Xander Bogaerts

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #1 prospect in 2014
  As Mike Lord wrapped up his scouting trip to Aruba in early 2009, he'd identified only one player--catcher Jair Bogaerts--who represented a strong candidate to sign. But before leaving, the Red Sox international crosschecker made his standard inquiry: Anyone else to see? Most emphatically yes. Lord learned that Jair's twin brother Xander had to be seen despite being bedridden with chicken pox. The scout then persuaded Bogaerts' family to let the young shortstop come to a workout, and it was love at first sight when Boston signed Bogaerts for $410,000. In four years, Bogaerts has rocketed to the big leagues, spending no more than 104 games at any level. He has been a standout performer at every stop since then despite being one of the youngest players at each level. The Red Sox emphasized their desire to see him improve his plate discipline in spring training 2013, and improve he did. Bogaerts posted a .388 on-base percentage between Double-A and Triple-A, then drew critical walks both in the American League Division Series against the Rays and the AL Championship Series against the Tigers' Max Scherzer. He became the youngest Red Sox position player in four decades when he made his debut as a 20-year-old in August and the team's youngest postseason starter since Babe Ruth. Bogaerts has already shown the ability to excel against top pitching in the playoffs, with game-changing patience and power. With a simple, balanced swing, impressive bat speed and strength, he demonstrated shocking maturity and advancement at the plate in his year-ending exposure to the majors. He has home run power from left field to right-center, resulting in the confidence to stay back on pitches, swing at strikes and drive them. Defensively, he continued to make strides, showing the athleticism, hands, arm and mechanical efficiency (despite his size) to play shortstop, a position most evaluators believe he can play at a major league level. After playing the hot corner for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic, he adapted quickly to his crash course at third. Bogaerts made considerable defensive progress at both positions, to the point where he gives Boston the flexibility to let him play either position, depending on the team's offseason. He has average speed, and stolen bases won't be part of his game. October may not have been so much Bogaerts' coming-out party as a tantalizing scratching of the surface. "They may end up making a statue of this guy," one evaluator said. He's major league ready as a shortstop or third baseman, one who will hit lower in the order to begin 2014, with a likely peak of 25-plus homers a year in the middle of the lineup.
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #1 prospect in 2013
  The Red Sox's best international prospect since Hanley Ramirez, Bogaerts keeps raising his performance and raising expectations. Boston signed him for $410,000 out of Aruba in 2009, promising his mother that he could finish high school before making his pro debut. He hit .314/.396/.423 in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in 2010, then came to United States. The Red Sox planned on sending him to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2011, but Bogaerts so dominated extended spring training that they sent him to low Class A Greenville at age 18, and he responded with 16 homers in 72 games. He was just warming up for 2012, when he was Boston's minor league offensive player of the year and appeared in the Futures Game. Bogaerts batted a combined .307/.373/.523 and reached Double-A Portland, where he was the youngest position player in the Eastern League. About the only negative in his year came when the Sox sent his twin brother Jair, a first baseman, to the Cubs in March when the teams exchanged players as compensation for former Boston GM Theo Epstein. Chicago released Jair in June. Bogaerts has the offensive potential to be an all-star at any position, and that position just might be shortstop. He's a confident, strong hitter who doesn't muscle up to tap into his plus-plus raw power. He has an easy swing with plenty of bat speed, and he does a nice job of keeping his weight back and using the entire field. Despite his youth, he has a feel for making in-game adjustments. He improved his selectivity in 2012, though he still expands the strike zone at times. While that flaw doesn't hurt him much because he still makes hard contact on balls off the plate, the Red Sox want him to draw more walks. His walk rate was acceptable at high Class A Salem (43 in 104 games), but he drew just one free pass in 23 Double-A contests. Though scouts look at Bogaerts' 6-foot-3 frame and wonder if he'll outgrow shortstop, he has good actions at the position and could stay there longer than expected. His plus arm isn't a question and he played more under control on defense in 2012. He made just 21 errors in 119 games, after making 26 in 72 games the year before, boosting his fielding percentage from .924 to .959. He's an average runner who's not quite as quick as a typical shortstop, but he still exhibits solid range. He's athletic and has good body control for his size. If Bogaerts has to move, he'd profile best at third base or right field. Along with his considerable tools, he draws praise for his intelligence and work ethic. Bogaerts likely will open 2013 in Double-A to focus on his plate discipline, but Boston has had a hard time holding him back. He easily could hit his way to Triple-A Pawtucket before he turns 21. The Red Sox don't have a clear starter at shortstop, so it's not out of the question that he could put himself in the major league mix before the end of the season. More realistically, Bogaerts will make his Boston debut in 2014. Whether he does so at shortstop likely depends on how much slick-fielding Jose Iglesias shows at the plate between now and then.
