In late December of 2023, infielder Vaughn Grissom was two months removed from his second year of MLB appearances. He was a member of the Atlanta Braves. That October, he made the final out of Atlanta’s season in the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies. It would be his final at-bat in a Braves uniform. Grissom was traded to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for veteran starter Chris Sale and cash. Since the move, things haven’t been pretty for the 23-year-old. He can’t get out of his own way in the minor leagues. Vaughn Grissom is struggling with a long road ahead.
Vaughn Grissom Struggling With Long Road Ahead
Grissom’s Tough Start To 2024
Before Grissom could even make his debut with the Red Sox, there were already issues. Right before the season began, he landed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. Grissom began a rehab stint in mid-April and wore Boston’s jersey for the first time in early May. He appeared in 23 games for the Red Sox, batting just .148 with an abysmal .367 OPS. That was after recording a .280 average in the same amount of contests the year prior. Grissom lasted just one month before landing on the injured list again, this time with a right hamstring strain.
A line shot from Vaughn Grissom gets us on the board. pic.twitter.com/dF68FhrrGa
— Red Sox (@RedSox) May 21, 2024
The middle infielder had a longer absence than his first injury, missing a month and a half of games. Grissom began a rehab assignment on July 20 with the Worcester Red Sox (Triple-A). On August 8, he was activated and optioned back to the WooSox. Boston, seemingly, had seen enough. Despite uncertainty in the Red Sox middle infield, they made the decision to allow Grissom, who is still young, to get back on track in the minors. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened.
Grissom Losing Battle With Triple-A
Grissom batted just .216 during his 13-game rehab assignment in July and August. Once that was ended and he stayed at the same level, his production severely dropped. Grissom has appeared in 11 Triple-A contests since being optioned to Worcester. In 35 at-bats, he has just three hits, two of which came in his first three games. Grissom is currently on a 1-for-25 stretch that has included eight strikeouts and just two walks. A once strong contact hitter is now, for the moment, a lost cause at the plate.
Grissom is mishitting balls at an astonishing rate in Worcester. This past week has been especially terrible. No idea what is happening here, this is so different from every other step of his pro career, it feels like no one has ever needed a winter reset this badly.
— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) August 23, 2024
It’s an unfortunate stretch for Grissom, who many expected to be Boston’s second baseman this season. He has become overshadowed by his teammates in Triple-A. In August, top prospects Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, Kyle Teel, and Kristian Campbell all made the move to Worcester. Every game Grissom has played is pushing him further away from a return to the major leagues. And the more he struggles, the less the Red Sox will hold faith in him entering next year.
The 2025 Outlook
Grissom most certainly has not played himself out of an MLB spot. At just 23 years old, he has plenty of time to turn things around. Although his OPS and counting numbers have never been that impressive, his batting average from 2022 and 2023 paints the picture of a player who gets hits. For some reason right now, Grissom just isn’t that player. While he continues to figure things out in the minors, Boston is watching other options in the majors. Ceddanne Rafaela has impressed this season while playing shortstop and the outfield. Romy Gonzalez and David Hamilton have split time at second base and both have stats that hover around league average.
Then there’s veteran Trevor Story, who has played just eight games this season due to injury. It’s possible that he returns in 2024, but he hasn’t really made an impact on Boston’s current record. Story will factor into the fold in 2025 and, due to his contract, will probably be a starter for Boston on Opening Day. That makes things even more crowded in the middle infield positions. As Vaughn Grissom faces his long road back to major league success, he needs to focus on himself and get back on track. Doing so would push him into the fold for a 2025 MLB roster spot. Continuing on his current path would do just the opposite.
Photo Credit: © Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
