Unheralded Red Sox Prospect Could Provide Impactful Second-Half Boost To Bolster Infield

Boston might have a productive player in the making

Scott Neville | Jun 24, 2024

WooSox Chase Meidroth singles versus the Durham Bulls at Polar Park on Friday April 19, 2024. / Photo/Alan Arsenault / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Boston Red Sox

Could the Boston Red Sox make an impactful addition to their playoff push by promoting from within instead of dealing prospects for rentals at the upcoming July 30 trade deadline?

An ideal solution would be a blend of both transaction types and any pitching upgrades would likely have to be external additions but the infield could be enhanced by a candidate who has proven himself at each level and appears to be on the precipice of being big-league-ready.

Red Sox prospect Chase Meidroth has put together a very strong 2024 campaign and could become a much more impactful depth piece than the other position players who have occupied the last spot on the roster -- including first basemen Bobby Dalbec and utility man Jamie Westbrook, both of whom currently reside in Triple-A Worcester but appear to be in line for that next-man up spot.

Meidroth is hitting .294 with 15 extra-base hits including three home runs, 29 RBIs and a .841 OPS in 63 games for the WooSox. Most impressively, the infield prospect has a 31-to-59 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Most rising players register those kinds of results in the lower levels of the minors but then start to flip the ratio as they get closer to the big leagues.

The 22-year-old, who was a fourth-round pick by Boston in the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft, has logged 29 appearances at shortstop, 21 at third base and 16 at second base this season. Most project him as a second or third baseman at the highest level but the ability to at the very least spot start at shortstop could provide value to manager Alex Cora's roster.

Between his defensive versatility, bat-to-ball skills and elite understanding of the strike zone, Meidroth could be an impact player in short order.

It would likely take an injury or two before Meidroth would be considered for a call-up but the Red Sox rarely get through a single series without an injury list designation so Meidroth certainly is a name to watch in the coming months.

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Published Jun 24, 2024

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu