Rafael Devers is the future at third base for the Red Sox
The 20-year old has started off his big league career with a bang, hitting .406 with two bombs in just eight games
Rafael Devers is young. Very young. But his age doesn’t reflect how great of a ballplayer he is. Signed out of the Dominican just three years ago at 17, it hasn’t taken long for Devers to reach the big leagues. Just three years later, he’s mashing baseballs at the major league level. In 2013, he was praised by scouts for his offensive ability. In fact, Devers was considered the the best left handed bat in that international signing class of 2013.
Devers has lived exactly up to expectations in his professional career. The third basemen compiled a lifetime .296 average in the minors through 399 games, and has clearly carried that momentum right over to the big leagues. Devers was called up to Triple A Pawtucket from Double A Portland in early July, and through just nine games in AAA, he was raking at the plate with a .400 average. Due to the lack of solidity at the hot corner in Boston, The Sox called their top prospect up from Triple A just two weeks after he arrived in Pawtucket. In his first at bat, Devers did not disappoint, going deep to straight away center field for his first major league hit, and first big league homer.
Unless he’s traded for some reason (which I don’t see because he is too good of a player), expect to see Devers patrolling third base for many years to come in Boston.
Why Devers is the future
For the last few years, the Red Sox have long needed a legitimate third basemen. According to Baseball Reference, Boston has used 25 different third basemen players since 2013. Pablo Sandoval was the investment in 2015, where they signed him to a very hefty contract worth 95 million over five years. Needless to say, Sandoval was a downright disappointment. He struggled in a Red Sox uniform both offensively and defensively after being a stud at third for the Giants just years before that. His bags are packed and now he’s playing minor league baseball in the Giants system. It was a huge waste of money signing Sandoval to that big deal, but the Sox have desperately been seeking a solid third basemen. The last time they actually had someone who produced at the hot corner was back in 2010 when Adrian Beltre had an All-Star campaign, finishing ninth in the AL in MVP voting and putting up the best defensive WAR at third in the history of the Sox. Well, come offseason, Boston didn’t want to put out big money for the 31-year old. The Rangers did, so Beltre went back to the Lonestar state, and has been there ever since.
Adrian Beltre was the last consistently good third basemen the Red Sox had — in 2011. Six long years ago.
Rafael Devers looks like he could be the missing piece for this franchise at third. The 20-year old is currently the best third base prospect in the game. Defensively, he is still learning, But that will come with more reps at the big league level. He has good range and a strong throwing arm at third, so there definitely won’t be any problem with Devers sticking at that position. Offensively, he will most definitely put up some impressive numbers in the big leagues. He shows an attribute that you don’t see a lot from young hitters. He hits for power to all fields, and he’s very patient at the plate.
Devers has outstanding bat speed from the left side, and really shows an advanced feel for hitting at such a young age. He has a very quiet approach, with minimal movement in his front foot, then the barrel just flies through the zone.
Devers doesn’t have a lot of speed on the base paths, but I mean he is a third basemen so they aren’t really expecting that aspect from him. The Dominican native has all the potential to hit for average and power in the majors. Through just seven games, he’s already showing he can do so. In fact in his sixth game, he became the youngest Red Sox rookie ever to go 4 for 4 in a game, where he was spraying balls all over the yard against the Indians on July 31st.
It’s no secret that Rafael Devers is in the big leagues already because of his abilities at the plate. His ETA in the majors wasn’t until 2019, but thanks to his offensive abilities, and the need for a third basemen in Boston, he was called up a lot sooner than expected. He has nothing else to prove in the minor leagues. The defense isn’t outstanding, but it will improve as he matures more. He is in the big leagues because he can flat out swing it.
Red Sox fans, take a sigh of relief. You have finally found a third basemen by the name of Rafael Devers.