Bogaerts to take grounders at third before WBC

Share

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Red Sox top prospect shortstop Xander Bogaerts, a native of Aruba, is planning to play in the World Baseball Classic for the Netherlands. But with several other highly-regarded shortstops also on the Netherlands roster, including the Texas Jurickson Profar and Atlantas Andrelton Simmons, who both made their major league debuts last season, Bogaerts will be moved from his regular position.

Hell compete to play third base with the Netherlands, said Sox manager John Farrell. If not, hell get his at-bats DHing.

In his three professional seasons since joining the Sox as an international free agent in 2009 Bogaerts has played no position other than shortstop. To prepare for the WBC, he will work out at third base with the Sox before leaving to join his Netherlands teammates on March 1.

We dont want to send him in cold where hes been primarily a shortstop, said Farrell. Theres going to be different angles to ground balls that he'll be exposed to and well be sure that we get some work days leading up to that.

Bogaerts, who turned 20 in October and was added to the Red Sox 40-man roster in November, is in his first big league camp.

Contact Us