Jackie Bradley Jr: Future Red Sox star or Boston bust?
Who is Jackie Bradley Jr.? That is a question the Boston Red Sox must determine this offseason.
Is he a cornerstone who will patrol center field for the long term, or is he all glove and no hit?
Only 24, the supplemental first round pick out of the University of South Carolina was rated No. 23 on the Baseball Prospectus Top 100 Prospects List entering the 2014 season. This, even after Bradley hit just .189 with a .617 OPS in 107 plate appearances last year.
Bradley is already considered one of the premium defensive outfielders in Major League Baseball. He routinely makes highlight-worthy catches, and his arm is one of the strongest in the game. Yet, in a season that has seen the Red Sox lineup struggle to score runs, Bradley is in the midst of a historic slump.
On Sunday, Bradley fanned in each of his four plate appearances, including three swinging. As Boston prepares a short two-game set in Cincinnati, the left-handed hitting Bradley carries an 0-for-35 stretch with 18 strikeouts and no walks. Craig Counsell recorded the longest hitless streak for a position player in big league history at 0-for-45 in 2011.
After a dismal first half, it appeared that Bradley had made the necessary adjustments in July when he batted .278 (20-for-72). As part of his current hitless streak, though, he is 0-for-August (o-for-19 with 11 strikeouts).
August and September are audition months for multiple Red Sox players. Bradley continues to thrive in the field and flail away at the plate. He is batting .211 with a .281 on-base percentage and a .289 slugging percentage. Bradley has struck out 107 times in 367 plate appearances. Yet Bradley still has a 1.8 Wins Above Replacement Player rating which is better than Curtis Granderson’s 1.7, similar to rookie teammate Brock Holt’s 1.9 and not far behind impact bats like Adrian Gonzalez, Jayson Werth and Joey Votto (all of whom have a 2.0).
Bradley has hit at every level except the majors. Over three minor league seasons, he batted .297 with a .404 on-base percentage and a .471 slugging percentage. Of course, there is a marked difference in the talent of major league pitchers compared to minor league arms, and Bradley has yet to make the adjustment.
Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington expects the club to contend for a World Series in 2015. Boston recently added corner outfielders Yoenis Cespedes and Allen Craig, and veteran Shane Victorino is expected to be ready for spring training after recently undergoing season-ending back surgery. Top prospect Mookie Betts, whose natural position is second base but has adapted swiftly to learning the outfield, even making his own highlight-worthy catch in center field in a recent series against the Yankees.
Even if Cherington crafts a more potent lineup for 2015, it is subject for debate whether or not the Red Sox can afford to let Bradley figure it out at the plate, despite his exceptional defense.
Though it is a lost season for the Red Sox, these remaining weeks are important in determining what young players should have a role with the organization long term. For Bradley, every at-bat especially matters.