Rafael Devers

Rafael Devers

26-Year-Old Third Baseman3B
Boston Red Sox
2023 Fantasy Outlook
Coming out of the break, Devers .324/.379/.602 was pacing for a career-best year. He then spent 10 days on the IL with a sore hamstring. After returning, Devers was unable to recapture form, posting a .248/.325/.383 line the rest of the way. Other than the 1.5-mph drop in fly-ball exit velocity, Devers' underlying skills weren't much different over the second half, but his BABIP dropped from .353 to .289. For the season, he still managed a career-best 140 wRC+, but a drop in homers and a less potent Red Sox lineup resulted in fewer than 90 runs and 90 RBI for Devers. He eclipsed the century mark in each of the prior two full seasons. His defense remained below average, but he showed signs of improvement. With Devers still just 26-year-old, his best season is probably yet to come. He doesn't run, but Devers crushes the rest of the categories. He may not be first-round material, but he's in the discussion. Read Past Outlooks
RANKSFrom Preseason
#21
ADP
$Signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension with the Red Sox in January of 2023.
Hitless in return
3BBoston Red Sox
May 29, 2023
Devers went 0-for-5 in Sunday's 4-2 loss to Arizona.
ANALYSIS
Devers returned to the lineup after missing the first two games of the series with a calf strain. The third baseman's 0-fer included two at-bats with with runners in scoring position. Devers has just two hits over the last 26 at-bats.
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Batting Stats
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2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2023 MLB Game Log
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2022 MLB Game Log
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2021 MLB Game Log
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2020 MLB Game Log
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Batting Order Slot Breakdown
vs Right-Handed Pitchers
vs RHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
18
17
vs Left-Handed Pitchers
vs LHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
5
11
Left/Right Batting Splits
Since 2021
 
 
+20%
OPS vs RHP
2023
 
 
+21%
OPS vs LHP
2022
 
 
+26%
OPS vs RHP
2021
 
 
+30%
OPS vs RHP
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2021vs Left .768 488 64 15 70 2 .273 .330 .438
Since 2021vs Right .920 1012 149 63 178 6 .285 .353 .567
2023vs Left .891 74 13 5 16 0 .261 .311 .580
2023vs Right .734 148 15 8 31 0 .239 .277 .457
2022vs Left .739 162 23 4 26 1 .272 .315 .424
2022vs Right .931 452 61 23 62 2 .304 .374 .557
2021vs Left .751 252 28 6 28 1 .278 .345 .405
2021vs Right .978 412 73 32 85 4 .280 .357 .621
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Batting Splits
Since 2021
 
 
+6%
OPS at Home
2023
 
 
+10%
OPS at Home
2022
 
 
+12%
OPS at Home
2021
 
 
+1%
OPS at Home
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2021Home .896 725 106 32 125 6 .302 .364 .532
Since 2021Away .846 775 107 46 123 2 .261 .328 .518
2023Home .818 124 16 5 24 0 .282 .323 .496
2023Away .745 98 12 8 23 0 .200 .245 .500
2022Home .932 283 40 11 42 3 .323 .389 .543
2022Away .834 331 44 16 46 0 .272 .332 .502
2021Home .895 318 50 16 59 3 .291 .358 .537
2021Away .886 346 51 22 54 2 .268 .347 .539
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Rafael Devers compare to other hitters?
This section compares his stats with all batting seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 400 plate appearances)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • BB/K
    Walk to strikeout ratio
  • BB Rate
    The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a walk.
  • K Rate
    The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a strikeout.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many of a batter’s balls in play go for hits.
  • ISO
    Isolated Power. Slugging percentage minus batting average. A computation used to measure a batter's raw power.
  • AVG
    Batting average. Hits divided by at bats.
  • OBP
    On Base Percentage. A measure of how often a batters reaches base. Roughly equal to number of times on base divided by plate appearances.
  • SLG
    Slugging Percentage. A measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats.
  • OPS
    On base plus slugging. THe sum of a batter's on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
  • wOBA
    Weighted on-base average. Measures a player's overall offensive contributions per plate appearance. wOBA combines all the different aspects of hitting into one metric, weighting each of them in proportion to their actual run value.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Hard Hit Rate
    A measure of contact quality from Sports Info Solutions. This stat explains what percentage of batted balls were hit hard vs. medium or soft.
  • Barrels/PA
    The percentage of plate appearances where a batter had a batted ball classified as a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Expected BA
    Expected Batting Average.
  • Expected SLG
    Expected Slugging Percentage.
  • Sprint Speed
    The speed of a runner from home to first, in feet per second.
  • Ground Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are on the ground.
  • Line Drive %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are line drives.
  • Fly Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are fly balls.
BB/K
0.23
 
