Four Red Sox prospects make Baseball America’s latest Top 100 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Four Boston Red Sox prospects cracked Baseball America’s latest Top 100 list, which was unveiled on Monday.
The highest-ranked Red Sox prospect is 2021 No. 4 overall draft pick Marcelo Mayer, who comes in at No. 13. The 19-year-old has been outstanding in his first full professional season, slashing .286/.406/.504 with nine homers and 40 RBI through 66 games with Low-A Salem. His performance earned him a promotion to High-A Greenville.
Checking in on Red Sox prospects after the trade deadline
Right-hander Brayan Bello is the next Red Sox prospect on the list at No. 23. Bello went 10-4 with a 2.35 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 16 games (15 starts) between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester this season. He has made five appearances (three starts) with the major-league club, posting an 8.47 ERA in 17 innings pitched.
Triston Casas unsurprisingly made the cut at No. 30. The slugging first baseman was sidelined due to injury earlier this season but has been on fire since his mid-July return. In 51 games with Triple-A Worcester this year, Casas is hitting .246 with eight homers and 15 doubles. There’s a chance we see him make his Boston debut sometime in the next couple of months.
The fourth and final Red Sox prospect to make Baseball America’s Top 100 is outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela. The 5-foot-8, 152-pounder has been Boston’s unofficial Minor League Player of the Year this season. In 88 games between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland, he’s slashing .307/.351/.557 with 17 homers, 61 RBI and 23 stolen bases while flashing an impressive glove.
Nick Yorke, previously No. 50 on the list, failed to crack the latest Top 100. The 20-year-old second baseman is in the midst of a rough season with High-A Greenville, hitting just .227 with seven homers and a .644 OPS in 57 games.
Baltimore Orioles shortstop prospect Gunnar Henderson takes over as MLB’s No. 1 prospect in Baseball America’s rankings.
Gunnar Henderson, a shortstop in the Baltimore Orioles system, now is the league’s No. 1 prospect, per Baseball America. Jackson Chourio (Milwaukee Brewers), Gabriel Moreno (Toronto Blue Jays), Grayson Rodriguez (Orioles) and Corbin Carroll (Arizona Diamondbacks) round out the top five.