The most recent Red Sox season was… technically a season of baseball. They hit and threw the ball, they ran around the bases, and they made some plays. If you, like I, have been keeping up with the Sox recently, that’s probably a pretty apt description of your views on how they are doing. They finished last in the division for the third time in the past four seasons, they had a record of 78-84, and they’ve done very little to improve this offseason. With spring training underway, although many stars are still free agents, it seems that the team is pretty much set for the year. With the many, many, many reasons to have a pessimistic outlook for 2024, I’ve tried to compile a few bright spots.

The biggest source among Red Sox fans is, of course, the prospects and young players on the rise. This past season, we saw some hot flashes from new players. The most obvious example is first baseman Triston Casas. Finishing third in American League Rookie of the Year voting, Casas, after getting off to a slow start, had a fiery-hot second half. After the All Star break, Casas hit 15 home runs, with a batting average of .317, an OBP of .417, and slugging .617. Casas, if he can continue this next season, will become a cornerstone for future Red Sox teams, and certainly a strong contract extension candidate (which he already has become, with talks supposedly ongoing).

Another recipient of Rookie of the Year votes was Masataka Yoshida. It’s a bit hard to call the 30 year old a rookie, as he spent seven years in the NPB (Japan’s baseball league). However, in his first year in the MLB, he batted .289, while slugging .440 with 14 home runs and 26 doubles. Yoshida got off to a hot start, winning AL Player of the Week in May, having gone 12-25 with a 1.319 OPS, and without a single swing and miss. Yoshida did slow down slightly, and also never had the strongest defensive skills. It’s possible that he can play some games in Fenway Park’s fielder-friendly left field, but Manager Alex Cora has stated that Yoshida will get most of his at-bats at the designated-hitter position. Regardless, Yoshida will be a solid middle-of-the-lineup bat for the upcoming couple seasons of his 5-year, 90 million dollar contract.

Jarren Duran, in his third season in the MLB, finally started to shine. Although an injury at the end of the year kept him to just over 100 games, he showed his speed, hitting 34 doubles and stealing 24 bases. This speed hasn’t gone unrecognized, with MLB.com listing him as a “Dark Horse Candidate” to lead the MLB in steals this season. A solid defender, Duran has potential to play center-field, although prospect Ceddanne Rafaela seems likely to get starts there with a Gold Glove level defense. With the abundance of young outfielders that the team has, there have been rumors of Duran being a possible trade piece, being connected to the Padres. With spring training underway, it seems unlikely he gets moved, and Cora has said that Duran will lead-off for the Sox this season.

Last of the young players on my list, yet certainly not least, is pitcher Brayan Bello. Bello showed flashes of promise last year, although they were also matched by some lows. Going into this season, Bello is being looked to to lead a relatively weak pitching staff. He has an amazing changeup, paired with a sinker, four-seam, and slider. His slider seemed to be his weakest pitch last season, but has been worked on. Working with Red Sox legend Pedro Martinez in the offseason, Bello has worked to improve his consistency, and could be a future ace. He just signed a 6-year, $55 million extension, demonstrating the club’s confidence in him.

These young players, among many prospects who could see debuts this season, look to shine for the Sox in upcoming seasons, and could be a bright spot this next one. However, they will also need some veteran players to lead them along the way. 

In terms of position players, Boston has two leaders in the infield: third baseman Rafael Devers and shortstop Trevor Story. Devers is the only remaining player from the 2018 championship team. Last January, he signed an 11-year contract extension worth $331 million, locking him down as the face of the franchise until 2033. Although he is only 27, he has developed into a star. Last year, he won the Silver Slugger award at third base, hitting 33 home runs. In addition to his offensive prowess, Devers also is in the position to become a leader in the clubhouse. Although not known for his leadership abilities, he recently took a shot at the club’s ownership, and their hesitancy to spend this offseason, saying: “Everybody knows what we need. You know what we need, and they know what we need.” Regardless of whether or not this finally gets the ownership to spend some money on a free agent pitcher, it certainly could build his respect.

The 31 year old shortstop Trevor Story has missed large chunks of his first two seasons with the Red Sox due to injury, but hopefully can stay healthy. When he’s healthy, he can be a stabilizing factor for Boston, providing much-needed defense at shortstop last year, although his bat didn’t click. However, in the past, when he played for Colorado, he has shown the ability to be a slugging shortstop. More important than his on the field role, however, is his clubhouse role. He led a workshop for the infield over the summer, and has a veteran presence that few others do in Boston. Story should be crucial leading a team, especially an infield, filled with young players.

One of the few offseason acquisitions that Boston did make, pitcher Lucas Giolito, could be a stable workhorse in an unstable Boston rotation. The 28 year old, in his 8th MLB season, did take a step back last year, but has shown promise in the past. He has consistently pitched over 150 innings since 2018 (discounting the shortened 2020 season). Someone like that should help lead a shaky rotation. Paired with Brayan Bello, Giolito could’ve headlined a rotation as the younger starters develop. However, a recent elbow injury in spring training has the potential to sideline him for the first year of his two year deal. Perhaps starter Nick Pivetta can play a similar role, but a veteran starter acquisition would make sense with Giolito’s injury.

The Red Sox certainly aren’t going to be amazing this season, but I think they could surprise some people. They have some promising young stars, and some older players who can aid in their development and lead the team. Now, that doesn’t mean a playoff appearance, but perhaps they finish 4th or 3rd in the division, instead of 5th.