The Red Sox/Yankees rivalry is extremely storied and competitive, and our upcoming Bleacher Brawls Pendulum show is the perfect time to spew my prospect expertise in a mixed top-20 ranking that includes both Red Sox and Yankees prospects. Of note, only prospects who have not yet made their MLB debut are included in this list. That means no Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Jasson Dominguez, Austin Wells, or Everson Pereira. This is also meant to be as unbiased as possible, but there’s a chance this is biased towards the Red Sox due to my deeper knowledge of their system and covering the Red Sox system every week.
With that out of the way, here are the top 20 prospects in the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.
1. Marcelo Mayer, SS (BOS)
The crown jewel of the Red Sox system, Mayer heavily struggled once reaching Double-A due to a shoulder injury that clearly derailed his performance. A healthy Marcelo Mayer is still the Red Sox’ best prospect, and he is among the elite of the elite prospects in all of baseball.
2. Roman Anthony, OF (BOS)
Roman Anthony was one of the biggest risers in all of the minor leagues last season, pushing as high as the top-ten in some MLB prospect rankings. Anthony has a great approach at the plate and produces terrific exit velocity, all while being a solid defender in the outfield.
3. Kyle Teel, C (BOS)
The Red Sox 2023 first-round pick makes his appearance at the number-three slot after a brief, yet successful minor-league run following draft day. Teel ended 2023 in Double-A, which is where he is expected to start the 2024 season.
4. Spencer Jones, OF (NYY)
Spencer Jones was the Yankees first-round pick in 2022, and he excelled out the gates in his 22 games at Low-A after being drafted. Jones then spent the entire 2023 season there until a late season promotion to High-A. While he did well in High-A, it wasn’t an earth-shattering year. Jones looks set to start 2023 one-level higher in Double-A.
5. Miguel Bleis, OF (BOS)
Miguel Bleis was getting comparisons to Ronald Acuna Jr. prior to the 2023 season before an early injury shut him down for the season. He has reportedly added 30 pounds of muscle over this past summer and offseason, and he looks like he could potentially be in store for a massive 2024.
6. Roderick Arias, SS (NYY)
Roderick Arias was the big signing in the Yankees 2022 international amateur free agency class, receiving a signing bonus of $4 million. Arias struggled in the Dominican Summer League after signing due to a wrist injury, but looked dynamic in the Florida Complex League (FCL) in 2023 before breaking his right thumb.
7. Wikelman Gonzalez, RHP (BOS)
Wikelman Gonzalez was signed by the Red Sox during the 2018 international amateur free agency period, receiving a $250k signing bonus. After a rough start to 2023 in High-A, Gonzalez turned it around and earned himself a promotion to Double-A, where he looked dominant at times in 10 starts. Gonzalez should start 2024 in Double-A and likely ends the year in Triple-A.
8. Chase Hampton, RHP (NYY)
Chase Hampton was a sixth-round pick in 2022 and made his pro debut in 2023, starting nine games in High-A before moving to Double-A and making eleven starts there. Hampton will likely start 2024 in Double-A and has a good chance to finish the year in Triple-A.
9. Luis Perales, RHP (BOS)
The Red Sox signed Luis Perales for just $75k in the 2019 international amateur free agency period, and that looks like an absolute steal. Perales made 13 starts in Low-A prior to being promoted to High-A, where he finished the year after making eight more starts. Perales is set to continue in High-A in 2024, and is already on the Red Sox 40-man roster.
10. Nick Yorke, 2B (BOS)
Nick Yorke was Chaim Bloom’s first draft pick with the Red Sox, being selected in the first round in 2020. Yorke had an injury-riddled 2022, but he bounced back for a solid 2023 in Double-A. Yorke is set to start the 2024 season in Triple-A, where he may get some action in left field as the team tries to build his versatility. However, this is not due to a lack of defensive skill at second base, which was a concern for some when he was initially drafted.
