The Boston Red Sox have an arsenal of young players that will eventually be the makeup of their roster in the coming years. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts is one of them. Is he slated for a breakout year in 2015?
In his first full MLB season in 2014, Bogaerts hit a disappointing .240/.297/.362/.660 with 60 runs scored, 12 home runs and 46 RBIs in 144 games at shortstop (99) and third base (44). Many were likely expecting more after the 22-year-old batted .297/.388/.477/.865 with 72 runs scored, 15 home runs and 67 RBIs in 116 games between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket in 2013. He was the team's No. 1 prospect after the 2013 season.
Additionally, although his defense improved from 2013, he still struggled a bit in the field. He made 20 errors, wasn't as agile as many expected, and his first step needed improvement. His abilities were considered below average and the numbers didn't lie: his .975 fielding percentage at shortstop ranked barely above the league fielding percentage of .973 at the position and his .910 percentage at third base was significantly below the league's .956. His defensive WAR was -0.9.
However, the Red Sox had an awful 2014 as a whole, so it's not entirely fair to blame a 22-year-old for having a poor campaign in his first full MLB season. The Red Sox stuck with him for the entirety of 2014 and now that they have Pablo Sandoval to play third base on a full-time basis, it should help Bogaerts settle in at shortstop for good and focus on one position. It also helps they added bats such as Hanley Ramirez and Rusney Castillo to improve their lineup, which should take some pressure of Bogaerts.
"I think [the Red Sox] expect the next progression of improvement on both sides of the ball," writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. "Cut down on errors, and improve his footwork and mechanics in general to put him in better position to make plays. Offensively, they want him to cut down his strikeouts and do better with pitch recognition. If he becomes a good offensive player, his average defense at shortstop will be overlooked. He's only 22.That's what we all have to remember, including yours truly."
And it appears he's been working on it this offseason.
"Xander Bogaerts looked more refined physically at the team's Winter Weekend last month," adds Peter Abraham of the Globe. "Bogaerts was a good baseball player and only a decent athlete last season. His power was sporadic, there was little speed and his first step on defense needed work. A winter working out at the EXOS facility in Arizona may be just what the 22-year-old needed."
With Bogaerts settling in full-time at the shortstop position, the restoration of health for second baseman Dustin Pedroia and first baseman Mike Napoli, the emergence of prospect Mookie Betts, and the number of additions the team made this offseason, we may see Bogaerts have a breakout year in 2015.
