Sep 20, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman (2) runs to first base after hitting an rbi single against the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Red Sox Phenom Floated As Potential Alex Bregman Successor

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 25, 2025 6:11 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox have just four games left in the regular season before they will either move on to the postseaosn, or have a long offseason to prepare for 2026.

The Red Sox are significantly more likely than not to earn a playoff spot, but until they officially clinch, nothing is fully guaranteed. The second the season ends, the focus for Boston is obviously going to turn to Alex Bregman. Will he stick around with the Red Sox beyond this season? That's a question that has been floated around for months at this point.

There's been plenty of chatter out there about who could replace Bregman if he were to move on. FanSided's Stephen Parello made a list of three potential fits and one of them mentioned was Marcelo Mayer.

The Boston Red Sox phenom is a great option

"Batting .228/.272/.402 in 44 big league games before succumbing to a season-ending wrist injury, Marcelo Mayer has been much more Kristian Campbell than Roman Anthony in his big league debut," Parello said. "Still, a relatively small sample of struggles doesn't mean that the 22-year-old's outlook as a top prospect has changed. Boston has been working towards this youth movement for years, and if Bregman proves to be too expensive to retain and Craig Breslow isn't convinced that Suárez can bounce back outside of the Pacific Northwest, the Red Sox could simply pivot to Mayer in the hopes that the youngster is healthy and ready to realize his potential.

"After a topsy-turvy season, the Red Sox have established themselves as contenders at the most critical point in the 2025 season, meaning that embracing a youngster to replace one of their most important veterans could be an unpopular position to take with the fan base. Still, after Bregman and Suárez, the free-agent herd thins out, and Mayer truly might be the best option for the present and the future."

If Bregman were to move on, this would be the most obvious move to replace him. There was a time in which Mayer was the Red Sox's top prospect. He's just 22 years old and showed flashes in his 44-game stint in Boston before his season ended. He was promoted to fill in for Bregman when he was injured. This is a kid who has all of the upside in the world, but unsurprisingly has been overshadowed by the best overall prospect in the game in Roman Anthony.

Mayer would've been the top prospect for plenty of teams. If Bregman were to leave, he's a high-impact player that could help to carry the load right away. This is a good suggestion.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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