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Boston Red Sox: Bobby Dalbec a ‘bona fide’ slugger turning heads

By Tarringo Basile-vaughan

BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 23: Bobby Dalbec #29 of the Boston Red Sox warms up during the second inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on September 23, 2020 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. The 2020 season had been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 23: Bobby Dalbec #29 of the Boston Red Sox warms up during the second inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles on September 23, 2020 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. The 2020 season had been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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When Boston Red Sox first baseman Bobby Dalbec steps to the plate, you can almost expect the ball to fly out of the park.

No, seriously…at least that is the kind of power he has been showcasing through 80 at-bats in the major leagues last season and through the early part of spring training in 2021.

As one of the team’s top prospects it is hard for fans not to get excited about a young player displaying signs of stardom, especially when that player is also turning heads to those who follow the game outside of Boston.

Boston Red Sox young slugger Bobby Dalbec turning heads

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In highlighting each team’s top future slugger, MLB.com writers Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Sam Dykstra have taken notice of a player who has all the skills to be a feared slugger for years to come.

Check out this commentary Red Sox fans:

"“The Red Sox have other bona fide sluggers such as first baseman Triston Casas and third baseman Blaze Jordan, but Dalbec gets the nod here for his track record. The 2016 fourth-round pick out of Arizona has a combination of strength, bat speed, loft and an extremely aggressive approach that produced 59 homers in 2018-19 (sixth in the Minors) and eight more in his 80 at-bat Boston debut last summer.”"

At just 25 years old, the 6-foot-4 power hitter is actually older than teammate Rafael Devers who has already had a breakout season, but obviously still has room to grow and hopefully he grows as a member of the Boston Red Sox.

Part of that growth will involve adjusting to pitchers once he is figured out and combining that elite power with the ability to put the ball in play.

Though he belted 8 homers at a record pace in 2020, he did strike out 42.4 percent of the time, a number Red Sox manager Alex Cora is confident will improve with more experience at the plate.

"“You have to put the ball in play, too,” Cora said during a Zoom call back in February, via Masslive.com.  “And we’re going to be talking about that.  I don’t think Bobby Dalbec will be swinging and missing 40 percent of the time during the season.  I think if you look at his career, the first part of the season, whatever league he’s at, he swings and misses a lot.  But then he catches on.  We do believe that he will make more contact.  What he did last year was eye-opening.  It was fun to watch.  And hopefully he can get a lot of traffic in front of him and he can drive them in.”"

In other words, comfort at the plate typically results in Bobby Dalbec becoming a more comfortable contact hitter.  Once he adjusts and gets accustomed to how opposing pitching likes to work him, he should elevate to an even more dangerous run producer, something Cora and the Boston Red Sox could use more of.

dark. Next. Boston Red Sox: 5 players who will spark excitement in 2021

Yes, home runs are run and Dalbec will hit a ton of them, but it’s what he does when the ball does not fly out of the park that will really tell the tale of how bright his star will shine.

As of right now, this future slugger is flexing his muscles now and we like it.

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