Top Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer has been placed on Double-A Portland’s 7-day injured list, per the club’s MiLB.com transactions log.
Mayer was removed in the third inning of Portland’s game against Erie on Tuesday and was also absent from Wednesday’s lineup. The 21-year-old shortstop is dealing with hip irritation but is not expected to be sidelined for long, according to The Boston Herald’s Mac Cerullo.
Mayer, who is currently ranked by Baseball America as the No. 1 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 10 prospect in the sport, is enjoying a bounceback season with Portland after being shut down with a left shoulder impingement last summer. In 77 games for the Sea Dogs, the left-handed hitter has batted .307/.370/.480 with 28 doubles, eight home runs, 38 RBIs, 60 runs scored, 13 stolen bases, 30 walks, and 66 strikeouts over 335 plate appearances.
Defensively, Mayer has unsurprisingly seen the majority of his playing time this season come at shortstop. The 6-foot-3, 188-pounder has logged 543 innings at short for Portland, committing 10 errors in 212 chances. He has also started one game at third base and nine at DH.
Originally selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft out of Eastlake High School (Chula Vista, Calif.), Mayer joined Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts as the only Red Sox position prospects to be take part in multiple All-Star Futures Games when he suited up for the American League at Globe Life Field in Arlinton, Texas last month.
Mayer, who does not turn 22 until December, was expected to be promoted to Triple-A Worcester alongside fellow “Big Three” prospects Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel in the very near future. He will now have to wait a little bit longer for that promotion since he is not eligible to be activated from the injured list until next Thursday, August 8, at the earliest.
With Mayer on the shelf for the time being, infielder Ahbram Liendo was promoted from High-A Greenville to Portland on Thursday. The 20-year-old Venezuelan has slashed .204/.300/.271 with four doubles, three triples, three home runs, 25 RBIs, 32 runs scored, 24 stolen bases, 38 walks, and 125 strikeouts in 76 games (323 plate appearances) for the Drive this season. He has made 26 starts at second base, 39 starts at third base, and 10 starts at shortstop.
(Picture of Marcelo Mayer: Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
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