Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Xander Bogaerts

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

Xander Bogaerts is an Aruban professional baseball player currently playing shortstop and second base for the San Diego Padres of MLB. Previously, he played for the Boston Red Sox. He also represents the Netherlands national team in international baseball competitions, showcasing his talent on both the professional and international stages.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2009: Signed by Red Sox

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

2009: Bogaerts Noticed and Signed by Red Sox

In 2009, at age 16, Xander Bogaerts was noticed by Mike Lord, a scout for the Boston Red Sox. Craig Shipley, the Red Sox' vice president of international scouting, then flew to Aruba to watch Bogaerts play, and subsequently, the Red Sox signed him to a contract with a $410,000 signing bonus.

2010: Professional Debut in Dominican Summer League

In 2010, Xander Bogaerts made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League (DSL). He achieved a .314 batting average, .396 on-base percentage, and .423 slugging percentage, leading the DSL Red Sox in these categories, as well as hits (75), home runs (3), runs batted in (RBIs; 42), and total bases (101).

2011: Baseball World Cup Win

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

2012: Plays with Portland Sea Dogs

During the 2012 season, Xander Bogaerts started out in Class A and ended up playing with the Portland Sea Dogs of the Class AA Eastern League and was named to appear in the 2012 All-Star Futures Game.

2013: Ranked as a Top Prospect

Heading into the 2013 season, Xander Bogaerts was ranked sixth in the MLB.com Top 100 Prospects list, eighth in the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects list, and was ranked the fifth-best prospect by ESPN's Keith Law.

2013: MLB Debut and World Series Championship

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

2013: World Baseball Classic

In 2013, Xander Bogaerts played for the Dutch national team in the World Baseball Classic (WBC).

2013: MLB Debut and Minor League Accolades

In 2013, Xander Bogaerts was promoted to the major leagues and made his MLB debut on August 20 against the San Francisco Giants. He earned USA Today Minor League Player of the Year honors and was named to the Baseball America Minor League All-Star Team. He batted .250 with a home run in 18 games.

2013: First World Series Win

Xander Bogaerts was a member of the Boston Red Sox team that won the World Series in 2013.

2014: Starting Shortstop for Red Sox

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

2014: Starting Shortstop and Position Changes

Xander Bogaerts began the 2014 season as the starting shortstop for Boston. Throughout the season, his position shifted between shortstop and third base. He played 99 games at shortstop and 44 games at third base, batting .240 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs.

2015: Career-High Average and Silver Slugger Award

In 2015, Xander Bogaerts led the Red Sox with a career-high .320 average and 81 RBIs. He received the American League's Silver Slugger Award for shortstop and was a finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award at shortstop.

2016: All-Star Game and Silver Slugger Award

In 2016, Xander Bogaerts played in the MLB All-Star Game for the first time, starting at shortstop. He finished the season batting .294 with 21 home runs and 89 RBIs and won the AL's shortstop Silver Slugger Award for the second year in a row.

2017: Salary Arbitration and Wrist Injury

In 2017, Xander Bogaerts and the Red Sox agreed to a $4.5 million salary, avoiding arbitration. On July 6, he suffered a wrist injury after being hit by a pitch, affecting his performance for the rest of the season. He finished the season batting .273 with 10 home runs and 62 RBIs.

2017: World Baseball Classic Performance

In the 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC), Xander Bogaerts played for the Dutch national team, slashing .227/.419/.318 with five hits in 22 at-bats and leading the team with seven walks.

2018: World Series Win and Home Run Success

In 2018, Xander Bogaerts agreed to a $7.05 million salary with the Red Sox and had a successful season, hitting multiple grand slams and being named AL Player of the Week. He finished the regular season with 23 home runs, 103 RBIs, and a .288 average, helping the Red Sox win the World Series. Bogaerts was the only player on the Red Sox roster for both the 2013 and 2018 World Series.

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 2019, Xander Bogaerts signed a six-year contract extension with the Red Sox worth $132 million and was selected for the All-Star Game. He finished the season with a .309 average, 33 home runs, and 117 RBIs, earning his third Silver Slugger Award and finishing fifth in AL MVP voting.

2020: Shortened Season Performance

During the shortened 2020 season, Xander Bogaerts continued as Boston's primary shortstop, batting .300 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs in 56 games. He led all AL shortstops in home runs and RBIs.

2021: All-Star Selection and Silver Slugger Award

In 2021, Xander Bogaerts was named the AL starting shortstop for the All-Star Game. He tested positive for COVID-19 in August but returned to the lineup in September. He won his fourth Silver Slugger Award, batting .295 with 23 home runs and 79 RBIs in 144 games.

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 six-year contract with an opt-out clause after the 2022 season. He exercised the opt-out clause after the 2022 season.

2022: Most Games Played at Shortstop for Red Sox

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 as a reserve selection. He batted .307 with 15 home runs and 73 RBIs in 150 games, winning his fifth Silver Slugger Award.

2023: Return to Dutch Team at WBC

In 2023, Xander Bogaerts returned to the Dutch team at the World Baseball Classic (WBC). He slashed .267/.353/.533 in 15 at-bats over four games of pool play. However, the Netherlands was eliminated by tiebreaker after a five-way tie in Pool A.

2024: Moved to Second Base and Shoulder Fracture

In 2024, Xander Bogaerts was moved to second base. On May 20, Bogaerts fractured his left shoulder and was placed on the 10-day injury list on May 22, (retroactive to May 21).

2025: Fractured Foot Against the Mariners

During the 2025 season, Xander Bogaerts play mainly at shortstop, and on August 27, Bogaerts fractured his left foot when he fouled a ball off his foot against the Seattle Mariners. He returned from the injured list on September 23.