At yesterday’s Fenway Fest fan occasion, Purple Sox prime prospects Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell indicated that they haven’t heard from the membership’s brass relating to the potential of signing long-term extensions in Boston so far. At the moment, a report from Alex Speier of the Boston Globe relays that whereas the Purple Sox haven’t but reached out to start extension discussions, the crew is nonetheless fascinated by exploring the likelihood with its prime prospects.
Specifically, Speier lists Anthony, Campbell, and prime infield prospect Marcelo Mayer all as children the membership is hoping to speak extension with. Campbell, particularly, has made clear that he can be fascinated by negotiating if the Purple Sox strategy him. Speier notes that the membership’s 2023 fourth-rounder advised reporters final season that he can be “one hundred pc” open to a long-term take care of Boston and in addition experiences that Anthony is seen as being prepared to “not less than pay attention” if the Purple Sox had been to strategy him about signing a long-term extension.
All three children include vital prospect pedigree. In keeping with Baseball America, Anthony is the highest prospect in all of baseball, whereas Mayer sits simply behind him at #10 and Campbell clocks in at #24. MLB Pipeline, in the meantime, has all three children throughout the prime ten: Anthony is ranked #3 total behind Dylan Crews of the Nationals and Walker Jenkins of the Twins, whereas Mayer is available in at #7 and Campbell rounds out the trio at #10. The trio’s efficiency on the sector has usually backed up these rankings, as nicely. Campbell flew by way of three ranges of the minors in 2024, slashing .330/.439/.558 alongside the way in which, whereas Anthony hit .291/.396/.498 on the Double- and Triple-A ranges final yr. Mayer was restricted to simply 77 video games at Double-A resulting from accidents final yr however nonetheless hit a strong .307/.370/.480 on the degree in his age-21 season.
Pre-debut extensions for gamers with that degree of prospect pedigree are considerably uncommon however one did happen final winter between the Brewers and outfielder Jackson Chourio, who had been ranked because the #2 prospect in baseball by each Baseball America and MLB Pipeline on the time of the deal. Chourio wound up signing an eight-year extension final offseason that assured him $82MM with membership choices and incentives that would permit the deal to max out at $142.5MM over ten years. Chourio’s extension looks as if it will be a wise benchmark for Anthony ought to he wind up signing a deal earlier than making his large league debut, given their comparable prospect rankings and Anthony’s standing as an analogous five-tool outfielder who initiatives to land in a nook on the large league degree.
Campbell and Mayer, then again, is probably not in line for paydays at fairly that degree. Tigers infielder Colt Keith landed on the different finish of the pre-arbitration extension spectrum when he signed a six-year deal final winter. That contract ensures Keith simply $28.6425MM and maxes out at $82MM over 9 years if the Tigers choose up a trio of membership choices they maintain on the teenager’s providers. Previous to the 2024 season, Keith was ranked as a consensus top-30 prospect within the sport however didn’t crack the highest 20 with any main service. That limits Keith’s usefulness as a degree of comparability for Campbell and Mayer, given each are rated as top-10 prospects by not less than one main prospect outlet.
Keith additionally falls decrease on the defensive spectrum than Campbell and particularly Mayer. He was restricted to second and third base all through his time within the minor leagues whereas each Purple Sox infielders have spent a lot of their time within the minors at shortstop. Whereas Campbell has combined in work at second base and within the outfield and supervisor Alex Cora instructed to reporters (together with Christopher Smith of MassLive) yesterday that the membership plans to have Mayer begin enjoying second and third base along with shortstop this yr, the flexibility to play shortstop together with stronger prospect pedigree appears prone to permit each Purple Sox infielders to set their asking costs meaningfully larger than Keith’s deal.
In fact, it’s additionally potential the Purple Sox might wait to work out an extension with a number of of the trio till they’ve already debuted within the majors. Speier notes that the membership prolonged utility man Ceddanne Rafaela again in April on an eight-year, $50MM deal simply over 100 plate appearances into his large league profession. That deal can max out at $62MM over 9 years, nevertheless it’s on the low finish of offers signed at that stage in a participant’s profession in recent times; solely Aaron Ashby’s $20.5MM extension with the Brewers guaranteeing much less previously half decade. A have a look at MLBTR’s Contract Tracker demonstrates how rapidly a participant’s asking worth can skyrocket as soon as they’ve accrued large league service time. Julio Rodriguez’s $210MM assure with the Mariners is probably the most profitable deal of the bunch, although Wander Franco, Corbin Carroll, and Ronald Acuña Jr. are among the many different extensions signed with lower than a yr of huge league service time that eclipsed the $82MM assure Chourio secured from the Brewers final offseason.
Given how rapidly the worth of an extension can quickly escalate as soon as a younger star begins to ascertain themselves on the large league degree, it’s simple to think about the Purple Sox being notably motivated to see if a deal between the perimeters will be reached within the coming months. With that being mentioned, the membership has proven a willingness to increase gamers later into their profession as nicely. Boston brass are already recognized to have begun discussions with left-hander Garrett Crochet a few potential extension with two years left earlier than free company, and the membership has beforehand prolonged Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers on nine-figure offers forward of their ultimate seasons earlier than free company.
