‘We want to get out of here:’ The Red Sox’ Big 3 prospects could be ready to move up to Triple A - The Boston Globe (2024)

What form might their migration take?

Would the Sox promote Mayer, who has been in Portland for more than a year and has shown steady excellence this season, and leave behind Anthony and Teel, who joined the Sea Dogs last September?

Might Mayer and Anthony join the WooSox together, with Teel staying behind a bit longer? Could all three move up together?

Sea Dogs manager Chad Epperson has asked himself those questions.

“I don’t even know how it would look, one being in Worcester and two being in here, or two being in Worcester and one being in here,” he said. “That’s just because of the lens I’ve seen it through, knowing how close they are. All the outside noise, they’ve formed that bond where they lean on each other. It’s unique.”

So, too, is the attention being visited upon the group. During the offseason, team officials openly discussed the roster-building implications of merging the Sox’ current young big league core with the Big Three, all of whom ranked among Baseball America’s top 100 prospects entering the season.

The assignment to Portland marked the first time the top three Red Sox prospects opened a year at the same level since Yoan Moncada, Andrew Benintendi, and Rafael Devers began 2016 in High A Salem. Interest has followed.

According to Sea Dogs vice president of communications Chris Cameron, Portland has had the highest viewership of any Double A team on MiLB.com this year. The Netflix crew that is engaged in a year-long project documenting the Red Sox spent last weekend at Hadlock Field in Portland to capture the dynamics of prospect grouping.

Even if they hadn’t wanted to, Mayer, Anthony, and Teel would have little choice but to understand that they are seen as a collective.

“We don’t have to do much thinking about it,” Mayer chuckled. “The media does most of it for us.”

Burning desire to win

The trio has found joy in their shared station. They’ve grown closer as teammates and friends.

Mayer and Anthony are roommates, spending virtually every waking moment together at and away from the ballpark. They frequently drop into Epperson’s office together, sinking into furniture to discuss their professional and personal lives.

While Teel, because of his responsibilities as a catcher, often follows a different pregame schedule, the three make up for it with lengthy postgame sessions.

“They’re the last ones here in the clubhouse,” said Epperson. “They’re talking baseball. They genuinely love playing the game. These guys genuinely want to win.”

That desire was crystallized in recent weeks. The Sea Dogs were in the hunt to win the first-half title of the Eastern League’s Northeast Division, and though they fell short (largely because of a rotation beset by injuries), the run offered a glimpse of the players’ hunger.

“They’re not afraid to call, ‘Pick it up!’ ” said Epperson. “Mayer was, ‘Boys, let’s keep competing, keep grinding,’ in the dugout. He’d come in here after games — ‘Where are we at? What do we need?’ It was awesome.”

On an individual level, all three have made meaningful progress this year.

Entering Thursday, Mayer was hitting .308/.373/.478 with six homers while ranking among minor league leaders with 25 doubles. After a left shoulder injury limited his performance last year, the 21-year-old has come back with furious determination.

“I was extremely angry,” said Mayer. “I wanted to just go out there and show myself, show people that I’m a competitor, I play hard, and I’m really good.

“I think I’ve had a great year so far. Obviously it’s good to see numbers up there. I think I’ve gone about my business the right way, gone about my work the right way.”

The 6-foot-3-inch lefthanded hitter has shown improved swing decisions — his primary focus this season — with a significant drop in his chase rate. He’s making more and better contact on pitches in the strike zone, drilling low-trajectory rockets from line to line, looking like a player who could hit 20-25 homers with 40-plus doubles.

His production chiefly has been against righties (.333/.396/.525), while he’s struggled against lefties (.218/.290/.309), but Mayer has generally had competitive at-bats that suggest improvement.

“We’re really seeing a player turn into an all-around hitter,” said Abraham.

Defensively, though he’s committed 11 errors (10 in 54 games at short, and one in his one game at third), his offseason strength work has produced more explosiveness and improved range to complement his excellent instincts and feel for the game.

Several evaluators believe he can be at least an average defensive shortstop, with some believing he can be better. Those who see him as an average shortstop believe Mayer can be an elite third baseman.

Still, a debate persists about whether he or Anthony is the top prospect in the Red Sox system.

Working and waiting

At 20, Anthony is the second-youngest position player in the Eastern League, and yet performing well beyond his youth. The Sox challenged him in the offseason to add strength and bat speed while more frequently pulling the ball in the air. He’s doing all three.

He’s hitting .254/.366/.463 with eight homers and one of the highest walk rates (14 percent) in Double A. Like Mayer, Anthony generates tremendous bat speed and hits rockets, with a slightly higher rate of barrels suggesting a future with more power and better overall plate discipline.

If he were a lock to stay in center field, Anthony probably would be seen as the better prospect. For now, most project the 20-year-old as an above-average corner outfielder, with the middle-of-the-order offensive profile to give him plenty of value.

“I’m still feeling like I’m getting better every day,” said Anthony. “I’m not where I want to be, but it’s been a great season so far.”

Though Teel is adjusting to an everyday professional schedule at the game’s most physically and mentally taxing position, the 22-year-old has seen his numbers climb as the season has progressed. He made strength gains in the offseason that have translated to higher exit velocities, helping him to a .311/.402/.484 line with eight homers and 14 doubles, marks that rank among the best of any minor league catcher.

“I’m hitting the ball harder,” said Teel. “That’s the biggest thing.”

Behind the plate, Teel shows impressive natural traits — athleticism and strong hands as well as a strong arm, though he has thrown out just 16 percent of base stealers while looking to clean up his footwork.

He’s working to improve his game calling and pitch framing at the bottom of the zone, and there’s a chance he’ll stay in Portland a bit longer than Mayer and Anthony. That said, he’s been unfazed by being thrown into the deep end of the player development pool, creating at least some temptation to send him to Worcester on roughly the same timetable as his teammates.

All three acknowledge they want to move up, yet none has stagnated in Double A.

“We really almost said we don’t really want to hear it anymore from people who will just be like, ‘Oh, when are you guys going to move up?’ ” said Anthony. “We look at it like, ‘OK, maybe we haven’t done everything we need to, so the only thing to do is to work harder and to continue to force that upon whoever is making the decisions.’ ”

Their desire to move up comes with an awareness that the scrutiny will only intensify once they do.

“No pressure, no diamonds,” said Teel, adopting a phrase widely attributed to 19th century philosopher Thomas Carlyle and 21st century quarterback Robert Griffin III.

Such suggestions are born of a growing restlessness, stoked both by watching the energy with which the big league team is playing and, more recently, by seeing the Celtics ride duck boats around Boston.

Increasingly, it’s all starting to feel attainable, so Mayer, Anthony, and Teel are working and waiting, aspiring to move up to the final rung of the minor league ladder.

“I think I speak for everyone when we all say that we want to get out of here,” said Mayer. “We’re enjoying our time here. We love playing with each other. But at the end of the day, we all want to be big leaguers and play for rings.”

Alex Speier can be reached at alex.speier@globe.com. Follow him @alexspeier.