ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel released his Top 100 MLB prospect list Wednesday. And he has Red Sox 2021 first round pick Marcelo Mayer ranked higher on his list than all other publications rank him.
ESPN ranks Red Sox' Marcelo Mayer baseball's No. 4 prospect. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)Boston Globe via Getty Images
McDaniel listed Mayer, a 22-year-old shortstop, baseball’s No. 4 overall prospect and wrote, "The 2024 season was a step forward, with scouts reporting that he had more life to his game physically, with better run times, better range on defense and looser movements."
MLB Pipeline had ranked Mayer 12th, Baseball America had him No. 15 and The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked him 28th.
Mayer reminds McDaniel of a “lankier, lefty-hitting Willy Adames if it all clicks.”
That’s a nice comp as Adames has hit at least 20 homers in each of the past five seasons (excluding 2020). He has had two 30-homer seasons, including hitting 32 in 2024.
Boston drafted Mayer with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. He batted .307 with a .370 on-base percentage, .480 slugging percentage, .850 OPS, eight homers, 28 doubles, 38 RBIs, 60 runs, 30 walks, 66 strikeouts and 13 steals in 77 games (335 plate appearances) for Double-A Portland. He was promoted to Triple-A Worcester on Aug. 11 but didn’t appear in any games for the WooSox because of a lumbar strain.
Mayer has received a non-roster invitation to 2025 big league spring training camp.
McDaniel also ranked two other Red Sox prospects. He has Roman Anthony No. 2 and Kristian Campbell No. 26.
Campbell is farther down McDaniel’s list than other prospect rankings. Baseball America ranked Campbell No. 4 on its Top 100 list. MLB Pipeline ranked him No. 7. Law had him No. 9.
