A Very Early Red Sox 2025 Roster Projection

A Very Early Red Sox 2025 Roster Projection originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston

The 2024 Boston Red Sox are still fighting for a playoff spot with about two months left in the campaign. It’s a surprising development for a team that few expected to warrant attention after another disappointing offseason.

Even if they don’t make it until October, this year could mark the beginning of the Red Sox resurgence. The real fun could come in 2025, when several top prospects are expected to debut and make an impact for the big league club.

There should be a lot of moves to improve the roster in the coming months — the trade deadline is just a few days away — but it’s still worth taking a look at what Boston’s depth chart will look like for next season. How will prospects fit into the equation? What positions need to be addressed and who will be available in free agency to fill those gaps?

Below is a very early 2025 Red Sox roster projection. Please note that this post will be updated after the trade deadline, which is Tuesday at 6 pm ET.

catcher

1. Connor Wong

2. Kyle Teel

With Wong looking like a future All-Star and Teel quickly rising through the minor league ranks, this feels like the end of the Reese McGuire era in Boston. Teel should take over as the No. 2 catcher on the 2025 roster and give Sox fans another reason to be optimistic about the future. The third-ranked prospect in Boston’s system has the tools to become one of the best defenders in baseball.

First base

1. Triston Casas

There’s no need to think about it too much. Casas will be the star first baseman for the Red Sox for the foreseeable future.

Second base

1. Vaughn Grisson

2. David Hamilton

This is where this exercise gets tricky. The Red Sox acquired Grissom from the Atlanta Braves last season in hopes he would fill a glaring hole at second base. This change did not go as planned. Grissom missed most of the season due to injuries, and in the brief period he was healthy, he was virtually unplayable. That said, it’s too early to give up on the 23-year-old former player.

Hamilton has earned a spot on the projected 2025 roster with his performance so far this season and the uncertainty at second base. He probably won’t see much time at shortstop next season if the next two names are on the team.

Shortstop

1. Trevor’s Story

2. Marcelo Mayer

The story will be back next season, but will he be healthy? We can’t count on that. Injuries have plagued the two-time All-Star since he signed his six-year contract with Boston ahead of the 2022 campaign.

If Story misses more time in 2025, it could open the door for the Red Sox’ top prospect to take over as the team’s starting shortstop. Mayer is on track to make his big league debut next season, if not this year. Even if Story is healthy, Mayer could spend time at second base or move to third base and move Rafael Devers to a designated pinch-hitter role.

Third base

1. Rafael Devers

The three-time All-Star slugger may move to DH at some point, but he’s a “set it and forget it” third baseman until further notice.

Outfield

1. Jarren Duran

2. Ceddanne Rafaela

3. Willer Abreu

4. Rob Refsnyder

Tyler O’Neill is not listed because he is scheduled to hit free agency after this season. The Red Sox could try to re-sign him, sign one of the other outfielders on the market, or promote the organization’s No. 2 pick, Roman Anthony. We’ll leave Anthony off the Opening Day roster for now, as he looks more like a midseason promotion than someone who will make the team after spring training. The rest of the outfield seems pretty set in stone.

Designated Hitter

1. Masataka Yoshida

Yoshida couldn’t have had a much worse start to the season, but he woke up last month. The Red Sox should still try to upgrade this position through free agency or trade. Devers is a candidate to take over the DH role if the club brings in a solid third base defender.

Here are some of the top sluggers scheduled to hit the open market:

• Juan Soto, O.F.

• Teóscar Hernández, OF

• Pete Alonso, 1B

• Paulo Goldschmidt, 1B

• Alex Bregman, 3B

• Antônio Santander, OF

• Michael Conforto, OF

• Justin Turner, DH/1B

• Jurickson Profar, OF

• Gleyber Torres, 2B

Starting pitchers

1. Tanner Houck, RHP

2. Kutter Crawford, R.H.P.

3. Bryan Bello, RHP

4. Lucas Giolito, HR

5. ???

Nick Pivetta and James Paxton are set to become free agents this winter, but Giolito will fill one of their spots in the rotation when he returns from an elbow injury. That leaves a rotation spot, which will likely be filled through free agency or trade.

Here are some of the top starting pitchers slated to hit free agency:

• Corbin Burnes, RHP

• Max Scherzer, RHP

• Walker Buehler, R.H.P.

• Max Fried, L.H.P.

• Jack Flaherty, RHP

• Luís Severino, RHP

• Yusei Kikuchi, LHP

• Andrew Heaney, LHP

• José Quintana, RHP

• Charlie Morton, RHP

Relief pitchers

1. Liam Hendriks

2. Brennan Bernardino

3. Justin Slaten

4. Josh Winckowski

5. Zack Kelly

6. Greg Weissert

7. ???

8. ???

Improving the bullpen will be the focal point of the offseason with Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin becoming free agents. Hendriks will return from Tommy John rehab, but it’s unclear how reliable he will be. Several moves should be made to improve the relief pitching situation during the offseason.

Here are some of the top relievers that will be available:

• Aroldis Chapman, LHP

• Joe Kelly, HR

• Blake Treinen, RHP

• Paul Sewald, RHP

• Carlos Estevez, RHP

• Scott Barlow, HR

• Tanner Scott, L.H.P.

• Clay Holmes, HR

• José Leclerc, RHP

• A.J. Minter, L.H.P.

List of injured

1. Garrett Whitlock, SP (Tommy John Rehabilitation)

2. Chris Murphy, RP (Tommy John Rehab)

Whitlock will likely come out of the bullpen when he returns. The same goes for Murphy, who has shown flashes of potential as a rookie backup in 2023.