Former Merrimack and Silver Knights standout Mickey Gasper was traded by the Red Sox to the Twins on Tuesday. (AP photo)

It’s been a whirlwind 2024 for Mickey Gasper.

And now a Christmas to remember.

The former local baseball standout made his Major League debut with the Boston Red Sox in mid August, after being plucked from the Yankees organization in the Rule V draft just over a year ago.

But on Tuesday, Christmas Eve, he got even more likely surprising news, as he was traded by the Red Sox to the Minnesota Twins in return for left-handed relief pitcher Jovani Moran.

Moran has appeared in 79 Major League games, all in relief for the Twins, with a 4.15 ERA and .208 batting average against. But he did not pitch in the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery.

Gasper’s story captured the attention of New England fans as he was a former Merrimack High School and Bryant University standout, and then was the Futures Collegiate League Player of the Year in 2016 with the Nashua Silver Knights.

But after the Red Sox selected him last December, Gasper, 29, had tremendous success at the plate. In 92 minor league games he had a .970 OPS with 12 homers. His season success was first mainly a catcher hitting .289 with Double A Portland, and then after being promoted in June, with Triple A Worcester, where he batted over .400. Then, on August 12, Gasper was called up to the parent club and made his MLB debut with Boston that night. He drew a walk as a pinch hitter to keep a Red Sox rally alive in a 5-4 Sox win over the Texas Rangers. He was the second former Silver Knight to appear in the Majors; the first was first baseman Chris Shaw, who played in Nashua in 2012, now formerly of the San Francisco Giants.

The NESN cameras would routinely show Gasper’s parents – who now reside in New Jersey – in the Fenway stands whenever he would be at the plate seeking his first Major League hit. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen as Gasper went 0 for 18 with four walks and 8 strikeouts. He appeared in 13 games, getting a few starts, mainly at second base. He played two games at first as well. Although considered a catcher when the Yankees drafted him in the 27th round in 2018, Gasper was also seeing time as a first baseman, outfielder, and at second base. The Red Sox, especially manager Alex Cora, liked his versatility – and it’s that versatility that reportedly appealed to the Twins.

Gasper was sent down to Worcester at the end of August by the Sox but was recalled later in September. He survived several major and minor Red Sox roster moves during the off-season after being placed on the 40-man roster. But not this time.

Moran, from 2022-2023, was one of the top left-handed strikeout relievers.

As expected, there was some reaction on social media despite it being Christ mas Eve.

“Best of luck in Minnesota,” the Futures League posted on X. “It was great seeing our 2016 MVP back in New England this past season.”

If Gasper makes the parent club with the Twins, he could be returning to Fenway when Minnesota is in Boston for a weekend series May 2-4. It would be the Twins only appearance at Fenway this upcoming season.