Casas Gets the Call, Catches Glimpse of Bright Future

With the calendar turning to September, the 2022 baseball season is sadly coming to an end. This last month can be very exciting, as pennant races are heating up all over the place. You have teams making last-ditch efforts in the fight for playoff spots, aiming to extend their seasons. You also have teams calling up their prospects with the expanded rosters, looking to get a sneak peak into what they have coming up the pipeline beyond 2022. The Boston Red Sox, unfortunately, are one of those teams. On September 4, 2022, the Red Sox called up 22-year-old first baseman, Triston Casas. The slugger is currently the #2 prospect in the organization, according to MLB.com.

Casas, a power-hitting lefty, has been on the radar of Red Sox fans all season. Could we have found our first baseman of the future? Is he finally ready to make an impact at the big-league level? The numbers prove that he is.

The 22-year-old has moved up the farm system quickly, starting from A ball in 2019 and progressing a level each year. Over his four minor league seasons across 1,019 at-bats in 284 games, Casas has posted a batting average of .269 with an OPS of .858. The lefty has compiled 274 hits, including 64 doubles and 9 triples to go along with his 46 home runs and 181 RBIs. Casas has struck out 261 times, for only a 21% K rate. Not too shabby for a young power hitter. 2022 has been his most productive season yet. The Worcester first baseman has produced 72 hits in 72 games, good for a .273 batting average. Casas carries a .863 OPS to go along with 11 HR and 38 RBIs. After suffering an ankle injury on May 17 and missing 47 games, Casas returned to the lineup on July 12.

“Coming back now, it’s just that I go out there, play a healthy 9 innings, have fun, and that we win the game,” Casas said.“That’s how I used that idle time, really putting everything into perspective and making sure that I’m focusing on the important things of sports and baseball.”

A very mature response from the young star when asked about coming back after his injury during an interview with WooSox broadcaster Cooper Boardman. Boardman also asked Casas how he’s evolved his hitting mentality. “It’s easy to get into a good mindset when you’re focused on getting on base, you're focused on swinging at the right pitches, focused on working the count, getting deep into his arsenal and seeing his pitches,” Casas said. “With me being a big guy and a home run hitter, I don’t think I should have to try to hit home runs to be a home run hitter.”

For someone who’s 22, Casas has a very mature mindset as he begins a new chapter of his career and enters the big leagues. The Red Sox have had a need at first base, dating all the way back to last season, when they passed up on multiple players at the position before acquiring Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber is now gone, and the Red Sox acquired 32-year-old Eric Hosmer from the San Diego Padres at this year’s trade deadline. Hosmer, who’s under contract through 2026, could always spend his time at Fenway as a DH, leaving 1B open for Casas. When asked about the acquisition by Chelsi McDonald of WDHD 7 News, Casas had an optimistic outlook. “Getting up to the big-league level has been a goal of mine, so getting to share first base, however it may be, a DH spot, we’re both athletic, we can play multiple positions, so I feel like I’m going to have a lot to learn from [Hosmer]. He’s a 12-year major-league bat. I’m looking forward to picking his brain, getting to know more about him and about his game.”

As a fan, you would want your young players to look to the veterans at their position. It’s very comforting to hear how Casas envisions playing alongside Hosmer, and learning from him along the way.

Making his debut on September 4 against the Texas Rangers, Casas went 1-for-4, getting his first hit in his second at-bat of the game during the 5th inning. It didn't take long for him to reach another milestone in his MLB career. Two days later, on September 6, Casas went deep for the first of what will be many MLB home runs. In the second inning in Tampa Bay, Casas took a 95 MPH fastball over the right field fence off JT Chargois. A week later, Casas played his first game at Fenway Park. The lefty made himself familiar with the Green Monster, as he hit a 2-run home run off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, opening the scoring and getting the Red Sox on the board early.

In 9 games so far at the major league level, Casas is showing his power early. The 22-year-old has 3 hits in 26 at-bats, 2 of which have been sent to the seats. He has 4 RBIs to go along with 4 walks, while striking out 8 times. Granted, we want to see a little more contact, but considering he’s only been up for 2 weeks, the hits will start coming the more comfortable he gets.

In a season where Red Sox fans have had little to cheer about, we certainly have something to root for over these next 3 weeks. Triston Casas can give us something to look for, to pay attention to, with bright optimism as the offseason approaches. It’s only a matter of time before we see his name cemented in the middle of the lineup and producing at a high level. There is no doubt in my mind that he will be more than that.