Much of former Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom's tenure was focused on drafting and developing top prospects to create a new wave of core players for the organization after a few down years.
Bloom was all about building a sustainable future. And while he did not do enough to make the big-league roster competitive, his long-term plans appear to be coming to fruition. Two of his highest-drafted players are competing hard for the top spot in the farm system and both are highly-promising players.
Outfielder Roman Anthony is the new No. 1 prospect in the organization according to Sox Prospects' latest rankings, supplanting shortstop Marcelo Mayer. The site is always ahead of national rankings, as it follows the team much closer and has much more accurate information.
Anthony was not in the conversation for the top prospect spot one year ago but had a meteoric rise in 2023. The 19-year-old hit .272 with 45 extra-base hits including 14 home runs, 64 RBIs and a .869 OPS in 106 games last season -- starting in Single-A Salem and working his way up to Double-A Portland.
Most impressively, his batting average and OPS increased at each level he was promoted to. Anthony is one of the youngest players in Double-A and will be followed closely next year. He could put himself on track for a debut before you know it.
Mayer's year did not go perfectly as planned but he still has all the makings of a future impact player for the Red Sox. Injuries partially derailed his season and he took a little more time to adjust to promotions than Anthony.
Still, Sox Prospects' Chris Hatfield acknowledged that this move was about Anthony's rise, not Mayer's fall.
Mayer hit .236 with 19 extra-base hits including seven home runs, 54 RBIs and a .739 OPS in 78 games between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland. Unlike Anthony, Mayer's stats plummeted when he joined the Sea Dogs. Part of his decline was due to nagging injuries and he played stellar shortstop all the way through.
It will be interesting to watch the two star prospects compete at the same level next season for the Sea Dogs as the next Red Sox core starts to take shape.
More must-reads: