Marcelo Mayer named as 2024 Crash Davis Award winner

The Philadelphia Athletics organization today began handing out hardware to the organization's top performers from the 2024 campaign. First up is the Lawrence 'Crash' Davis Award as the organization's top minor league prospect. This year that honor was bestowed upon shortstop Marcelo Mayer.

Mayer is a 21-year-old from Chula Vista, California. He came to the A's organization in one of the huge rebuilding trades back in October 2022. In that deal with Alabama, the A's sent starting pitchers Aaron Nola, Tyler Glasnow, Ryne Nelson, and Luis Severino, prospects Deyvison De Los Santos and Edwin Arroyo, and a 3rd round 2026 Minors Draft pick to the Farmer in exchange for Mayer, Sal Frelick, Zack Gelof, and five future Minors Draft choices, including three first rounders.

Coming into this season, Mayer was seen as being right behind Colson Montgomery in the race to become the shortstop of the future here in Philly. However, during the year, Mayer has passed Montgomery in those evaluations. Meanwhile, the big club reacquired star shortstop Trea Turner, perhaps pushing either prospect's arrival time in the Majors back a bit.

"With the Designated Hitter now available in our league, that is not necessarily the case," said GM Matt Veasey when questioned on that issue following the award announcement. "We'll just let everything continue to play out and see where we are once either Marcelo or Colson really begins to force the issue."

Forcing the issue will have to wait at least until some time in the 2025 season. Turner is expected to remain a veteran stabilizing presence in the Athletics young roster as the club hopes to return to postseason play next year. However, at some point he could move to that DH position, with one of the youngsters taking over at short.

Mayer is slashing .307/.370/.480 with an .850 OPS this year while playing the entire season at Double-A Wildwood as Montgomery mans the position with Triple-A Myrtle Beach. Mayer has eight homers, 38 RBIs, 28 doubles, and 13 stolen bases in 335 plate appearances.

Just the third shortstop to take the honors in the now 27-year history of the Davis Award, Mayer joins Athletics Hall of Famer Jose Reyes (2003) and Manny Machado (2012) to win the award from that position. Each of those players went on to become a starter with the A's and star in the Majors.

Mayer's arrival in Philadelphia, should it happen, will be totally up to him. If he continues to develop at his current pace, you can probably expect him to begin forcing some tough decisions on the club in the 2025 season. That could come as soon as following spring training, when the A's will have to determine where to assign he and Montgomery to open the year.