Why Mikey Romero could be this years Kristian Campbell

[Cameron Tran]

Kid is still only 21, was a first round pick just a few years ago. Only 131 professional games but looked solid in AA last year. Reports say hes added weight and strength and he looks good early in camp. What do you make guys make of him?

[moonslav59]

I remember some people were pretty high on Romero, when drafted.

"Romero, a solid all-around shortstop prospect. Romero is a left-handed hitter with outstanding contact skills and plenty of bat speed to succeed at the next level. He has all the defensive actions you would want, and the strong arm to boot, to stick at shortstop for a long time."  _Mayo

[mvp 78]

The problem with Romero is that he's no longer a contact guy. He's now a power guy who has eschewed a contact heavy approach. He also doesn't walk very much and seems to be destined for 2B. 

[Cameron Tran]

 Coming out of the same high school as Gerrit Cole, Cole Winn, and Garrett Mathews, Mikey Romero was destined for baseball greatness. That's why the Red Sox made Romero their 2022 first round pick, taking him with the 24 overall pick that year. Since then, Romero has been nothing less than disappointing. While hitting on Roman Anthony in the Compensatory round of that draft has made the sting a little less painful, it still hurts to see a first round pick flounder as Romero has. 

    Since being selected, Romero has only played in 131 professional games. He is yet to play 80 games in a season. A combination of various back injuries has hindered Romero's career so far, but he looked to be finally figuring it out at the end of last year, finishing in AA and staying relatively healthy after dealing with his back injuries early. 

    There's reasons to be optimistic for Romero to have a turnaround this season. In his final 27 games for High-A Greenville, Romeo hit .345 with 8 homeruns, earning him a late season call up to AA. While he had some struggles in AA, posting a .243 avg with a really poor 33% K-rate, he flashed some power that we didn't really expect for him. In 16 games, Romero hit 6 homeruns, brining his season total to 16. In his previous 187 plate appearances, he hit 1, way back in rookie ball. 

    Coming out of high school, Romero was regarded as a high contact, low power SS with smooth hands and a mature approach. He was praised for his high baseball IQ, especially for someone coming out of high school. In the time since, Romero has traded some of that contact for more power, much like Kristian Campbell. While not as successful, Romero is still only 21 and has yet to have a fully healthy season. Fully healthy, he's a good pick for a minor league breakout this year.

[moonslav59]

I hope you are right about this maybe being a breakout year for Romero.

We can use all the help we can get.

[Cameron Tran]

20 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I hope you are right about this maybe being a breakout year for Romero.

We can use all the help we can get.

i would not hate to use him as a midseason trade piece to be honest

[moonslav59]

22 minutes ago, Cameron Tran said:

i would not hate to use him as a midseason trade piece to be honest

We might be more likely to trade him if a few from Mayer, Campbell, Arias, Grissom, DHam and Romy have showed up.

[Cameron Tran]

14 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We might be more likely to trade him if a few from Mayer, Campbell, Arias, Grissom, DHam and Romy have showed up.

would rather trade him than Arias, Cespedes, Garcia or Bleis if we go big at the deadline. We don't really need another lefty and we have better prospects at both second and short

[moonslav59]

18 minutes ago, Cameron Tran said:

would rather trade him than Arias, Cespedes, Garcia or Bleis if we go big at the deadline. We don't really need another lefty and we have better prospects at both second and short

100% Agree.

[mvp 78]

10 hours ago, Cameron Tran said:

would rather trade him than Arias, Cespedes, Garcia or Bleis if we go big at the deadline. We don't really need another lefty and we have better prospects at both second and short

I'd trade Bleis before Romero. 

[moonslav59]

20 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I'd trade Bleis before Romero. 

I would not, since I think Bleis may see his stock rise by more than Romero's in 2025. (Just a guess, on my part.)

[Bellhorn04]

Feels to me like Bleis has been in the organization forever LOL.

[moonslav59]

15 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Feels to me like Bleis has been in the organization forever LOL.

I know!

He was signed as an IFA in 2021. He played a career high games in 2024 at 52. Geesh!

202 games in 5 years.

[Hugh2]

I'm all for trading guys, but I'd rather start trading from depth when their is more certainty and roles locked in at the MLB level. 

