Red Sox call up prized infield prospect Mayer

The Boston Red Sox called up infield prospect Marcelo Mayer, they announced Saturday.

Mayer arrived at Fenway Park in time for Game 2 of Boston's doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles. He'll make his big-league debut batting sixth and playing third base in the nightcap.

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"I'm excited," Mayer told reporters outside Worcester's Polar Park, according to MassLive's Katie Morrison-O'Day. "It's been a pretty emotional 30 minutes, but I'm super excited. ... That rush that I felt (when I got the news), it's something I wish everybody could experience. I've never experienced anything like that."

The Red Sox plan to deploy Mayer, a natural shortstop who's made all but 16 of his minor-league defensive appearances at that position, across multiple infield spots going forward.

"If he is here, he's going to play," manager Alex Cora said. "We'll play him everywhere. He can play second, he can play shortstop, he can play third."

Mayer is the No. 2-ranked prospect in the Red Sox organization and the eighth-ranked prospect in MLB.

The 22-year-old has slashed .271/.347/.471 with nine home runs and 43 RBIs in 43 games at Triple-A this season.

Boston selected Mayer with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, California.

Mayer's promotion comes after Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman suffered a "significant" quad injury during Friday's 19-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Between games of Saturday's doubleheader, the Red Sox placed Bregman on the 10-day injured list with a right quad strain and moved first baseman Triston Casas to the 60-day IL to open Mayer's 40-man roster spot.