In the span of one calendar year, the Red Sox’s plans for middle infield have changed drastically. As Kristian Campbell showed defensively, he was not the second baseman of the future, and Trevor Story opting into his contract has moved Marcelo Mayer off shortstop for the time being, the Red Sox still have an interesting mix of depth.

2025 saw a consistent presence at shortstop in Trevor Story, while second base saw several players gain playing time there, especially after Campbell was demoted to Worcester in June. Now the question remains: who will play second base on opening day, and whether the Red Sox have the depth to handle a loss of either their starting shortstop or second baseman.

Fortunately for them, they would be able to handle the loss of a player on the defensive side thanks to the various players throughout the organization.

2026 Starters

SS Starter: Trevor Story 157 games, .263/.308/.433 .741 OPS, 29 2Bs, 25 HRs, 96 RBIs
Story saw himself bounce back from three straight injury-shortened seasons, and his first since 2021, in which he played 100 or more games. And despite an absolutely terrible May that had some calling for him to be benched or even possibly designated for assignment, Story was arguably the best offensive player for Boston. Story doesn’t walk much and will strike out quite often (176 strikeouts in 2025), but his ability to put the ball in play when it matters makes up for it. Along with his bat, Story is a veteran presence and leader in the clubhouse for an otherwise young team. Defensively, Story took a step back, whether due to age or from missing nearly two full years, is yet to be seen, but he posted a -9 Outs Above Average along with a -8 Fielding Run Value. His 19 errors were also a career high, but he still found a way to come up with a big play when necessary.

2B Starter: Romy González 96 games played, .305/.343/.483 .826 OPS, 23 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 9 HRs, 53 RBIs
Now, for those following this depth series, you would know that González was penciled in as the most likely to be the first-base starter; well, the same holds for second base. At this point in the offseason, González could likely be the starter at either position, especially since neither David Hamilton nor Nick Sogard seems like a good option to start. González needs to be in the lineup each time a left-hander starts for the opposing team due to his .331/.378/.600 stat line against them. Should the Red Sox bring in a true first baseman, González will be able to properly serve his role as a super utility player for manager Alex Cora and get at-bats from various positions. Defensively, his versatility is an excellent weapon for Cora, though he may be best on the right side of the diamond.

2026 Backups

Nick Sogard 30 games, .260/.317/.344 .661 OPS 8 2Bs, 9 RBIs
Sogard is an interesting case: he would easily make plenty of teams’ 26-man rosters with his skill set of playing all over the field and making quality contact while handling fastballs. Unfortunately for Sogard, because of his two options, he’ll likely be shuttled between Worcester and Boston, just as he has been for the past two seasons. While Sogard can be solid defensively at multiple positions and has an average hit tool, his power could hold him back, as his exit velocities are below average, and he has only 12 career extra-base hits in 173 plate appearances. Despite that, he had earned the trust of Cora and was starting at second base during the playoffs, proving to be a sparkplug as he came around to score as the go-ahead run in game one against the Yankees.

David Hamilton 91 games, .198/.257/.333 .590 OPS, 4 2Bs, 1 3B, 6 HRs, 19 RBIs
Hamilton had a down season in 2025, seeing a drop in playing time and significant declines in his statistics. The middle infielder also saw himself optioned to Worcester during the season as well. Offensively, he tries to hit line drives and has solid pitch recognition and an understanding of the strike zone, but will expand the zone. His power is considered below average, and if he wants to be a consistent figure on the major league roster, he needs to hit more doubles as he did in 2024. However, his speed alone is enough to keep him around as an end-of-the-bench option for late-game pinch-running, as his speed puts pressure on opposing defenses. Defensively, he is much better at second base than shortstop, as he’s shown solid range there compared to the latter.

Marcelo Mayer 44 games, .228/.272/.402 .674 OPS, 8 2Bs, 1 3B, 4 HRs, 10 RBIs
Much like with González, Mayer is listed as the current third-base starter in this series due to Alex Bregman’s free agency and the team’s lack of another player to plug in there right now. Of course, much like González, he could also be plugged in as the starter at second base instead, depending on how the rest of the offseason plays out. In his short time with Boston, Mayer proved he was ready defensively, mostly playing third base, where he handled the position with ease after playing it just five times between Portland and Worcester. He also appeared at second base and was able to handle that position as well. In a limited time (57 innings), Mayer did not commit an error and had a +1 Outs Above Average. Offensively, it was a different story as he flashed some power and showed he could currently be league average against right-handers, but against left-handed pitching, he struggled to a .154/.185/.231 stat line.  Mayer is still young and has time to learn; his promotion to Boston last year was rushed due to Bregman’s injury, and he should fare better against major league pitching in 2026.

Extreme Emergency: Ceddanne Rafaela 156 games, .249/.295/.414 .708 OPS 34 2Bs, 4 3Bs, 16 HRs, 63 RBIs
First off, Rafaela should only be playing the infield in the event of an emergency. It’s not that he isn’t good at second base or shortstop, but rather he’s just that much better defensively in center field. Rafaela, however, has been forced to play key games in the infield the last two seasons due to injuries, as he appeared in 92 games between shortstop and second base in 2024 and, fortunately, only 24 games at second base in 2025. Offensively, Rafaela is as streaky as they come. His lack of plate discipline (which has improved) leads to a lot of chasing pitches and causes him to strike out by expanding the zone. But when he’s on, Rafaela could be one of the most clutch players on the Red Sox, as displayed by his multiple walk-offs in 2025.

Minor Leagues

Vinny Capra 47 games (White Sox/Brewers), .125/.157/.177 .334 OPS, 2 2Bs, 1 HR, 6 RBIs
Capra, who signed a minor league deal on Thanksgiving, provides the Red Sox with another veteran depth option should the team need a player for a short term. Capra can play not just third base but also second base and shortstop, giving the Sox someone they can plug into the lineup to give multiple players a day off if needed. Offensively, he isn’t good, to put it frankly. In 142 career plate appearances, he has a stat line of .133/.181/.188 while striking out more times than he has hits (34 strikeouts to 17 hits). But he’s the kind of player the team has targeted before for minor league depth, a veteran presence who can play multiple positions. Defensively, he saw 110 2/3 innings in the field between second base and shortstop and didn’t commit a single error.

Max Ferguson 118 games (Portland Sea Dogs/Worcester Red Sox), .205/.323/.313 .637 OPS, 13 2Bs, 1 3B, 9 HRs, 42 RBIs
Ferguson is the definition of an organizational player. Acquired in the Eric Hosmer deal in 2022, Ferguson has spent his time in the Boston system playing for whatever minor league team needs a healthy body. 2023 saw him jump from High-A Greenville to Worcester when they needed bodies, and since 2024, he has constantly bounced between Worcester and Portland. Offensively, he knows the strike zone and can work a count, but has below-average bat speed and little success against left-handed pitching. Despite that, his speed and defense could make him a short-term bench piece for Cora should the need arise.

Tyler McDonough 79 games, .254/.328/.369 .697 OPS, 12 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 5 HRs, 27 RBIs
McDonough is currently a high-end organizational player and, at best. He could be a utility player who is shuttled between Triple-A and the major leagues as needed. Defensively, he split time between second base, shortstop, left field, and right field in 2025, while the middle infield was his primary location. With soft hands and solid defensively, McDonough can capably play several positions. Offensively, he is average when it comes to in-zone contact and chase rates, but he will struggle against breaking pitches down in the zone. Before the September 1 roster expansion, he was considered for the 28th roster spot by some due to his defensive versatility and the lack of other options.