Staying healthy will be key to Mikey Romero getting back on track

Over the last few years, the Red Sox have built up their infield depth in the minors. That has led to prospects such as Nick Yorke, Marcelo Mayer and Kyle Teel being viewed as crucial parts of the future. However, one player whose stock has taken a hit is Mikey Romero.

In the 2022 MLB draft, the Red Sox selected Romero with the 24th overall pick. The San Diego native was a highly regarded player entering the draft but has only appeared in 53 games over the last two years. In that stretch, he has posted a .249 batting average and driven in 30 runs.

While those numbers don’t jump off the page, Romero is only 20 years old. Due to what he did in high school, many, such as the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, think the Orange Lutheran High School product could surprise people if he stays off the injured list.

“ I think this year, because he didn’t play, Mikey Romero took a major hit in terms of his prospect stock,” Speier told Beyond The Monster. “ If memory serves, I think I had him five or seven in the system, something like that, entering the 2023 season. I think he has a very interesting skill set because he would be a very good defensive player at second base if he is what he showed in high school. He’s such a pure hitter.”

The key for Romero will be staying healthy. During the 2023 campaign his season debut was pushed back to June due to a back injury. A little over a month later the same injury resurfaced, giving the former first round pick problems.

However, Romero has had stretches of brilliance in his professional career. While splitting time between two levels in 2022, he posted a .304 batting average in 19 games. He also showed great plate discipline by drawing eight walks.

Although Romero still has much to prove, he will be a prospect to watch this season.

“ I think there are some skills and attributes there that could be pretty interesting,” said Speier.