Boston Red Sox infielder Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers are rising toward the elite class at their respective positions.
Boston Red Sox fans are well are of how great their young infield duo has become and the national audience is starting to recognize their emergence.
ESPN’s Buster Olney has been ranking the top 10 players at each position. While Boston has been lucky to garner an honorable mention at certain positions, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers land comfortably in the top-10 at shortstop and third base respectively.
The pair of Red Sox infielders are both coming off breakout seasons in which they became the first pair of teammates in MLB history to record 30+ home runs and 50+ doubles in the same season. They are the first teammates in franchise history to top 50 doubles in the same season. Devers led the majors in extra-base hits and Bogaerts finished right behind him for the second-most in the American League.
The left side of the infield includes two of the deepest positions in baseball. With plenty of competition at their respective positions, where do Bogaerts and Devers rank entering the 2020 season?