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2016 AL East Rankings by Position: Shortstop

By Nate Wardle

Jun 10, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy (2) tags out Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) at second base during the second inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 10, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy (2) tags out Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) at second base during the second inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 10, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy (2) tags out Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) at second base during the second inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 10, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy (2) tags out Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) at second base during the second inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

In AL East rankings at shortstop, last year’s breakout star Xander Bogaerts headlines, while two others need to prove they can stay healthy.

As is always the case, keep these in mind as you look at these rankings:

  • I love being able to discuss these rankings. I don’t claim to know everything about the AL East, but I tried to be as impartial as possible. If you disagree, let me have it!
  • We are primarily focusing on the player projected to start at the position, but if it is close, the backup will be looked at.

Now, last year my preseason rankings had a few issues. Those rankings were: 1 – Toronto, 2 – Baltimore, 3 – Boston, 4 – Tampa Bay, 5 – New York.

I thought Jose Reyes would continue his steady play, J.J. Hardy would regain his power stroke, Xander Bogaerts might struggle, and Didi Gregorius would struggle to replace Derek Jeter.

A lot wrong there.

By the end of the year, the rankings looked like: 1 – Boston, 2- Toronto, 3 – New York, 4 – Tampa Bay, 5 – Baltimore.

Bogaerts emerged as a star for the Red Sox, hitting .320. Jose Reyes struggled, and then the Blue Jays traded for Troy Tulowitzki. Didi Gregorius struggled to start, but settled in and did just fine for the Yankees. Asdrubal Cabrera was better than his 2014 numbers, and J.J. Hardy’s struggles continued, as he played injured and struggled badly.

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As we look at shortstop, we again won’t talk much about backups, because I think all of them have been mentioned at one point in the previous infield articles.

2016 RANKINGS

  1. Boston Red Sox – Xander Bogaerts, Brock Holt, Deven Marrero

The 23-year-old Bogaerts showed why the Red Sox thought so highly of him in 2015. Bogaerts won the Silver Slugger award, hitting .320/.355/.421 with 7 HRs, 35 2Bs, 10 SBs, 81 RBIs, 84 runs. Bogaerts is not going to be a power-hitting shortstop, but he is going to be a great average hitter and also with speed. Bogaerts led the American League in singles in 2015 and was second in hits and batting average. He also was one of the youngest starters in the AL.

Bogaerts had 20 errors, but also is a guy with more range than anyone else on this list. He finished with a 0.9 dWAR, which isn’t bad at all for someone in their first full season in the majors. In addition, despite the errors he had the second-best fielding percentage among shortstops. He is a guy who has a chance to join the list of star shortstops from the AL East if he keeps performing the way he did in 2015.

Super sub Holt again will serve as the backup to Bogaerts, with Marrero as another option for the Red Sox, although he will likely start the year in AAA.

Next: Another new face to the AL East

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