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #2 prospect in 2012
  Signed for $410,000 out of Aruba, Bogaerts had a stellar pro debut that made him Boston's most highly anticipated international prospect since Hanley Ramirez. When he came to the United States and dominated in extended spring training, the Red Sox sent him to low Class A Greenville at age 18 last June, and he responded by smashing 16 homers in 72 games. His twin brother Jair is a first baseman in the system. Bogaerts doesn't look young when he's in the batter's box. He has an easy swing loaded with natural power, and he makes hard contact to all fields. While he still needs to learn the strike zone, he has shown the ability to make adjustments and handle breaking balls. He could be a .280 hitter with 30 homers in the majors, and that might be setting the bar low. Bogaerts has fluid actions at shortstop, but he lacks the quick feet for the position and will outgrow it once he fills out. With his plus athleticism, average speed and a strong arm, he'll be able to transition to third base or right field. Bogaerts has the highest ceiling among Red Sox prospects. He'll remain at shortstop in 2012, and Boston will have to send him to high Class A Salem at age 19 to challenge him. If he moves just one level a year, he'd still arrive in the majors at 22.
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #14 prospect in 2011
  Bogaerts is the most intriguing prospect to play for the Red Sox' Rookie-level Dominican Summer League team since Hanley Ramirez in 2001. Boston signed him for $410,000 out of Aruba in 2009, and also landed his twin brother Jair, a catcher/first baseman, for $180,000. Xander was named the organization's 2010 Latin program player of the year after hitting .314/.396/.423 in the DSL in his pro debut. His performance was all the more impressive considering that the Red Sox had promised his mother that he could finish high school, so he had only two weeks to prepare for the DSL season. Bogaerts already has a sound approach and a good swing, and his strong hands and still-growing 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame portend above-average power in the future. He drives balls to the opposite field and will learn to turn on more pitches as he adds experience. Though Bogaerts is quick and athletic, he figures to slow down at least a little as he fills out, which likely will lead to a move from shortstop. He has plus arm strength, so he would profile well at third base. After his scintillating performance in the DSL and instructional league, the Red Sox are excited to see what Bogaerts will do when he comes Stateside and plays in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2011.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked International League #1 prospect in 2013
  Bogaerts became the third-youngest player in the majors?behind only the Rangers? Jurickson Profar and the Nationals? Bryce Harper?when the Red Sox thrust him into the pennant race in late August. Before his promotion, Bogaerts hit a combined .297/.388/.477 with 15 home runs in 116 games between Double-A Portland and Pawtucket. ?One of the biggest things that impressed me about (Bogaerts) was his ability to adjust,? Pawtucket manager Gary DiSarcina said, ?especially in the batter?s box. When he first came up he was looking fastball. His first week here he struck out on a lot of balls in the dirt, but he survived and adjusted.? Bogaerts hit toward the bottom of the Pawtucket order initially, but once he was secure in his approach, he moved permanently to the No. 2 spot. He has 30-homer potential and the plate discipline to hit for a solid average. He?s still learning the angles at shortstop, but his power and plus arm strength will play at third base