Boston Red Sox: Top three offseason additions to 2021 roster
By Tom Cloutier
Red Sox acquire outfielder Franchy Cordero
2020 team: Kansas City Royals
How the Red Sox got him: Traded to Boston from Kansas City for Andrew Benintendi as part of a three-team trade
Franchy Cordero is another dynamic outfielder with a penchant for power. Also similar to Renfroe, his consistency is a concern. Cordero has been plagued by injuries in his young career. Over the last three seasons, he’s only appeared in a total of 87 games between the majors and minors.
When he’s healthy, he’s a sight to behold. Cordero possesses a rare combination of power and speed. He led the minors in triples in 2016 and 2017. Also in 2017, Cordero recorded the fourth fastest sprint speed at the major league level. The following season, Cordero blasted a home run 489 ft., the second longest hit recorded by any player in 2018.
Franchy Cordero tried to hit this one into oblivion. 489 feet later, he pretty much did. pic.twitter.com/WGthlTgBgU
— MLB (@MLB) April 21, 2018
As evidenced by the video above, when Cordero connects, he connects. Since 2017, Cordero ranks 9th among all major leaguers in average exit velocity (minimum 300 PA).
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But like a lot of guys who swing big, he misses big too. Over that same span Cordero ranks 9th in K% while barely coming in the top half (56th percentile) in walk percentage. If Cora gives him enough ABs towards the bottom of the lineup to continue developing his eye and get comfortable at the plate and Cordero can manage to stay healthy for a full season, he’ll be a real impact bat in the Boston lineup.