Many experts expected the Boston Red Sox to be a strong force in the American League this year after making some major offseason acquisitions. They built a young core, with several top prospects waiting in the wings.
But they’ve been a big disappointment in the first two months of the season, with clear signs of unrest in the clubhouse. On top of that, several players are regularly playing out of position, including some of the top rookies in their lineup.
Ken Rosenthal Lays Sharp Criticism of Red Sox’s Strategy for Top Prospects
Kristian Campbell, one of the team’s top prospects, made the Opening Day roster as the everyday second baseman. But the 22-year-old has been moved to the outfield to balance a roster heavy on infielders.
Marcelo Mayer, the Red Sox’s No. 2 prospect, was recently called up after the injury to Alex Bregman last week. The 22-year-old is a natural shortstop, but the team is asking him to fill in at third base.
MLB insider Ken Rosenthal criticized the Red Sox’s approach, calling them out for using their top young players out of position. He made the comments after Hall of Famer Pedro Martínez reportedly slammed the front office for the same issue.
“Generally, when you talk about prospects, what do you hear from teams about positions?” Rosenthal said on the “Foul Territory” podcast this week. “Well, we want to let him settle in. We want to get him settled at that position, and then we can make some versatile moves later.”
“The Red Sox aren’t doing that. Marcelo Mayer comes up and was playing shortstop in the minors, then he played a little bit of second base, and he’s at third. Campbell is going to play first base this weekend. They seem to have all of these pieces in the jigsaw puzzle in the wrong spots.”
The Red Sox are compromising some of their younger players by putting them in unfamiliar spots, says @Ken_Rosenthal.
“They seem to have all of these pieces in the jigsaw puzzle in the wrong spots.” pic.twitter.com/06y6KKVCYn
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) May 29, 2025
The Red Sox signed Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal, with opt-outs, to take over third base. That pushed Rafael Devers out of his spot and into a full-time DH role.
“We don’t want (Devers) in the field. That seems to be the message here. We don’t want Rafael Devers wearing a glove. So, okay, that’s fine. But you’re compromising, perhaps, some of your young players by putting them in uncomfortable spots, or at least unfamiliar spots,” Rosenthal added.
The plan fell apart when the team ruled Triston Casas out for the season with a ruptured patellar tendon in his left knee, the result of a freak mishap on the basepaths.
Devers was reportedly asked to return to the field to help the team, but refused to switch roles again after already doing it earlier this season.
With no permanent answer at first base, Boston has used a platoon at the position with Abraham Toro, Romy Gonzalez, and Nick Sogard. The lack of a true first baseman has had a ripple effect across an already disjointed team.
“There are all of these things going on with them, and none of them really are good. Kristian Campbell is a player who, yes, has struggled at second base, so they’re thinking, why not play him at first?” Rosenthal said.
Campbell started the year strong after signing an eight-year, $60 million extension in early April. But his offensive production has dipped dramatically over the last few weeks. He currently holds a .231/.319/.357 slash line with five homers and 16 RBIs.