Sixth in a series evaluating the Red Sox’ roster entering the 2026 season. Read more: Part 1: Starting pitching | Part 2: Bullpen | Part 3: First base | Part 4: Second base | Part 5: Third base
Trevor Story started 155 games at shortstop for the Red Sox last season, the most since he was a 25-year-old All-Star with the Rockies in 2018.
“I was pretty proud just to prove it to myself,” said Story, who dealt with a series of injuries after signing with the Sox before the 2022 season. “I knew I could do it. I’ve shown that I could. Doing it post-injury, it was tough.”
Now the Sox need him to do it again this season.
Story’s durability is important as the infield remains unsettled with spring training only a few weeks away. If he can maintain his level of play at shortstop, it should help the pieces fall into place.
If he can’t, it’s a major problem.
The backup shortstop is Marcelo Mayer, a 23-year-old with injury issues of his own who is likely to start at second base or third base.
Mayer was drafted and developed as a shortstop but has only three innings of major league experience. The Sox also have David Hamilton and Nick Sogard, two role players.
Hamilton has started 67 games at shortstop over three seasons and graded out a touch below average. A bigger issue is that he has hit .222 with a .642 OPS at the highest level and looked overmatched at the plate for much of last season.
Franklin Arias, a 20-year-old, two-way talent from Venezuela, reached Double A Portland last season and is the shortstop of the future.
Ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the organization by Baseball America, Arias should make it to Triple A this season. But he’s not likely to be a factor at the major league level until 2027.
The Sox also have former first-round pick Mikey Romero. He was drafted as a shortstop but is more of a corner infielder or utility player at this point.
Kristian Campbell played 36 games at shortstop in the minors, but the Sox see the 23-year-old as an outfielder or second baseman at this stage of his development.
That puts the onus on Story to stay on the field.
Story’s 1,371⅓ innings were the seventh most in the majors last season. He had a .778 OPS in the second half, but his defense deteriorated down the stretch. Story was charged with seven errors in September after committing 12 over his first 133 games.
“I feel like I put together a solid year last year, minus the last month,” Story said. “I know I have more in me. I know I can finish this season stronger.”
The Sox also will need more from Story off the field with Alex Bregman and Rob Refsnyder having left the team as free agents. Bregman, Refsnyder, and Story wielded a lot of influence in the clubhouse last season.
Outside of Jarren Duran and Connor Wong, who made their major league debuts in 2021, no position player has been with the team longer than Story.
“I think a lot of that develops naturally, the leadership,” he said. “We have guys who will step up.”
Story has $55 million remaining on his contract through 2027, with the Sox holding a $25 million option for 2028.
“The biggest thing for me is to get to the playoffs,” Story said. “We saw what winning was like [in Boston] last season and I want to experience that again and go deeper into October.”
SHORTSTOP
Primary 2025 starter: Trevor Story.
Projected 2026 starter: Story.
Major league depth: Marcelo Mayer, David Hamilton, Nick Sogard.
Prospects to watch: Franklin Arias, Mikey Romero.
Peter Abraham can be reached at peter.abraham@globe.com. Follow him on Bluesky at peteabeglobe.bsky.social.