NEWSLETTER
On the heels of this morning’s discussion of the health of the centerpiece of the Theo Epstein compensation deal (Chris Carpenter), the Red Sox have now just sent their piece of the deal over to the Cubs. It’s 19-year-old first base prospect Jair Bogaerts.
Bogaerts, who signed with the Red Sox before the 2010 season, has spent the last two years in the Dominican Summer League. He struggled mightily as a 17-year-old in 2010 before coming back to put up a solid .288/.387/.404 line in 2011 at age 18. He received a $180K signing bonus, so he was modestly well-regarded at the time.
He appears to be a good defensive first baseman, whose bat is still coming around. If he’s going to remain at first base, that bat is going to have to come a long way. He’s a big kid at 6’2″, 230 lbs, so you can see the power coming along at some point. He was originally signed as a catcher, so there might be some play there, in terms of his long-term defensive position.
And, yes, he is the brother of more heralded Sox prospect, Xander Bogaerts.
That all said, Bogaerts is no big-time prospect. He recently came in as a “barely-mentioned” on an ESPN list of the Red Sox’s top first base prospects. Most rankings I can find out there (none from the big rankings services) have him in the second half of the Red Sox’s top 100 prospects. Aaron Kurcz, he is not.
But, hey, he’s here now. Welcome, Jair.
With his arrival, the deal is done (assuming no more Carpenter injury shenanigans). It’s one-year of Theo and Bogaerts for Carpenter, Kurcz, and the Cubs paying Epstein’s $3.5 million completion bonus.
