Could Red Sox 'Breakout Player To Watch' Be Valuable Trade Chip This Winter?

The farm system continues to impress...

Sep 20, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A detail view of Boston Red Sox hats and gloves at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images / Kim Klement-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox have a logjam coming, and it's going to force the front office to get creative at some point in the near future.

The middle infield was a major concern for the Red Sox in 2024 due to lack of star talent, but now, it's looking like there will be too much depth. There's still no guarantee anyone on the roster will be a star, but there are nearly a dozen middle infielders who could be under consideration for spots on the active roster.

Meanwhile, a former first-round pick in the Red Sox system had a major bounce-back year in the minor leagues, re-establishing himself as a part of Boston's future plans. The question now becomes whether he is more valuable to the organization as a cornerstone, or as a trade chip.

Boston's 2022 first-round pick, Mikey Romero, could be in position to garner trade interest this winter if the Red Sox are willing to entertain offers. Ian Browne of MLB.com recently named Romero as one of his "breakout players to watch" in the Red Sox farm system.

"Romero was held to 34 games in his first full pro season due to back woes. He didn’t debut until May 7, but earned his ticket to Double-A Portland in late August," Browne said. "He wound up with 336 at-bats, belting 16 homers to go with an .821 OPS. With a regular offseason ahead of him, Romero should be able to have an even better ’25 season."

After his big year, Romero's path to the big leagues appears back on track. The most logical timeline would be for Romero to play the first half of the season in Double-A, earn a Triple-A promotion, and prepare himself for the big leagues by 2026.

It's also not as simple as saying, "Hey, Romero was great this season, let's trade him at peak value." His injury concerns could scare opposing teams off from sending their stars to Boston, and because he was a Red Sox first-round pick, the club may want to see him debut at Fenway Park.

It's still far too early in the offseason to determine what moves will and will not be made. But one thing is for certain: Romero's 2024 turnaround is great news for the Red Sox, no matter how they capitalize on his increased prospect stock.

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