I am currently twenty-years-old. I don’t have a real job at the moment besides being a full-time student and I spend most of my time goofing around. Rafael Devers was twenty last season and for the last few months of the season, he was the best hitter on one of the best baseball teams in the world.
Devers is an absolute phenom and it’s nearly impossible to overstate the offensive ceiling of players who can perform at that high of a level before they can drink. In his first taste of the big leagues, Devers batted .284/.338/.482 with 10 homers in 58 games. He provided a spark to a stagnant Red Sox offense and helped them clinch their second straight division title.
Since Adrian Beltre left Boston prior to the 2011 season, the Red Sox have rarely had more than a black hole at third base. Attempts to fill that hole have ranged from a flash in the pan star, to a $95 million contract, and then finally a smorgasbord of replacement level players.
Now it seems that Boston has found their long-term answer at third base and we have not even seen the tip of the iceberg of Devers’ potential. This season will give us our first extended look at the young superstar and that’s a fantastic reason to tune in to some Red Sox games in 2018.