The Positives
On Could 5, 2024, in his second huge league recreation after coming back from a Spring Coaching groin damage, Vaughn Grissom stepped as much as the plate within the eighth inning of a two-run recreation in opposition to the Minnesota Twins. After taking a first-pitch ball, Grissom lashed a cutter on the skin a part of the plate to the other area, lacking a house run by simply a few ft however knocking in two runs with a double.
Three-and-a-half months later, he closed out the ultimate 5 video games of the 2024 season by going 7-16 with two extra doubles and two walks.
Don’t fear about what occurred in between.
The Negatives
Okay, now you’ll be able to fear about what occurred in between.
Exterior of that lone Could at-bat in opposition to the Twins after which the ultimate 5 video games of the season, the 2024 calendar yr was a complete catastrophe for Grissom. He suffered not one however two nagging accidents, straining his hamstring lower than a month after coming back from his groin damage. In between the accidents, he was utterly unable to get right into a rhythm on the plate, ending the yr with a slash line of .191/.246/.219 and ZERO homers in 105 at-bats, good for a OPS+ of 31 and a bWAR of -0.2. None of these numbers are typos (I double-checked).
And, disconcertedly, Grissom wasn’t a lot better in AAA, both. After placing out simply 66 instances in 102 AAA video games over the course of the 2023 season, Grissom’s whiff price skyrocketed in 2024, with 45 strikeouts in simply 55 AAA video games.
He did bounce again strongly in September, happening a three-week stretch throughout which he made extra contact, hit three homers, and was top-of-the-line gamers within the Worldwide League. However we already knew that Grissom was able to being top-of-the-line gamers within the Worldwide League (his profession AAA slash line is .307/.408/.459). What he wanted to do in 2024 was to cement his standing as an enormous league common. He didn’t.
Greatest Second
He did have a two-homer recreation in September in opposition to the Syracuse Mets, nevertheless it feels a bit of insulting to name a minor league recreation his greatest second. A few weeks later, although, he collected three hits in opposition to the Rays and was concerned in all three of the Sox’ runs in a 3-1 win, scoring two and knocking in a single. This was the final recreation of the 2024 season and it secured a .500 document for the Sox. Method to publish, Vaughn!
The Massive Query
Who will win the Spring Coaching battle for the second base job, Grissom or tremendous prospect Kristian Campbell?
Barring accidents (and with apologies to David Hamilton and Enmanuel Valdez) that is most likely going to be probably the most fascinating storyline of Spring Coaching 2025. In gentle of the truth that he’s already on the 40-man roster and has already tasted success on the huge league stage, Grissom will journey to Fort Myers with a leg up on Campbell, significantly since Campbell solely performed 36 video games at second base as he tore by the minor leagues final yr. However Campbell is a possible celebrity who has destroyed each stage of pitching he’s ever confronted. No matter how Grissom seems, Campbell might drive himself into the lineup sooner reasonably than later, and second base could also be the obvious place for him to land.
2025 And Past
At first of Spring Coaching 2024, it appeared fairly clear that Grissom can be Red Sox beginning second baseman for the following 5 years. Simply eight months later, nothing is evident in any respect. Because of the phosphorescent play of Campbell, the emergence of David Hamilton, the continued improvement of Marcelo Mayer, and the three remaining years on Trevor Story’s contract, each the close to and long-term standing of the Pink Sox center infield is totally up within the air. There are a variety of potential futures in entrance of us — however in what number of of them does Grissom play a staring function?
His commerce worth is at present decrease than it’s been in years, so I’m not anticipating him to get dealt. If I’ve to guess as of at this time, I’ll say that he begins the yr because the Opening Day second baseman with Campbell in AAA. If he doesn’t set up his huge league worth inside a month or two and Campbell retains hitting, he’s in hassle.
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