December 30, 2018

Last year, Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts missed 26 games, but still eclipsed the triple-digit RBI mark with 103 on the season. He finished with an impressive slash line of .288/.360/.522 to go along with 23 home runs and eight steals. It was the first season since 2014 that Bogaerts did not finish with double-digit steals; if he can regain his speed on the base paths, 12-to-15 steals will up his value over the course of the year. Bogaerts struggled in the playoffs last year, hitting just .224, which came a year after failing to reach the .100 mark in the postseason. Fantasy wise, that doesn't seem like too big of an issue, as we truly only care about regular season production. However, his inability to play quality ball when it matters most could contribute to him being traded this offseason. The more likely cause for the Red Sox shopping him is to shed some salary. The Red Sox potent lineup provides Bogaerts with more run-producing opportunities, but another team would have him batting higher in the order. However, the team would have to be overwhelmed with an offer to trade Bogaerts. Either way, the investment in Bogaerts is well worth your while if you choose to look his way on draft day. Currently, the RotoBaller has him as the #eighth ranked shortstop and 46th overall. Bogaerts currently has an ADP of 49.--Brendan Kennealy
Source: RotoBaller Rankings