Where the Red Sox Top 30 prospects are starting season

With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where Boston's Top 30 Prospects are projected to start:

1. Marcelo Mayer (MLB No. 8), SS -- Greenville (High-A)
2. Triston Casas (MLB No. 22), 1B -- Boston (MLB)
3. Ceddanne Rafaela (MLB No. 85), OF -- Portland (Double-A)
4. Miguel Bleis (MLB No. 92), OF -- Salem (Single-A)
5. Mikey Romero, SS -- Salem (Single-A) -- injured list (back)
6. Nick Yorke, 2B -- Portland (Double-A)
7. Bryan Mata, RHP -- Worcester (Triple-A)
8. Brandon Walter, LHP -- Worcester (Triple-A)
9. Eddinson Paulino, INF -- Greenville (High-A)
10. Roman Anthony, OF -- Salem (Single-A)
11. Blaze Jordan, 3B -- Greenville (High-A)
12. Wikelman Gonzalez, RHP -- Greenville (High-A)
13. Luis Perales, RHP -- Salem (Single-A)
14. Matthew Lugo, SS -- Portland (Double-A)
15. Chris Murphy, LHP -- Worcester (Triple-A)
16. Nathan Hickey, C -- Greenville (High-A)
17. Brainer Bonaci, INF -- Greenville (High-A) -- injured list
18. Enmanuel Valdez, 2B -- Worcester (Triple-A)
19. Cutter Coffey, INF -- Salem (Single-A)
20. Niko Kavadas, 1B -- Portland (Double-A)
21. Chase Meidroth, 2B -- Greenville (High-A)
22. Brooks Brannon, C -- Extended spring training
23. Wilyer Abreu, OF -- Worcester (Triple-A) -- injured list (left hamstring)
24. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, RHP -- Salem (Single-A)
25. Dalton Rogers, LHP -- Salem (Single-A)
26. Zack Kelly, RHP -- Boston (MLB)
27. Jacob Webb, RHP -- Portland (Double-A)
28. Luis Ravelo, SS -- Salem (Single-A)
29. David Hamilton, 2B -- Worcester (Triple-A)
30. Freili Encarnacion, SS -- Extended spring training

Team to watch
High-A Greenville offers an intriguing infield with shortstop Marcelo Mayer (the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 Draft), corner guys Eddinson Paulino and Blaze Jordan, and second baseman Chase Meidroth. Right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez is one of the system's top pitching prospects and catcher Nathan Hickey has a bit of a Kyle Schwarber vibe.

Teams on MLB.TV and MiLB.TV
Triple-A Worcester
Double-A Portland
High-A Greenville

Players we could see in MLB in 2023
Boston's two best pitching prospects, Bryan Mata and Brandon Walter, are a phone call away at Triple-A Worcester, as is left-hander Chris Murphy. Second baseman Enmanuel Valdez and outfielder Wilyer Abreu, acquired in the Christian Vázquez trade with the Astros last August, are potential depth options. Talented and versatile defender Ceddanne Rafaela has more upside than all of them and is coming off a 21-homer, 28-steal season, though he's two steps away at Double-A Portland.

New faces
All of the Red Sox's prospects in the Top 30 played in the system a year ago. Outfielder Miguel Bleis will make his highly anticipated full-season debut at Single-A Salem. Shortstop Freili Encarnacion will be the most notable name making his U.S. debut in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League this summer.

On the shelf
Shortstop Mikey Romero, Boston's 2022 first-round pick, came down with back stiffness in Spring Training but should join Salem's lineup later this month. After having visa issues and not arriving in camp until late March, shortstop Brainer Bonaci opened the season on Greenville's injured list. He and Abreu (left hamstring) should be good to go in the near future.