11. Will Warren, RHP (NYY)
Will Warren was the Yankees eighth-round draft pick in 2021 and spent the majority of 2023 in Triple-A, making 21 appearances including 19 starts. Warren has a legitimate chance to have an impact on the MLB roster at some point in 2024.
12. Yoeilin Cespedes, SS (BOS)
Yoeilin Cespedes was the Red Sox’ most expensive international amateur free agent signing during the 2023 period, signing for $1.4 million. Cespedes was one of the most advanced hitters in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) in 2023, and he showed off some big tools at the plate. He looks to make his stateside debut in 2024, potentially starting in the FCL before eventually debuting in Low-A.
13. George Lombard Jr., SS (NYY)
George Lombard Jr, was the Yankees first-round pick in 2023. His father, George Lombard Sr., was a Braves second-round pick in 1994 and is currently the Tigers’ bench coach. Lombard Jr. appeared in 13 games after being drafted, nine of them in Low-A, where he should start the 2024 season.
14. Richard Fitts, RHP (BOS)
Richard Fitts was the Yankees sixth-round pick in 2021, but he was dealt to the Red Sox as part of the package for Alex Verdugo. Fitts had a very solid 2023 in Double-A, making 27 starts and pitching over 150 innings. He is very interesting, as his velo in the spring breakout game ticked up to 97-98. If that velo stays, it could be a massive development for Fitts.
15. David Sandlin, RHP (BOS)
The Red Sox acquired David Sandlin for John Schreiber this past offseason after Sandlin made 14 starts in 2023 between Low-A and High-A in the Royals system. An eleventh-round pick in 2022, Sandlin is looked at by many as a potential riser in 2024 with high upside. Sandlin should start 2024 in the High-A rotation.
16. Nazzan Zanatello, SS/CF (BOS)
Nazzan Zanatello was the Red Sox second-round pick in the 2023 draft, with scouts touting him as a potential five-tool player with a great head on his shoulders and a great personality. Zanatello did make his Low-A debut, but that was the only game he appeared in outside of the FCL in 2023. Thus, Zanatello will return to Low-A Salem to start the 2024 season.
17. Chase Meidroth, IF (BOS)
Chase Meidroth was the Red Sox fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft. He’s made a name for himself in the loaded Red Sox system since debuting by having a sound approach at the plate despite not being the most protectable athlete. Meidroth has proven he is a good ballplayer, which shouldn’t change regardless of his prospect ranking.
18. Allan Castro, OF (BOS)
Outside of Roman Anthony, Allan Castro was the biggest riser in the Red Sox system in 2023. Castro, who was signed for $100k in 2019 as an international amateur free agent, split time in 2023 between Low-A and High-A. He displayed better offensive numbers in High-A after getting out of the hitters’ hell hole that is Low-A Salem. Castro is set to start 2024 back in High-A, with a very solid chance of reaching Double-A at some point this year.
19. Henry Lalane, LHP (NYY)
Henry Lalane received the highest bonus of any pitcher in the Yankees 2020-2021 international class, signing for $350k in May of 2021. Lalane made his U.S. debut in 2023 and, according to some, he was the best pitching prospect in the FCL, where he stood out both literally (standing at 6′ 7″) and figuratively. Lalane should start 2024 in Low-A.
20. Brando Mayea, OF (NYY)
Brando Mayea was the Yankees’ largest international amateur free agent acquisition during the 2023 signing period, receiving a signing bonus of $4.35 million. One scout has described Mayea as a smaller version of Gary Sheffield. Mayea’s pro debut went well in the DSL in 2023, and he looks set to make his stateside debut in 2024.
The Red Sox have 13 players in this list, while the Yankees finished with seven. Seven of the top-ten, four of the top-five, 13 of the top-18 and each of the top three turned out to be Red Sox assets. Rankings aren’t everything though, especially in the minor leagues. It will be years before we determine how all these players pan out, so keep an eye out for them on their way up (or down) the ladder.