Third Base: Rafael Devers
What, you were expecting Pablo Sandoval? The Red Sox have had extreme highs and dismal lows at the hot corner this decade but none can top what Rafael Devers delivered in his breakout season this year.
Devers tied for fourth in the league with a career-high .311 average and his .916 OPS was ninth this year. He led the league with 54 doubles and 90 extra-base hits.
Did I mention he did this at the age of 22? Devers is the youngest player in franchise history with 200+ hits and 50+ doubles in a season. He also set a franchise record for the most home runs by a third baseman with 32.
Devers burst onto the scene in 2017, flashing potential with a .284 average and 10 homers in only 58 games. He sputtered through a Sophmore slump but started to pick things up at the plate late in the season, foreshadowing his leap to superstar status.
His defense remains a work in progress but Devers has made strides in the field. He’s not the liability he once was but still has a ways to go.
Adrian Beltre spent one year in Boston to begin the decade, making the All-Star team and finishing ninth in AL MVP voting. His production that year rivaled what Devers did this season and he was arguably more valuable when you factor in his strong defensive skills. That’s not enough to vault his limited sample over what Devers has provided in parts of three seasons though.