For the past few seasons, the Baltimore Orioles organization has boasted some of the game’s top prospects; homegrown standouts including Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson who are currently excelling on the major league level, and Jackson Holliday and Samuel Basallo who are knocking on the door in the minors.
The O’s are loaded, earning the club widespread praise for its deft draft selections and exceptional player development.
That’s something the Boston Red Sox are hoping to replicate – with a trio of elite prospects likely heading to Beantown in the not-too-distant future.
Shortstop Marcelo Mayer, outfielder Roman Anthony and catcher Kyle Teel – all ranked in baseball’s top 25 prospects by MLB.com – are all currently raking for Double-A Portland and could soon be knocking on Fenway’s door.
The group doesn’t have a catchy nickname – yet.
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“We can maybe put something out on social media,” said team broadcaster Emma Tiedemann. “People are pretty creative. We can see what they come up.”
They do possess a variety of skills, a boatload of potential and according to manager Chad Epperson they “all have passion to play.”
Mayer, widely regarded as the top ranked shortstop prospect in baseball, is 21 years old and has hit for a high average this season and his stellar defense has been a source of excitement for those within the organization.
“He makes some incredible plays at shortstop that you think – well that’s definitely not Double-A, that is way higher than the level he is currently at,” said Tiedemann.
“He’s butter at shortstop,” added Teel. “He’s just an all-around great ball player.”
Anthony is in only his third professional season and Tiedemann says the outfielder’s game already is “major league-esque.” Mayer also marvels at his teammate.
“Talk about someone who is polished – the kid just turned 20-years-old, and it looks like he is 25 – the way he plays, the way he carries himself on and off the field,” Mayer said of Anthony..
Teel is equally impressed with Anthony, especially his ability to drive the ball.
“He’s a Florida guy that hits tanks,” said the Sea Dogs backstop.
Teel, who was Boston’s 2023 first round pick after starring at Virginia, is perhaps the most unique of the group.
His offensive numbers have been elite, and the staff loves throwing to him.
“You talk to our starting pitchers, and they love having Kyle behind the plate because he always knows what to say,” said Tiedemann. “Whenever the pitcher is having a rough outing, he is a calm presence to them.”
The 22-year-old is a native of Mahwah, N.J. and the son of Garrett Teel, a former minor league catcher and third baseman who currently runs a baseball training center near his hometown. The catcher has hit north of .300 for a significant portion of the season.
“It’s super rare,” Mayer said of Teel’s offensive output. “For him to be as good as he is behind the dish and to hit the way he does, it’s super rare and obviously it’s not taken for granted in this organization.”
Epperson, in his third year as Portland’s skipper, credits Teel’s intense desire to improve every day.
“You see the guy put in the work non-stop – there’s no question it’s translating onto the field,” said Epperson.
There has been talk of soon elevating one, two, or all three of the trio to Triple-A Worcester.
And while, the group is close, which according to Tiedemann has allowed each to “always have two people they can lean on,” Epperson isn’t concerned about breaking up the group as they continue to rise through the system.
“I don’t think that the plan, by any means, is to call them up to Triple-A as a package deal and to the big leagues as a package deal,” said Epperson.
Still, there is a strong chance Mayer, Anthony, and Teel will at some point team up again – in Boston. And that’s something that Epperson said should get Sox fans pumped.
“They are athletes – they are guys that genuinely love to play the game, respect the game, and play the game the right way,’ Epperson said.
If all goes to plan, Boston will soon be fielding quite a young and exciting team – with a core comprised of homegrown talent.
It’s a recipe that has paid dividends for the division rival Orioles, an organization which may soon face stiff competition AL East from the Red Sox’s ascendant group of prospects.
“What you are going to see is a finished product when they get there,” said Epperson.