Boston, MA, USA - March 20, 2023: view of the historic architecture of the Fenway Park Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts, USA showcasing its sings and red brick walls on a sunny winter day.
He is emerging as a Red Sox leader; even if he will not call himself one, the attributes are all there to exhibit.
Triston Casas is hesitant to call himself a leader, but it’s clear he’s becoming one.
How else to describe a player who takes it upon themselves to fly from sunny Miami to frigid Boston just so he can get to know his organization’s top prospects?
That’s how the Red Sox first baseman chose to spend his birthday week.
“I just wanted to come,” he told the Herald. “I would’ve been here sooner if it wasn’t for birthday dinner with my family.”
After celebrating his 24th on Monday, Casas headed north the following day, a bag full of baseball bats as his carry-on item. His winter coat was in his checked bag, which the airline lost, so he showed up to snow-covered Fenway Park on Wednesday wearing shorts and a T-shirt in mid-20s temperatures.
“I love the cold,” the Florida native said.
Of course, Casas could experience below-freezing temperatures in a number of places without doing any baseball activities. He chose to come to work during his time off, to get to know the Rookie Development Program participants, and it says a lot about him as a player, person, and member of the organization.
“There’s a lot of players in this locker room that I’m not familiar with, hadn’t even got a chance to meet before today,” he said. “I wanted to be able to connect with them on a little more personal level, and I felt like this opportunity was more constructive for that, was more conducive for a little more one-on-one time.”
The annual Rookie Development Program is a mini-camp for the organization’s most promising top-level prospects and young barely-debuted players. In addition to workouts, attendees are taught what to expect in the Majors, undergoing media training and taking part in the type of philanthropy work the Red Sox do around the region. Casas worked out with the group at Boston College, and sat with them in their meetings.
