The Boston Red Sox find themselves in need of a miracle to secure a postseason spot. As of Monday, FanGraphs assigns them a 0.3 percent chance of sneaking into the playoffs through the third American League Wild Card position.
With their 2024 season nearly concluded, it’s time to turn our attention to the next year.
The 2025 season is poised to be pivotal for the Red Sox. After failing to reach the playoffs in five of the past six years, there will be significant pressure on chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and his team to enhance the underperforming roster through free agency and trades. Considering the organization’s approach in recent offseasons, it’s likely that fans will temper their expectations for major acquisitions.
Boston is expected to significantly leverage its promising homegrown talent, with prospects Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, Kyle Teel, and Marcelo Mayer anticipated to debut in the big leagues in 2025. It’s not unreasonable to assert that the future of the organization rests on their shoulders. By opting not to trade top prospects for major deals and by refraining from splurging on free agents, the Red Sox front office is banking on this youth movement being essential for sustained competitiveness.
What can we anticipate for the Red Sox’ 2025 Opening Day roster, particularly with these young talents involved? Below, we will analyze each position, noting players under contract for the upcoming year, prospects likely to make the spring training roster, and potential free agents for Boston to consider to fill positions of need.
Catcher (2)
- Connor Wong
- Kyle Teel
Teel, ranked as Boston’s No. 3 prospect (MLB Pipeline), seems prepared to join the MLB team after making a rapid ascent through the minor leagues. The first-round pick from 2023, hailing from Virginia, concluded the season at Triple-A Worcester alongside fellow top prospects Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell.
<img src="https://media.nbcsportsboston.com/2024/09/Teel_Kyle_USATSI_23991448-e1727117452761.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&resize=218%2C123" loading="lazy" srcset="https://media.nbcsportsboston.com/2024/09/Teel_Kyle_USATSI_23991448-e1727117452761.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&fit=1200%2C680&w=375&h=211&crop=1 375w, https://media.nbcsportsboston.com/2024/09/Teel_Kyle_USATSI_23991448-e1727117452761.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&fit=1200%2C680&w=575&h=323&crop=1 575w, https://media.nbcsportsboston.com/2024/09/Teel_Kyle_USATSI_23991448-e1727117452761.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&fit=1200%2C680&w=775&h=436&crop=1 775w, https://media.nbcsportsboston.com/2024/09/Teel_Kyle_USATSI_
USA TODAY Sports
No. 3 ranked Red Sox prospect Kyle Teel has a straightforward opportunity for an Opening Day roster position.
With Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire no longer in consideration, Teel has a definitive route to claiming a spot on the Opening Day roster, serving as a backup to fellow catcher Connor Wong. Should Teel meet expectations, he and Wong could establish a formidable catching duo for the foreseeable future.
First base (1)
- Triston Casas
Not too long ago, Casas was seen as Boston’s undeniable first baseman for the future. However, a recent article by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic indicates that this may no longer be certain.
Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports
Triston Casas could become a key trading asset for obtaining a top-tier starting pitcher, but is it wise to let go of the power-hitting first baseman?
Rosenthal suggested the possibility of signing impending free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, shifting veteran slugger Rafael Devers from third base to first, and trading Casas in exchange for a top starting pitcher. If the Red Sox are intent on securing a premier starting pitcher this offseason, trading Casas could certainly be considered. He and outfielder Jarren Duran represent the most valuable non-prospect assets the team possesses for potential deals.
For the immediate future, however, Casas is firmly positioned as the starting first baseman for the 2025 season.
Second base (2)
- Vaughn Grissom
- Kristian Campbell
The competition for the second base position is open as the team looks forward to 2025. Vaughn Grissom, who was acquired from Atlanta in the trade involving Chris Sale last offseason, is set to receive another opportunity to claim the spot. The 23-year-old has faced challenges during his debut season with Boston, spending a significant amount of it in Triple-A Worcester due to a hamstring injury. He aims to demonstrate that trading Sale, who is currently in contention for the 2024 National League Cy Young award, was not a blunder.
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Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images
Kristian Campbell, a breakout prospect, has excelled at every level and could effectively address a significant vacancy at second base.
If Grissom’s difficulties persist, the Red Sox have the promising Kristian Campbell – ranked No. 5 in the organization – seemingly ready for promotion. Showing versatility, Campbell also plays shortstop and center field, and he recorded an impressive .330/.439/.558 batting line with 20 home runs and 77 RBIs over 115 games across High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A this season.
If Campbell performs well in spring training, he is likely to secure a position on the Opening Day roster.
Shortstop (2)
- Trevor Story
- David Hamilton
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