Should the Red Sox sell high on Brock Holt?

It’s clear now – the Red Sox’s season can really be called a failure. A spot in dead last place in the AL East can signify that better than anything. It seems like none of the players has that spark of energy that we saw so often in the gritty comeback victories last season.

Except for Brock Holt, that is.

Ultimate utility-man Brock Holt has played in almost every single position for the Red Sox this year. Holt has stood out this season as the shining gem on a team missing any batting spark. Holt has hit a .289 batting average this season, which is the best batting average on the entire Red Sox roster right now.

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Holt started at third base against the Rays on Saturday night, a position that he finds hard to play because of the quick reactions required. But after Dustin Pedroia was injured in a head on collision with Logan Forsythe, Holt moved over to play second. Shortstop was another position that Holt played throughout last week, shifting Xander Bogaerts to third.  The Red Sox have relied on Holt  this season as a player who can go with the flow and play almost any infield or corner outfield position at a fairly high level.

To go along with Holt’s defensive skills comes batting, too. And Holt has shown this season that he can earn a spot in the starting lineup. At only 5’10 and 190 pounds, Holt isn’t a big power-hitting guy. But he still can hit for a good average and at the same time kept his Wins Above Replacement up to 2.2.

So here’s the question: Do the Red Sox keep Holt, or trade him away now while he’s playing like he is?

” Do the Red Sox really need to sell off Brock Holt along with all of the trade chips they have in the outfield?”

The Red Sox have already stockpiled a mountain of trade chips in the outfield. If the Sox are going to chase after a big power guy like Giancarlo Stanton, they already have three or four outfielders to trade off.  Do the Sox really need to sell off Brock Holt along with all of the trade chips they have in the outfield? We all know Holt wouldn’t be a crucial trade piece in snagging a big name like Giancarlo Stanton.

Selling Brock Holt would also signify that the Red Sox have confidence in both Will Middlebrooks and Xander Bogaerts to play well in the coming seasons. Even though Middlebrooks played well in 2012, he has declined and is not putting up the statistics that the Red Sox need. Bogaerts is unproven and also may be a better fit for third base. I’m not confident enough in Bogaerts or Middlebrooks to hold down the fort on the left side of the infield.

For most of this season, Holt has been given the nod by John Farrell to bat first in the batting order because of his ability to hit for average. There, he has proven that he can be a consistent leadoff hitter, batting a .335 OBP, 11th in the American League. In comparison, last season Jacoby Ellsbury also hit exactly a .335 OBP while batting leadoff for the Red Sox.

The Red Sox need to keep Brock Holt. They already have other outfield trade chips to deal off, and Holt has proven that he can play in the big leagues the entire season. Holt can be a low-cost, consistent leadoff hitter who can also be the utility-man of the infield.

I’m not saying that Brock Holt is the next Dustin Pedroia, but he has shown through this entire season that he can be a strong, top-of-the-order utility infielder who will help the Red Sox win games in years to come.