As much young talent as we have we DON"T have that yet.  Sure, I can see many permutations of the future where Campbell is locking down 2nd, Mayer is at SS and Anthony is mashing on a corner.  But until we have that team, I want a balanced approach that doesn't gut the farm. 

 

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Feels to me like Bleis has been in the organization forever LOL.

2021 IFA for Bleis. Romero was drafted in 2022. 

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

I would not, since I think Bleis may see his stock rise by more than Romero's in 2025. (Just a guess, on my part.)

From his scouting report on SP:

Highest-variance prospect in the system with a wide range of potential outcomes. Really struggled in 2024 after a promotion to Greenville where he looked overmatched at times at the plate. Injuries have slowed down development considerably as he missed most of 2023 with a shoulder injury and had several short injury/health-related absences in 2024 that led to roughly 20 games missed. At his best, will check all the boxes you look for in a prospect his age, and if he reaches his potential, all five tools could grade at least as average, but his highest variance tool is his hit tool, which makes him extremely risky. Swing easily gets out of sync and has not translated to on-field production since 2022.

He's one of those five tool prospects that may never sniff MLB IMO. I'd consider trading him before he has another lackluster season and becomes a "remember that guy" guy. 

2023 SAL 607 OPS

2024 SAL 747 OPS

2024 GRE 584 OPS

Aside from '22 in FCL, he hasn't done much to impress on the field. 

[mvp 78]

He's definitely sticking with a SLG first approach and 2B only profile I guess! 

[Larry Cook]

I think back injuries are tough and I think in early 2024, he was not back to 100 percent yet and then in late 2024, he ran out of gas!! This is the season, we see the real Romero! 
 

blies was hard to watch last season! Hopefully they got his swing and timing fixed this offseason. 
 

the guy I hope has a arias type rise this year, is gonslaves!!  Have not seen much of him, but love the swing 

not sure we will ever see another Campbell type riser again! That was a perfect storm!!!!

[mvp 78]

22 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

guy I hope has a arias type rise this year, is gonslaves!!  Have not seen much of him, but love the swing 

Who? There is nobody by that name in the org. 

[moonslav59]

5 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Who? There is nobody by that name in the org. 

We had a guy with that name a few years back.

He must mean Justin Gonzales (with an "s" not a "z.")

[mvp 78]

37 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We had a guy with that name a few years back.

He must mean Justin Gonzales (with an "s" not a "z.")

He said GonSALVES, which is an entirely different name. 

[moonslav59]

Just now, mvp 78 said:

He said GonSALVES, which is an entirely different name. 

Yes, I know.

I think we had a Gonsalves a few years back, and I think he meant Justin Gonzales, now.

[mvp 78]

10 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Yes, I know.

I think we had a Gonsalves a few years back, and I think he meant Justin Gonzales, now.

https://www.milb.com/player/stephen-gonsalves-624427

[moonslav59]

It's pretty nice to have Arias, Cespedes and Romero, plus maybe Soto and Ramos behind Mayer and Campbell on the farm depth charts.

Not many teams have that luxury.

[mvp 78]

35 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

It's pretty nice to have Arias, Cespedes and Romero, plus maybe Soto and Ramos behind Mayer and Campbell on the farm depth charts.

Not many teams have that luxury.

Well, Cespedes doesn't really have a defensive home yet. 3b? LF? DH? 

[Larry Cook]

8 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Yes, I know.

I think we had a Gonsalves a few years back, and I think he meant Justin Gonzales, now.

Yes Justin gonslaves!  Love the bat. 

[moonslav59]

7 hours ago, mvp 78 said:

Well, Cespedes doesn't really have a defensive home yet. 3b? LF? DH? 

True, but it could be 2B.

[Larry Cook]

13 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

True, but it could be 2B.

I think 2b is his true position! He has to stay healthy because his bat is above average 

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, Larry Cook said:

I think 2b is his true position! He has to stay healthy because his bat is above average 

To me, it seems like most prospects who start out as SSs, but aren't good enough to stick there move to 2B, but maybe OF will be his landing spot.

His bat certainly looks like his "moneymaker."

[Larry Cook]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

To me, it seems like most prospects who start out as SSs, but aren't good enough to stick there move to 2B, but maybe OF will be his landing spot.

His bat certainly looks like his "moneymaker."

Will cespedes and Romero join arias on the 100 prospects list by the end of 2025? 
I hope Valera does as well