A look at the Red Sox farm after 2023

This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

It was another big year on the development front for the Red Sox. Triston Casas, Brayan Bello, Jarren Duran and Kutter Crawford were four homegrown players who made significant contributions at the Major League level. Ceddanne Rafaela showed flashes of what he can be during his late-season callup.

And down on the farm, several players had big seasons that have whet the appetite of Red Sox fans for what is to come in the future.

Here is a categorical look at the state of Boston’s farm system heading into the 2024 season.

3 players who forced their way onto the radar this year

OF Roman Anthony. The Red Sox have liked Anthony’s bat and overall skillset ever since they selected him as compensation for losing Eduardo Rodriguez as a free agent in the 2022 Draft. But nobody could have seen how swiftly he would rise through the farm system considering he was drafted out of high school. But there the left-handed hitter was, getting promoted from Single-A Salem to High-A Greenville in June and then making the leap to Double-A Portland in September.

While it typically takes a player a while to adjust to pitching when moving up a level, Anthony tore it up in his brief stint in Portland, slashing .344/.477/.543 in the 10 games he played at Double-A. He was named the organization’s Offensive Player of the Year.

“Yeah, it's definitely exciting,” said Anthony, Boston’s No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline. “It's a great accomplishment. I don't want to say I'm super surprised because I worked really hard. I put in the work on and off the field. I'm super thankful for everything and I'm thankful to be in a great organization surrounded by a great group of guys.

Could a promotion to Triple-A be coming in ’24?

“I think I just want to get bigger, get stronger, put on good weight,” Anthony said. “Going into next year, try to steal more bags, be better defensively, and be better offensively, too. There’s always room for improvement. Always room to get better. So going into the offseason, not just really focusing on one thing in particular. Just focusing on everything. Like I said, try to be a five-tool player in MLB.”

SS Yoeilin Cespedes. The prize of the club’s international signing class in January, Cespedes vaulted himself to the No. 13 prospect in the system by August due to his swift acclimation to pro baseball. He just turned 18 last month. Cespedes has drawn comparisons to Rafael Devers for how quickly he has made an impact as an international signing.

In 46 games in the Dominican Summer League, Cespedes hit .346 with 15 doubles, four triples and six homers. Given how deep the Red Sox are at shortstop in their farm system it’s conceivable Cespedes could switch to a corner when he’s ready for the Majors, which won’t be for a while. But his bat is one to keep a close eye on in the coming years.

RHP Wikelman Gonzalez. For a farm system thought to be thin on upper-echelon starting pitching, No. 9 prospect Gonzalez could be an exception. Nobody would have thought this in April when the righty had a brutal start at High-A Greenville, going 0-2 with a 15.58 ERA in his first four starts. Give the 21-year-old credit for not only climbing out of that funk, but earning a promotion to Double-A Portland along the way. In 10 starts at Double-A, Gonzalez was outstanding, going 3-1 with a 2.42 ERA.

Gonzalez leads with a fastball that tops out at 97 mph. His other weapons? A curveball with a big break, and a slider and changeup that he is trying to improve command of.

“He has four pitches,” said Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham. “He throws all four pitches for strikes, he gets swings and misses with all of those pitches. And to me, that's a recipe for success at the upper levels.”

2 possible breakout players to watch in 2024

SS Mikey Romero. Limited to just 34 games in his first full pro season due to back issues, No. 7 prospect Romero had trouble getting back up to speed. With a healthy offseason ahead, look for Romero to regain his groove in ’24 and prove why the Red Sox used a first-round pick on him.

RHP Bryan Mata. A few years ago, Mata was viewed as the best prospect in the Red Sox’s farm system. Injuries and command issues have conspired to drop him all the way down to No. 23 in the system per MLB Pipeline. The 24-year-old pitched just nine games and 27 innings this season. The Red Sox remain convinced he still has the arsenal to compete at the Major League level.

1 big question for next season

Can Marcelo Mayer -- the No. 11 prospect on MLB’s Top 100 list -- stay healthy in 2024? If so, can he hit at the level the Red Sox projected when they made him the No. 4 pick in the 2021 Draft? Mayer was limited to 91 games in ’22 and 78 this past season due to injuries. While it’s likely Mayer will produce as long as he stays on the field, he needs to stay on the field to complete his necessary development. In 43 games after his promotion to Portland, Mayer hit .189. However, there’s a chance that had something to do with the left shoulder injury that ended his season prematurely.