Red Sox's Forgotten 1st-Rounder Could Shake Up Opening Day Roster

The Boston Red Sox have a lot of infield firepower at their disposal.

Apr 29, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; A view of the Boston Red Sox logo and a field bag during batting practice before the game between the Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Who is going to be in the infield for the Boston Red Sox in 2026?

Willson Contreras and Trevor Story are guarantees at first base and shortstop. Caleb Durbin and Marcelo Mayer are the most obvious options for third base and second base, even though Red Sox manager Alex Cora acknowledged that Mayer still needs to win a job out of camp. That may be the case, but if anyone but Durbin and Mayer are starting at third base and second base on Opening Day, it arguably would be backwards.

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Beyond these guys, Isiah Kiner-Falefa is the next most obvious option after signing with Boston before Spring Training. It'll be interesting to see who else the club opts to bring to town to kick off the 2026 season. MLB.com's Ian Browne pinpointed former first-round pick Mikey Romero as a dark horse candidate to break camp with the MLB club.

The Red Sox have plenty of infielders at their disposal

Worcester third baseman Mikey Romero fields a grounder to set up a double play in the second inning at Polar Park August 1. | Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Red Sox: INF Mikey Romero," Browne wrote. "Though the Red Sox seem to lead the universe in utility infield depth, Romero has a chance to beat out the field with a strong camp. A first-round selection by Boston in the 2022 Draft, Romero continues to get unprompted mentions from manager Alex Cora. In particular, Romero has impressed team evaluators with his physicality, as he is at last back to 100 percent after spending his first couple of pro seasons bogged down by injuries.

"Splitting last season between Double-A and Triple-A, Romero belted 17 homers. With Romy Gonzalez (left shoulder injury) appearing unlikely to be ready for Opening Day, that creates a possible opening for Romero and several other players in camp."

Romero unsurprisingly has said that it is his goal to make the team out of camp.

"My goal coming into campus is to break camp with the team," Romero said. "I think that if that wasn't my goal, there'd be a problem, you know. I have a lot of high expectations for myself this year. I want to get to the big leagues. I want to stay there. I want to have a great season in the big leagues. I want to help the team win.

With all of the elite prospects who have come through Boston over the last few years, it's easy to forget about Romero. But he was a first-round pick in 2022 and is still just 22 years old. In 2025, he slashed .245/.300/.452 with 17 homers, 76 RBIs and 33 doubles in 111 games played. It sounds like the buzz is growing around him in camp. He can play all over the infield as well. Could he be a depth option early on?