Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Xander Bogaerts

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Xander Bogaerts made an impact.

Xander Bogaerts is a professional baseball player from Aruba, currently playing shortstop and second base for the San Diego Padres in MLB. Prior to joining the Padres, he played for the Boston Red Sox. Internationally, Bogaerts represents the Netherlands national team. His career showcases his versatility and skill in professional baseball.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2009: Signed by the Red Sox

In 2009, Xander Bogaerts was signed as an amateur free agent by the Boston Red Sox.

2010: Professional Debut in Dominican Summer League

In 2010, Xander Bogaerts made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League (DSL), achieving a .314 batting average, .396 on-base percentage, and .423 slugging percentage while leading the DSL Red Sox in multiple categories.

2011: Baseball World Cup Win

In 2011, Xander Bogaerts played for the Dutch national baseball team, which won the Baseball World Cup.

2012: Promotion to Double-A and All-Star Futures Game Selection

During the 2012 season, Xander Bogaerts advanced from Class A to the Portland Sea Dogs in the Class AA Eastern League. He was selected to participate in the 2012 All-Star Futures Game.

2013: Ranked as a Top Prospect

Heading into the 2013 season, Xander Bogaerts was ranked as a top prospect by MLB.com, Baseball America, and ESPN's Keith Law.

2013: MLB Debut and World Series Championship

In 2013, Xander Bogaerts made his Major League Baseball debut, playing in 30 games and helping the Boston Red Sox win the World Series championship.

2013: World Baseball Classic Participation

In 2013, Xander Bogaerts played for the Netherlands national team in the World Baseball Classic.

2013: MLB Debut and Minor League Honors

In 2013, Xander Bogaerts was promoted to the major leagues by the Red Sox, making his MLB debut on August 20 against the San Francisco Giants. He was also named USA Today Minor League Player of the Year and to the Baseball America Minor League All-Star Team. He hit his first home run September 7 against the New York Yankees.

2013: First World Series Win

Xander Bogaerts was on the Red Sox roster for the 2013 World Series win.

2014: Starting Shortstop for the Red Sox

In 2014, Xander Bogaerts became the starting shortstop for the Boston Red Sox.

2014: Starting Shortstop and Position Changes

In 2014, Xander Bogaerts began the season as the starting shortstop for the Boston Red Sox. On May 29, he had his first walk-off plate appearance. Following the re-signing of Stephen Drew on June 2, Bogaerts moved to third base, before returning to shortstop on July 31 after Drew was traded.

2015: Breakout Season and Silver Slugger Award

In 2015, Xander Bogaerts led the Red Sox with a .320 average, finishing second in the American League batting title race and receiving the American League's Silver Slugger Award for shortstop. He also had 10 hits with the bases loaded, the most in MLB for 2015.

2016: All-Star Selection and Silver Slugger Award

In 2016, Xander Bogaerts was selected for the MLB All-Star Game, the first of his career, and won his second consecutive American League Silver Slugger Award. He also had a 26-game hitting streak from May 6 to June 2, and finished the season batting .294 with 21 home runs.

2017: Salary Arbitration and Wrist Injury

In 2017, Xander Bogaerts agreed to a $4.5 million salary with the Red Sox to avoid arbitration. On July 6, he sustained a wrist injury but continued to play, which he later admitted was a mistake, impacting his performance for the remainder of the season.

2017: 2017 World Baseball Classic

In 2017, Xander Bogaerts played for the Dutch national team in the World Baseball Classic, recording a .227/.419/.318 slash line and leading the team in walks.

2018: 2018 Season Highlights and World Series Win

In 2018, Xander Bogaerts agreed to a $7.05 million salary with the Red Sox. He had two grand slams in April and was named AL Player of the Week from July 2-8. He was a key player in the Red Sox winning the World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers, his second World Series title.

2018: Second World Series Win

In 2018, Xander Bogaerts won his second World Series championship with the Boston Red Sox.

2019: Contract Extension and All-Star Selection

In January 2019, Xander Bogaerts and the Red Sox agreed to a $12 million salary. On April 1, Bogaerts signed a six-year, $132 million contract extension with the Red Sox. On July 3, he was selected for the 2019 All-Star Game. He finished the season with a .309 average and 33 home runs.

2020: Performance in Shortened Season

During the shortened 2020 season, Xander Bogaerts played as Boston's primary shortstop, batting .300 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs in 56 games. On August 2 against the Yankees, he had four hits with two homers and three RBIs.

2021: All-Star Selection and COVID-19 Diagnosis

In 2021, Xander Bogaerts was named the AL starting shortstop for the All-Star Game. On August 31, he tested positive for COVID-19 and was removed from a game, returning to the lineup on September 10. He batted .295 with 23 home runs and won a Silver Slugger Award.

November 7, 2022: Opted Out of Red Sox Contract

On November 7, 2022, Xander Bogaerts opted out of his contract with the Boston Red Sox, becoming a free agent.

December 9, 2022: Signed with San Diego Padres

On December 9, 2022, Xander Bogaerts signed an 11-year, $280 million contract with the San Diego Padres.

2022: Opt-Out Clause

In 2019, Xander Bogaerts signed a contract with the Red Sox that included an opt-out clause after the 2022 season.

2022: Most Games Played at Shortstop

In 2022, Xander Bogaerts set the record for the most games played at shortstop for the Boston Red Sox. After the 2022 season, he signed an 11-year deal with the San Diego Padres.

2022: All-Star Selection and Silver Slugger Award

In 2022, Xander Bogaerts was named to the AL roster for the All-Star Game and won a Silver Slugger Award. For the season, Bogaerts batted .307 with 15 home runs and 73 RBIs in 150 games.

April 29, 2023: Home Run in Four Countries

On April 29, 2023, Xander Bogaerts hit a home run in the MLB Mexico City Series, becoming the first player in MLB history to hit home runs in four different countries: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Mexico.

2023: 2023 World Baseball Classic

In 2023, Xander Bogaerts represented the Dutch team at the World Baseball Classic. He had a .267/.353/.533 slash line, however, the Netherlands was eliminated by tiebreaker.