The recent DFA of fellow left-handed hitting first baseman Eric Hosmer confirmed what should have already been clear: Triston Casas is the man at first base. And he should be. From the time Casas made his Major League debut on September 4, 2022, the 22-year-old looked completely at ease with big league pitching. This may seem absurd based on his measly .197 batting average but was clearly evident by his remarkably patient approach. Had he had enough at-bats to qualify, Casas’ 20.0% walk rate would have easily led the majors, an unbelievable achievement for a rookie.
This advanced approach at the plate gives Casas a high floor in the 2023 season. There might be some growing pains, and there may be some swing-and-miss in his game, but his ability to distinguish balls from strikes will likely prevent him from enduring long slumps. The bigger question is how much power he will bring to a lineup that desperately needs it. At 6’4, 252 pounds, it’s easy to see how Casas generates so much pop, and he wows teammates and fans alike with his all-field power. The left-handed hitters who have the most success at Fenway are those who can use the Green Monster to their advantage, and with three of his five homers going to left field, Casas showed potential of doing just that.
Potential. That’s the buzz word with Casas. It’s easy to see Casas having a Anthony-Rizzo like career: A .270-.280 batting average, a high on-base percentage, and around 30 home runs a year. But how soon can he get there? The Red Sox are banking on that ceiling being reached sooner rather than later, given that he will likely be slotting into the fifth or sixth spot in the batting order and one of the few hitters who can really strike fear in the opposing pitcher.
As good as Casas may look at times, it’s easy to forget that he is essentially just a kid, with less than 100 at-bats under his belt. There will be ups-and-downs, particularly against left-handers, against whom he went 4-19 without an extra-base against during his September cup of coffee. Yet there have been signs that this is a really special hitter, particularly during his last thirteen games in which he slashed .316/.490/.579 with three home runs. No, he’s not going to be an MVP candidate right away, but Casas is going to show everyone why the Red Sox have put so much faith in him.
Stat Predictions: .254/.363/.436 26 HR 81 RBI 2.2 WAR
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