2 Red Sox non-roster invitees battling for position in the outfield…
Boston Red Sox spring training has been full of surprises, from the Alex Bregman signing to injuries to pitchers to a stomach virus sidelining multiple players for days. Two unexpected outfielders have also stolen the show at the plate.
Trayce Thompson and Nate Eaton have appeared in 11 and 15 Grapefruit League games, respectively, and they’ve shown out on offense among Boston’s top prospects and established stars.
Thompson has turned heads with his surprising burst of pop this spring — he’s mashed a league-leading six homers in his short stint with the Red Sox and is slashing .391/.533/1.261 with a staggering 1.794 OPS. The 33-year-old journeyman didn’t appear in the big leagues last season but may be playing his way into a roster spot with Boston. He slashed .233/.315/.471 over 107 games between the Mets and Cubs’ Triple-A affiliates in 2024.
Eaton has also made quite an impression in the early goings of spring training. The Red Sox signed the former Royals prospect in November and, like Thompson, he spent the 2024 campaign in the minor leagues. He slashed .252/.298/.439 with Triple-A Omaha last season but has found himself at Red Sox camp. He’s batting .259/.394/.741 with a 1.135 OPS and three home runs, and he makes a convincing case for a roster spot.
Wilyer Abreu illness shouldn’t have Red Sox exploring outside options
Trayce Thompson & Nate Eaton, back-to-back! pic.twitter.com/PQLihoCNnO
— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 9, 2025
Eaton and Thompson’s unexpected performances are particularly timely. Recent reports suggest 2024 Red Sox Gold Glove outfielder Wilyer Abreu appears unlikely to be ready for game action by Opening Day as he recovers from a gastrointestinal illness. Sean McAdam of MassLive reports that Boston seeks a “Quad-A”-type player that can shuttle between the majors and Triple-A whenever injuries come up (subscription required).
It may already have two of those players in Eaton and Thompson. Both are right-handed hitters, which the Red Sox need, and their spring performances justify, at the very least, a test in a depth role on the major league roster.
Boston’s healthy outfield will probably be Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Abreu, with Rob Refsnyder and Masataka Yoshida as potential depth options if more injuries arise. Yoshida underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum this offseason and his throwing recovery is still behind, so he may be out of the question to play the field come Opening Day.
Eaton still has two minor league options on his contract, so the Red Sox could easily send him down to the minor leagues whenever Abreu is ready to make his 2025 debut. Thompson, however, doesn’t have any options remaining and would be subject to waivers if Boston hoped to send him down to Worcester.
Still, the Red Sox have two right-handed-hitting outfield options in camp that may be better than the few available free agents, such as former Boston outfielder Alex Verdugo. Eaton and Thompson aren’t exactly high-profile names, but their offensive success at spring training could earn them a roster spot or a depth role with the Sox.
