Nevertheless, the offense couldn’t overcome a myriad of one-run and two-run defeats. By the end of July, Worcester had a league worst 5-14 record in one-run games and were only 7-13 in two-run affairs––earning them a disappointing 12-27 mark in contests decided by two runs or less at the time. As the calendar flipped to August, the team welcomed Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas on rehab assignment and hoped he could provide a jolt to a team whose season was slipping away.
Recently ranked as Baseball America’s No.1 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No.3 throughout the offseason, Anthony hit .345/.406/.598 with nine multi-hit efforts in his final 20 games with Portland––a scorching hot stretch he carried into Triple-A. In 35 games with the WooSox, the 20-year-old outfielder posted a .983 OPS with 16 extra-base hits and 33 runs scored. Though he got off to a bit of a slow start in Worcester, Teel’s offensive production returned in September. Over the final month of the season, the Virginia University product hit .375 with a .516 OBP––collecting multiple hits in seven of 14 games. Following his first full season in professional baseball, MLB Pipeline listed the New Jersey native as the third best catching prospect in the sport and 25th overall. (Teel was also part of the December deal with the White Sox that sent Crochet to the Red Sox). Only a week after Mayer, Anthony, and Teel earned their promotions, fast-riser Kristian Campbell joined the trio in Worcester. Selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft, Campbell burst onto the scene in 2024––compiling 55 extra-base hits in 115 games across three minor league levels. Ending the year with a .330/.439/.558 slashline, the Georgia Tech product was awarded as Baseball America’s 2024 Minor League Player of the Year. With the recognition, Campbell joined Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (2021) and Baltimore Orioles infielders Gunnar Henderson (2022) and Jackson Holiday (2023) as recent winners. The influx of the game’s top prospects––coupled with rehabbing big leaguers Triston Casas, Liam Hendriks, and Trevor Story––provided the spark the WooSox had been looking for as the 2024 baseball season reached the dog days of summer.
Notable Debuts
With Casas’ bat now in the fold, the WooSox got off to a 5-5 start to August in their first 10 games. It wasn’t before long, though, that Worcester would add a few more highly touted bats. Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, and Kyle Teel were each officially promoted to Worcester from Double-A Portland on August 13 at the beginning of the WooSox’ homestand against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. At the time, the trio were regarded as the organization’s top three prospects according to MLB Pipeline, respectively. Though an injury sustained in Portland prevented Mayer from making his Triple-A debut, Anthony and Teel impressed in their first taste of the International League.
The Run
Entering August 7, the WooSox were 50-59 overall––a season worst nine games under .500 with 41 games to play. Their 15-19 second half record
Roman Anthony during his Triple-A debut at Polar Park on August 13, 2024.
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