The 22-year-old rookie Marcelo Mayer was promoted to the big leagues on May 24, 2025, and ever since then, he has wasted no time making his mark. With a .307/.370/.480 slash line in Double-A before his call-up, Mayer’s early MLB success was highlighted by a massive home run in Wednesday’s series finale against the Seattle Mariners.
Although Mayers is new, he is not having too much trouble under the pressure of the pro league. In a recent interview, he shared where his confidence levels are against the MLB arms.
Marcelo Mayer Shares How He Feels About Facing MLB Arms
In a recent interview with NESN, when Mayer was asked how he feels about facing MLB arms, he replied, “I feel good. Obviously, it’s my first time seeing these arms, but I’m doing a really good job of doing my homework before the game and making sure that I’m putting myself in the best possible situation to help the team win.”
“I feel good. Obviously, it’s my first time seeing these arms… but I’m doing a really good job of doing my homework before the game and making sure that I’m putting myself in the best possible situation to help the team win.”
Marcelo reflects on his first month in The Show 🌟 pic.twitter.com/omfEmES8o5
— NESN (@NESN) June 18, 2025
Facing seasoned arms like New York’s Will Warren and Tampa Bay’s staff, Mayer has shown an ability to adjust mid-game, which is quite rare for a rookie. His opposite-field homer against Seattle further showed how adaptive he is.
Mayer was selected fourth overall in the 2021 MLB Draft. This former Eastlake High School star was highly praised as a five-tool prospect. His professional ascent was steady: a .275 average in his 2021 debut season, a .280/.399/.489 slash line across High-A and Single-A in 2022, and a .290/.366/.890 clip in 35 games at Double-A Portland in 2023. By August 2024, he was in Triple-A Worcester, earning a May 2025 call-up after Alex Bregman’s injury opened a roster spot.
Celo gets us started with a dinger! pic.twitter.com/DAwcT0pkbp
— Red Sox (@RedSox) June 18, 2025
In just 21 MLB games, Mayer has delivered impressively. His first career hit came in his second game, followed by a double later that day. On June 6, he crushed his first home run off Yankees pitcher Will Warren at Yankee Stadium, a feat not accomplished by a Red Sox player since Xander Bogaerts in 2013.
Five days later, Mayer made history again, becoming the third-youngest Red Sox player to hit two homers in a game, joining legends Ted Williams and Billy Conigliaro. His latest homer came in the second inning against the Mariners on June 18, marking his fourth homer in 57 at-bats.
As Boston heads to San Francisco for a weekend series, Mayer’s role will be significant. His ability to handle MLB pitching, combined with his defensive versatility at third base, makes him a focal point for a team chasing a postseason berth.