After a disastrous, pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Boston Red Sox found themselves with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft — their highest draft position in over 50 years.

Marcelo Mayer, the Collegiate Baseball National High School Player of the Year, was a five-tool talent and widely regarded as the top prospect in the class. When he unexpectedly slid to No. 4, Boston had an easy choice to draft their future franchise shortstop.

Mayer quickly tore through the Red Sox farm system and, by 2022, had emerged as a consensus top-15 prospect in all of baseball. By the start of 2024, he was Boston’s No. 1 prospect and the highest-ranked of the organization’s “Big Three,” alongside Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel.

Since Mayer was called up to the big leagues in May, he has been a defensive cornerstone in the infield and has shown potential at the plate with four home runs thus far. However, he’s been making incredible plays at the hot corner, not at shortstop. Mayer has looked extremely natural at a position he had only played six times through his minor league career.

The reason Mayer is not playing shortstop is due to Trevor Story. His defensive prowess has moved Mayer to third. Although Story is in his 10th season in the majors and returning from multiple injuries to his arms and shoulders, his glove and defensive range remain vital to Boston’s infield, regularly making diving stops and jump throws to first.

Trevor Story compares top Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer to elite third baseman Nolan Arenado

Story is no stranger to crowded infields. When he signed with Boston in 2022, Xander Bogaerts was the franchise shortstop and Story moved to second base to accommodate him. In Colorado, Story had 10-time Gold Glover Nolan Arenado playing third base directly to his right. Now, he sees heavy similarities with Arenado and the ever-promising Mayer.

“I was thinking it there in the last inning that his baseball clock reminds me of like Nolan Arenado,” Story told MassLive. “Getting a guy by a half step even though he can get rid of it quick. But he just has that good baseball instinct. He’s smooth out there, making every play that you need to make — backhand, forehand, tough in-between hoppers.”

Arenado is known as a ball magnet at third base with exceptional range to get any ball hit to his side of the infield and throw it on a rope across the diamond.

Mayer may still be adjusting to third, but he’s quickly finding his rhythm. Fans tuning into any Sox game can see him making quick reads on balls lasered at him and one-hopping the throw to first base to maintain his accuracy across the infield.

With Bregman coming back from injury and Story staying as a leader on the team, Mayer may have to bounce around the infield and wait to play his natural position. If Mayer settles at third base, matching even a fraction of Arenado’s defensive success would be a major achievement.