Young, cost-controlled talent is the lifeblood of a successful Major League Baseball team. Right now, the Boston Red Sox have it in spades.
Roman Anthony high fives WooSox teammates following the Triple-A club's 12-2 win over Toledo on Tuesday at Polar Park. WooSox Photo/Ashley Green / USA TODAY NETWORK
Between the talent all over their big-league roster and their highly-regarded farm system, the Red Sox's future looks bright. Mired in a stretch of three straight years without a playoff berth, the goal is to keep their championship window open as long as possible.
The aforementioned farm system is headlined by three players knocking on the door of the majors: outfielder Roman Anthony, shortstop Marcelo Mayer, and utility player Kristian Campbell.
Though they still have work to do to get the roster in a place where it can compete for the playoffs this season, the Red Sox also have to have a mind toward the future with these three youngsters. One insider recently reported on the team's forward thinking in that regard.
On Sunday, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe wrote that it was "likely" the Red Sox would pursue extensions for Anthony, Mayer, and Campbell this winter, in addition to the recently-acquired All-Star starting pitcher, Garrett Crochet.
"Even as the Sox work to round out their roster to contend in 2025 — efforts that they acknowledged as “incomplete” at Saturday’s Fenway Fest — they’re also looking to not only unseal the window of competitiveness but to keep it wide open for years to come," Speier wrote.
"They believe the coming wave of young talent in the organization — spearheaded by top prospects Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer... has a chance to do just that. The pursuit of long-term deals for talented players — even before they reach the big leagues — represents a likely pursuit in the coming months."
Anthony and Campbell, who were both named Eastern League All-Stars last season, are expected to compete for Opening Day roster spots despite playing only a month each in Triple-A. Meanwhile Mayer is coming off a lumbar strain that cost him the second half of his season, so his debut could be late in the year.
It would behoove the Red Sox to get at least one of the three locked down beyond his arbitration years before the price tag balloons. But players can always choose to bet on themselves, so there's no guarantee they'll be able to bridge the gap.
