Major League Baseball

MLB 26-and-under power rankings: No. 15 Boston Red Sox

Updated Mar. 6, 2023 6:34 p.m. ET

FOX Sports' 26-and-under power rankings are a new spin on the classic prospect rankings. Yes, prospects are important, but with all the game-changing young talent already in the bigs, farm systems alone can’t tell the whole story. So we’re diving deep into every single MLB club, ranking them all by the players in an organization entering their age-26 season or younger — from the bigs to the farm. Each weekday through March 24, we’ll count down from last to first.

No. 16 Boston Red Sox
26-and-under total score: 16 (out of 30)

After finishing last in the American League East in 2022, and then failing to keep shortstop Xander Bogaerts in Boston, the Red Sox are clambering into 2023 as an uninspiring bunch. While industry analysts are again slotting the Red Sox last in their division, there is at least excitement surrounding homegrown star third baseman Rafael Devers, as well as a few appealing prospects in the organization’s system.

Devers enters his age-26 season fresh off a massive extension (11 years, $331 million) that starts in 2024. One of the best pure hitters in the game, Devers has also cleaned up his defense and has gone from almost unwatchable at the hot corner to actually acceptable. He’s projected to put up another booming offensive year and will certainly act as the credible threat in Boston’s lineup.

But Devers, in some ways like the Yankees’ newest captain in Aaron Judge, is stepping into a new role as the face of the Red Sox franchise for years to come. Signed through 2033, Devers is learning from slugger David Ortiz how to be a leader in the locker room. That understanding will go a long way for Devers, as general manager Chaim Bloom continues to build the team amid recent struggles and lesser spending.

"I'm planning to get a little bit more involved with him, based on my experience, based on him being a Dominican fella," Ortiz recently told reporters. "His mentality is like a kid. He likes to go out there and have fun and play the game. The way we get to be raised as a baseball player coming from the Dominican Republic, your priority is just playing baseball. That is your major priority.

"But you start adding things to his [plate] and sometimes players don’t feel comfortable dealing with it. In this case, it’s gotta be different because he’s the face of the organization, the face of the franchise. So at some point you need to start learning how to get there. And that's why the organization is just making sure that happens."

Triston Casas represents the brightest up-and-comer within Boston’s system. Fans received a sneak peek at his hitting ability amid the final month of the Red Sox’s lost season; he posted a 113 OPS+ and crushed five home runs in 27 games and 248 plate appearances and cranked a 411-foot opposite-field home run off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole. The 23-year-old will take over first base duties in his first full season in the major leagues after Boston designated Eric Hosmer for assignment. He'll have a lot of runway and plenty of opportunities to show off his excellent eye and selective hitting ability.

The lefty-hitting Casas has above-average power and his pull-oriented approach is expected to thrive in the new no-shift rules. His enormous 6-foot-4 frame suggests more power will come. MLB Pipeline expects Casas to develop into a 40-homer threat once he shifts his focus from hard contact to launching the ball in the air more aggressively. Casas should be an exciting player for Boston fans to watch develop during a 2023 season that might otherwise be short on such thrills.

Outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela is another name to watch as he nears his Fenway Park debut. The 22-year-old is often compared to Mookie Betts, mostly for his 5-foot-8 frame, but he still has a long way to go before that comp tapers off or grows. Rafaela was named Boston’s defensive player of the year in both 2021 and ‘22, thanks to his incredible range and arm strength. And his offense is shaping up, too. Between high-A and Double-A last season, Rafaela slashed .299/.342/.538 with 21 home runs. His adjustments at the plate have led to an improved offensive approach, and he’s expected to debut at some point this year for the Red Sox.

Finally, coming up the pipe at a steady pace is Boston’s No. 1 prospect Marcelo Mayer. Though he’s at least a year away from his big-league debut, it’s nice to see the organization’s shortstop-in-waiting is staying consistent months after Bogaerts, the previous franchise shortstop, departed for the Padres. Mayer fared well in his first full professional season last year, posting an .888 OPS in 91 games across A-ball despite dealing with a wrist injury. While the hope is he can add some speed to his game while he continues filling out and building strength, his ceiling is the Red Sox’s next long-term shortstop.

Score breakdown
Big-league position players: 8 (out of 10)
Big-league pitchers: 3 (out of 10)
Prospect position players: 3 (out of 5)
Prospect pitchers: 2 (out of 5)

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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