Red Sox Infielder Could Be On His Way Out Of Boston

The Boston Red Sox have had questions about the second base position for years, but that seemingly was answered last year.

Boston traded starting pitcher Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves for infielder Vaughn Grissom and initially it seemed like he had a chance to be the team's second baseman of the future. At the time, Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, and Kyle Teel -- before he was traded -- were the team's top prospects before Kristian Campbell's meteoric rise. Grissom seemed like he was going to be another guy to add to the core, but an illness in Spring Training slowed him down and then he wasn't fully healthy throughout the campaign.

Campbell ascended and now is the team's everyday second baseman -- at least until when/if he moves to first base. Mayer has been getting some run at second base in the minors and seems like a potential promotion candidate if Campbell goes to first base.

Grissom is with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox and has been good this season, but he's kind of in limbo.

Because of this, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller called him Boston's most likely trade candidate this season.

"The creme de la creme of Boston's farm system—AKA Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer—won't be going anywhere," Miller said "But everyone else presently in the minors ought to be on the table for a team that is kind of desperate to make it back to the postseason in what may well be its only season with Alex Bregman on the roster. Maybe they part with next-best prospect Franklin Arias, or their outfielder with one of the greatest nicknames ever, Jhostynxon "The Password" Garcia.

"But I suspect Vaughn Grissom will be at the top of their list of players they're trying to trade away if they're buyers at the deadline. For starters, there's not going to be room for him to play in Boston's infield again any time soon, and his free agency clock is already ticking. There's also the fact that he will be forever tainted as the guy they gave up Chris Sale to get, which somehow becomes even more painful if he just never makes it back to the big leagues. Might as well try to get something for him, even though he isn't exactly raking in Worcester."