if he has to switch positions. Bogaerts never has cracked double-digits in stolen bases and is a below-average runner. ?He had the ability to remain calm in the later innings and not let the game speed up on him, which is rare for a guy his age,? DiSarcina said. Bogaerts became the third-youngest player in the majors?behind only the Rangers? Jurickson Profar and the Nationals? Bryce Harper?when the Red Sox thrust him into the pennant race in late August. Before his promotion, Bogaerts hit a combined .297/.388/.477 with 15 home runs in 116 games between Double-A Portland and Pawtucket. ?One of the biggest things that impressed me about (Bogaerts) was his ability to adjust,? Pawtucket manager Gary DiSarcina said, ?especially in the batter?s box. When he first came up he was looking fastball. His first week here he struck out on a lot of balls in the dirt, but he survived and adjusted.? Bogaerts hit toward the bottom of the Pawtucket order initially, but once he was secure in his approach, he moved permanently to the No. 2 spot. He has 30-homer potential and the plate discipline to hit for a solid average. He?s still learning the angles at shortstop, but his power and plus arm strength will play at third base if he has to switch positions. Bogaerts never has cracked double-digits in stolen bases and is a below-average runner. ?He had the ability to remain calm in the later innings and not let the game speed up on him, which is rare for a guy his age,? DiSarcina said.
• 
  Ranked Eastern League #1 prospect in 2013
  The youngest of three 20-year-olds in the Eastern League, Bogaerts blew through his older competition with ease, earning a mid-June bump to Triple-A Pawtucket and an eventual move to the pennant-chasing Red Sox at the end of August. Labeled a potential cornerstone player by one evaluator, Bogaerts can do almost anything on a baseball field. He improved his batting eye enough to walk in 13.5 percent of his plate appearances, but when he gets a pitch in the strike zone, he punishes it, showcasing power to all fields. Half of his six EL longballs were hit to center or right field. Bogaerts hit 15 homers between Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket this season, and scouts expect that total to peak somewhere in the 20-25 range by the time he fills out and adjusts to competition at the highest level. As for his defense, most evaluators expected Bogaerts would play just fine at shortstop, especially given his strong arm, baseball instincts and knack for positioning himself at the correct spot on the field.
• 
  Ranked Carolina League #2 prospect in 2012
  A year after smashing 16 homers in 72 South Atlantic League games as an 18-year-old making his U.S. debut, Bogaerts was even more impressive at Salem and hit his way to Double-A but August. He became more selective at the plate and continued to show legitimate power to all fields. Nine of his homers came at the unfriendly confines of Salem Memorial Stadium, which has a 25-foot high outfield fence. Bogaerts has a good actions and plenty of arm strength at shortstop, and he has cut back on careless errors by learning to not try to complete impossible plays. He's capable of staying at short for a while, though he lacks the true quickness for the position and figures to outgrow it once he fills out. He has average speed and runs well but isn't a stolen-base threat. "You can definitely see that he is developing and learning how to be a hitter," said Salem manager Billy McMillon, who also managed Bogaerts in 2011. "There would be times when he would be so aggressive that he would get himself out on the first or second pitch, but then the next time up or later in the game he would make adjustments. You can see improvements and adjustments being made game to game."
