Red Sox: 5 sleepers to watch for on the 2017 roster

These players on the Boston Red Sox roster are either being overlooked by fans and media or haven’t gotten their due.

The Red Sox will be a really, really good team in 2017. For the most part, their roster is set as we approach their first games of Spring Training. The infield will look familiar, Xander Bogaerts and Dustin Pedroia up the middle with Hanley Ramirez at first (against lefties). There’s no doubt debate as to who will start in the outfield either, superstar rookie Andrew Benintendi will get the bulk of duties in left, while Jackie Bradley and Mookie Betts will assume their familiar roles in center and right.

The Red Sox won’t have many position players that can exceed expectations this season. Coming off a year in which they led the league – by a lot – in runs scored, their lineup will be expected to go about business as usual.

Then there’s the pitching staff, we’re all familiar with the big three atop their rotation – though there could be some surprises there. Steven Wright, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Drew Pomeranz will fight for the final two spots during Spring Training, and if you read our Round Table article, you’ll know who we at BSI think will be left out. The bullpen has some more room for fluidity, but Tyler Thornburg and Craig Kimbrel are locks to hold down the eighth and ninth innings.

So, what makes a sleeper? These are the players that have the highest chances of exceeding expectations in 2017. Some are familiar picks, others might come as a surprise, but all have been overlooked to some extent heading into the season.