Red Sox Top Prospect Learning New Position To Expedite Path To MLB Debut

The Red Sox always seem to welcome versatility

Scott Neville | Feb 22, 2024

Red Sox Top Prospect Learning New Position To Expedite Path To MLB Debut /

In this story:

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox could be clearing a path for one of their top prospects to make his big-league debut in the not-so-distant future.

This is the time of year to have players attempt to learn new positions in order to increase their versatility and chances of eventually earning a roster spot. A recent first-round pick is doing just that.

"Red Sox are going to have second baseman Nick Yorke work into outfield drills during camp to increase his versatility," the Boston Globe's Pete Abraham reported Thursday.

Yorke is the Red Sox's No. 6 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He hit .268 with 43 extra-base hits including 13 home runs, 61 RBIs and a .785 OPS in 110 games for Double-A Portland last season.

The 21-year-old profiles as a second baseman but the depth chart ahead of him is star-studded.

Trevor Story currently mans shortstop while Vaughn Grissom -- who is under team control through 2029 -- appears to be the heir apparent at second base.

To make matters more complicated, shortstop Marcelo Mayer is expected to break through to the big leagues in the near future. As it stands now, 10 of the Red Sox's top 30 prospects are middle infielders, and that doesn't include Ceddanne Rafaela -- a Gold Glove-caliber outfielder who also can play middle infield at a very high level.

Yorke's future fit on the roster is extremely unclear. However, if he can continue to hit the way he's been hitting and add some positional versatility, he'll make his Major League Baseball debut in no time.

More MLB: Red Sox Reportedly Reuniting With Southpaw To Bolster Pitching Depth

Published Feb 22, 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