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #10 prospect in 2011
  The 18-year-old Bogaerts will be Schoops teammate for the Netherlands' World Cup team in October. Bogaerts may have been the fourth-youngest position player in the SAL this season, but he showed more maturity on and off the field than most veterans. Drive coaches extolled his ability to correct mistakes from one at-bat to the next and to recognize how pitchers tried to attack him. He handled breaking balls well and drove the ball to all fields, exhibiting well above-average power. Though Bogaerts figures to outgrow shortstop once he fills out, he shows good actions. He's an average runner with a strong arm, and he has the athleticism and intelligence to play virtually anywhere on the diamond. Third base is his likely destination. "He's got some pop and life in that bat," McMillon said. "He's an aggressive hitter and he hits the ball as hard and far as anyone you'll see. When you see his enthusiasm and energy, you're impressed with what you see. You can envision him playing for a long time."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #2 prospect in 2014
• Ranked Baseball America's #8 prospect in 2013
• Ranked Baseball America's #58 prospect in 2012

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: The Red Sox' best international prospect since Hanley Ramirez, Bogaerts keeps raising his performance and raising expectations. Boston signed him for $410,000 out of Aruba in 2009, promising his mother that he could finish high school before making his pro debut. He hit .314/.396/.423 in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in 2010, then came to United States. The Red Sox planned on sending him to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2011, but Bogaerts so dominated extended spring training that they sent him to low Class A Greenville at age 18, and he responded with 16 homers in 72 games. He was just warming up for 2012, when he was Boston's minor league offensive player of the year and appeared in the Futures Game. Bogaerts batted a combined .307/.373/.523 and reached Double-A Portland, where he was the youngest position player in the Eastern League. About the only negative in his year came when the Sox sent his twin brother Jair, a first baseman, to the Cubs in March when the teams exchanged players as compensation for former Boston GM Theo Epstein. Chicago released Jair in June. Scouting Report: Bogaerts has the offensive potential to be an all-star at any position, and that position just might be shortstop. He's a confident, strong hitter who doesn't muscle up to tap into his plus-plus raw power. He has an easy swing with plenty of bat speed, and he does a nice job of keeping his weight back and using the entire field. Despite his youth, he has a feel for making in-game adjustments. He improved his selectivity in 2012, though he still expands the strike zone at times. While that flaw doesn't hurt him much because he still makes hard contact on balls off the plate, the Red Sox want him to draw more walks. His walk rate was acceptable at high Class A Salem (43 in 104 games), but he drew just one free pass in 23 Double-A contests. Though scouts look at Bogaerts' 6-foot-3 frame and wonder if he'll outgrow shortstop, he has good actions at the position and could stay there longer than expected. His plus arm isn't a question and he played more under control on defense in 2012. He made just 21 errors in 119 games, after making 26 in 72 games the year before, boosting his fielding percentage from .924 to .959. He's an average runner who's not quite as quick as a typical shortstop, but he still exhibits solid range. He's athletic and has good body control for his size. If Bogaerts has to move, he'd profile best at third base or right field. Along with his considerable tools, he draws praise for his intelligence and work ethic. The Future: Bogaerts likely will open 2013 in Double-A to focus on his plate discipline, but Boston has had a hard time holding him back. He easily could hit his way to Triple-A Pawtucket before he turns 21. The Red Sox don't have a clear starter at shortstop, so it's not out of the question that he could put himself in the major league mix before the end of the season. More realistically, Bogaerts will make his Boston debut in 2014. Whether he does so at shortstop likely depends on how much slick-fielding Jose Iglesias shows at the plate between now and then.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Signed for $410,000 out of Aruba, Bogaerts' 2010 pro debut made him Boston's most highly anticipated international prospect since Hanley Ramirez. When he came to the United States and dominated in extended spring training, the Red Sox sent him to low Class A Greenville at age 18 last June, and he responded by smashing 16 homers in 72 games. His twin brother Jair is a first baseman in the system. Scouting Report: Bogaerts doesn't look like a teenager when he's in the batter's box. He has an easy swing loaded with natural power, and he makes hard contact to all fields. While he still needs to learn the strike zone, he has already shown the ability to make adjustments and handle breaking balls. He could be a .280 hitter with 30 home runs in the majors, and that might be setting the bar low. Bogaerts has fluid actions at shortstop, but he lacks the quick feet for the position and will eventually outgrow it once he fills out. With his plus athleticism, average speed and a strong arm, he'll be able to transition to third base or right field. The Future: Bogaerts has the highest ceiling among Red Sox prospects. He'll remain at shortstop in 2012, and Boston will have to send him to high Class A Salem at age 19 to challenge him. If he moves just one level a year, he'd still arrive in the majors at 22.