BB Rate
5.0%
 
K Rate
21.2%
 
BABIP
.255
 
ISO
.251
 
AVG
.246
 
OBP
.288
 
SLG
.498
 
OPS
.786
 
wOBA
.335
 
Exit Velocity
93.1 mph
 
Hard Hit Rate
40.1%
 
Barrels/PA
9.5%
 
Expected BA
.274
 
Expected SLG
.537
 
Sprint Speed
20.7 ft/sec
 
Ground Ball %
39.8%
 
Line Drive %
17.4%
 
Fly Ball %
42.9%
 
Advanced Batting Stats
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Additional Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Batted Ball Stats
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
While he arrived there a little differently, Devers essentially matched 2019's breakthrough campaign, posting a 134 wRC+, two ticks higher than in 2019. Devers hit for a higher average two years ago, but last season he set a new career best with 38 homers. Hitting flyballs at a greater frequency and with a career-high avgEV fueled the spike. Devers recorded a career-low 36.1% chase rate, though it was still five points above league average. However, he was a bit more aggressive within the zone, showing signs of maturing plate discipline. Defense remains a huge issue as Devers' -13 defensive runs saved was by far the worst mark at the hot corner, though it appears a position change is at least a year away. Devers doesn't run enough to be an elite fantasy batter, but he checks all the other boxes: durability, great home park, solid lineup and young enough to get better. Draft with confidence.
Devers had a breakout 2019 campaign with 32 home runs and a 132 wRC+, but he took a step back during the shortened 2020 season. The 24-year-old appeared to have his strikeout issues under control, but then his strikeout rate ballooned to 27.0% while his walk rate dropped to 5.2%, both of which represent the worst marks of his admittedly young career. Most of the issues came during July, as he went 5-for-29 with four doubles and one walk in eight games. He also continues to struggle against left-handed pitching (.613 OPS), which could end up limiting his ceiling if he doesn't figure them out. A rebound season in 2021 seems like a good bet if Devers can bring his strikeout rate back down, though he may have a tough time replicating the impressive numbers from 2019 that resulted in a 12th-place finish in AL MVP voting.
We have seen this script before: positive rookie year followed by a sophomore slump, and then a huge breakout year. Devers dedicated himself to getting into shape after his disappointing 2018 season, and the hard work paid off with a monster offensive season in 2019. His exit velocity, hard-hit rate and expected batting average were each in the 90th percentile, and he drastically reduced his strikeout rate from 25% to 17% last season. He has power to all fields, but also can be neutralized by lefties as he had a .996 OPS vs righties but a .744 OPS against lefties last season with just seven of his 32 homers coming off southpaws. It is unlikely there is another step forward coming in 2020, because it is nearly impossible to expect Devers to get over 700 plate appearances in consecutive years. Devers could be dealing with the pressures to do even more with the bat to make up for what Boston loses this winter.
Devers celebrated his 22nd birthday during Game 2 of the 2018 World Series, when many prospects are resting after their Triple-A campaign, so there's plenty of time to improve in deficient areas. Devers' ability to handle velocity and hang in against southpaws heads his skill set. He needs to work on consistency at the dish and in the field, but that should come with experience. Once Boston handed him the reins at the hot corner in the playoffs, his defense rose to the occasion. Contact is Devers' biggest batting woe. His 6.1% Barrels/PA was 91st in the league, impressive for his age. His .281 BABIP seems low according to Statcast data, though his line-drive rate was below average. Still, positive regression is likely. His second-half hamstring issues shouldn't be much of a concern after his playoff performance. Be aggressive but not overly so as Devers may still sit against some lefties. The long-term upside as a perennial All-Star is still on course.
The Red Sox decided to give Devers a look rather than trade for a third baseman at the deadline, and Devers proved up to the challenge as he more than held his own against top-level pitching as a 20-year-old. Devers posted a .344 wOBA and 111 wRC+ in 240 plate appearance and showed an ability to easily catch up to premium velocity. He was fortunate on balls in play (.342 BABIP), but Devers' strikeout rate was entirely manageable at 23.8 percent and the quality of the contact he made was excellent (89.5 mph average exit velocity). Devers beat up on same-handed pitching, albeit in a small sample, and he continued his success into the ALDS. A 9.7 percent walk rate in 77 games at Double-A last season hints at room for growth in that department as the former top prospect matures, and the lineup is conducive to compiling strong run and RBI totals. Fenway traditionally isn't great for lefty power, but Devers' bat is good enough to overcome the park.
