st in walk rate (15.1 percent), 29th in strikeout rate (19 percent), 64th in wOBA (.343) and wRC+ (113), and 76th in batting average, per FanGraphs.
Altogether, Riemer produced a .252/.412/.307 line with five doubles, one triple, seven RBIs, 27 runs scored, nine stolen bases, 29 walks, and 29 strikeouts in 38 total games (165 plate appearances) between the FCL and Greenville to cap off his first pro season. At those two stops, the 6-foot, 170-pounder split his playing time between both middle infield positions. He committed five errors in 65 chances across 20 starts (174 innings) at shortstop and two errors in 42 chances across 14 starts (109 innings) at second base.
Riemer, who turns 23 in February, is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 36 prospect in Boston’s farm system. While power is not a major part of his game at the moment, he does possess intriguing bat-to-ball skills and solid instincts in the field. Barring a trade or other surprise move this winter, he is projected to return to Greenville for the start of the 2025 season.
