Red Sox top prospect placed on IL with hip injury

Marcelo Mayer will head to the seven-day injured list with a hip injury.

The top Boston Red Sox prospect was removed from Tuesday’s Portland Sea Dogs game and wasn’t in the lineup Wednesday. However, Sox Prospects Chris Hatfield reported that Mayer is expected to only need the minimum stint on the IL and will be back once he’s eligible.

Mayer has had a strong season for Portland both offensively and defensively. The 21-year-old has a a .307 batting average, eight home runs, 38 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 77 games.

After he participated in the MLB Futures Game, there was plenty of speculation a call-up was on the horizon. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told reporters earlier this week that promotions are a weekly discussion, and that a decision about the team’s next promotions could come as early as Monday.

Mayer has dealt with injuries in the past, including shoulder inflammation last August that cut his 2023 MiLB season short. In 2022, the infielder was limited to just 91 games as he dealt with wrist and back issues.

The fourth-overall pick in the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft admitted he should have said something sooner to the team about his shoulder injury last year instead of playing through the pain and discomfort. Missing the final two months of last season halted his development, but Mayer bounced back strong this year for Portland with a .306 batting average, eight home runs and 38 RBI.

Mayer is part of Boston’s “Big Three” prospects with Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel.

A promotion looked imminent from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester after MLB All-Star Weekend, but it’s unclear if Mayer’s latest injury will impact a call-up. However, after the July 30 trade deadline, the WooSox do have some room up the middle after the Red Sox parted ways with some infield prospects.

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