Devers' future with Boston became a whole lot clearer in a matter of hours at the MLB Winter Meetings. That's when president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski traded prospects Yoan Moncada and Mauricio Dubon, and Travis Shaw, who started more games at third base than any other player last season. There's now a direct line from Pablo Sandoval in Fenway Park to Devers, who should start the 2017 season at Double-A Portland. As a 19-year-old in the Carolina League, where the average age is 22, Devers overcame an awful start to become a postseason All-Star selection, slashing .282/.335/.443/.779 with 11 homers and 32 doubles. The Carolina League, particularly the park in Salem, notoriously suppresses power, so expect to see an uptick in homers when he moves north to Portland. He also added an element of speed, posting career highs in triples (eight) and stolen bases (18), a testament to him showing up in better shape.
Devers did nothing to diminish his prospect status in 2015, slashing .288/.329/.443 as an 18-year-old for Low-A Greenville in the South Atlantic League. As a matter of fact, he enhanced his status, moving up from number 99 in Baseball America’s top-100 list at the start the season to number 15 in their mid-season adjusted rankings. All the projectable skills remain — Devers has an advanced-for-his-age plate approach, proper swing mechanics, and can spray the ball to all fields. He is solidly built and projects to be a future middle-of-the-order power hitter, but his stroke right now lends itself to more doubles power — his 38 two-baggers were second in the Sally League. As he matures and gets stronger, Devers should develop plus power to go with a plus hit tool. He will remain on a third-base track for now, but could end up at DH long term. Devers should begin his age-19 season at High-A Salem.
Devers, considered the jewel of Boston's international free-agent signings in 2013, spent his first full year in the Boston organization in 2014, using his advanced hitting skills to tear up the Dominican Summer League and the Gulf Coast League. He slashed .322/.404/.506 with seven homers in 302 plate appearances. The Red Sox are quite pleased with his plate approach and ability to hit to all fields. They also saw improved defense from Devers, a solidly built 18-year-old who will remain at third base for the time being. He may add more bulk as he matures, something that could reduce his lateral quickness and necessitate a move to first base or left field. Look for Devers to make the progression to short-season Lowell with the potential to reach Low-A Greenville in the second half of 2015.
Devers, a 17-year-old that was one of the top international free agents, is all projection at this point. This coming season will be his first full one in the organization. At such a young age, Devers is still growing and may add too much weight, putting a move to first base in order. At this point, though, third base is home and he's showed enough instincts to stay there. Regardless of his eventual position, there is a lot of upside here.
More Fantasy News
Returns to lineup Sunday
3BBoston Red Sox
May 28, 2023
Devers (calf) will start at third base and bat second in Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
ANALYSIS
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Dealing with minor calf injury
3BBoston Red Sox
Calf
May 27, 2023
Devers is dealing with a left calf injury but hopes to return Sunday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.
ANALYSIS
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Sitting again Saturday
3BBoston Red Sox
May 27, 2023
Devers is not in the starting lineup Saturday against the Diamondbacks, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.
ANALYSIS
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Gets night off Friday
3BBoston Red Sox
May 26, 2023
Devers is not in the lineup Friday against the Diamondbacks.
ANALYSIS
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Clobbers two homers in win
3BBoston Red Sox
May 20, 2023
Devers went 2-for-4 with two home runs, four RBI and two runs scored in Friday's 6-1 win over the Padres.
ANALYSIS
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