FERNANDO ABAD
One of a small handful of players that have yet to appear in my Red Sox collection, Abad is one of three lefties out of the bullpen. He was acquired in a trade deadline move last year, which did not work out real well.
MATT BARNES
Barnes emerged as a major contributor in the Red Sox bullpen last season and showed an aptitude for striking batters out. He will play a similar role with Boston this season and could be one of the main setup men.
ANDREW BENINTENDI
Largely considered the #1 prospect in all of baseball, Benintendi is coming into the season as one of the favorites for the AL Rookie of the Year. He had a nice stint in Boston at the end of the season and only a minor injury prevented him from losing his rookie eligibility.
MOOKIE BETTS
The runner-up for the 2016 AL MVP enters this season as one of the brightest young stars in the game. He does everything well. Here's hoping for more of the same and a contract extension.
XANDER BOGAERTS
Coming off of his second straight Silver Slugger Award, Bogaerts struggled greatly in the second half but could put everything together this season. Even after a disappointing half, he was still one of the best shortstops in the league.
JACKIE BRADLEY, JR.
JBJ emerged as a top player for the Red Sox in 2016. He had the longest hitting streak in the game, but also faded badly down the stretch. His defense still makes him a terrific player.
HEATH HEMBREE
Like Barnes, Hembree emerged as a major piece of the Red Sox bullpen and was even better at piling up the strikeouts. Still, he bounced between the Majors and Minors frequently. He should be up for the entire season this year and should get some new cards.
BROCK HOLT
The utility-man extraordinaire is coming off of a rough season. Not playing him as a regular should help him out somewhat. Holt's versatility is his greatest asset.
JOE KELLY
Finally, Boston appears set to leave Kelly in the bullpen. His stuff keeps making the team think that he could be a decent starter, but the results have been ugly. He should be effective in relief.
CRAIG KIMBREL
He had a rough first season in Boston, but Kimbrel still racked up saves and strikeouts. Hopefully he will be back to his old ways in 2017.
SANDY LEON
Leon had a terrific start to his 2016 season, but cooled off significantly. He still had the best season of his career, but it seems unlikely he will have that good of a season again. If he struggles, Blake Swihart will be there to take over.
MITCH MORELAND
I have not been able to add Moreland to my collection yet, but it is just a matter of time. He won the Gold Glove Award and will be the primary first-baseman this season.
DUSTIN PEDROIA
Now the longest tenured Red Sox player, Pedroia has been with the team since late 2006. He is building up his Hall of Fame resume at this point.
RICK PORCELLO
The 2016 AL Cy Young Award Winner will be the Opening Day starter. He struggled a bit in the Spring, but he did last season too.
HANLEY RAMIREZ
Ramirez will take over at DH for the now-retired David Ortiz. His power stroke came through in a big way in 2016 and he will be looked to for more power in 2017.
EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ
Boston received Rodriguez as return when Andrew Miller was traded to the Orioles. He looks poised to take a step forward in 2017 and could be a major part of the Red Sox rotation for years to come.
ROBBIE ROSS, JR.
Another emerging member of the Red Sox bullpen, Ross is the major lefty for Boston. Hopefully he will get some more cards this year. He has proven to be a decent pickup.
CHRIS SALE
He cost Boston a lot of young talent, but Sale is one of the best pitchers in the league. Along with David Price and Rick Porcello, Sale gives the Red Sox three top-flight starting pitchers to head their rotation.
PABLO SANDOVAL
He's back. Sandoval looks ready for a new start. He had an impressive Spring Training after losing a bunch of weight. Hopefully he proves to be worth the big contract.
ROBBY SCOTT
I do not have this card either. Scott is the last of the three lefties in the Red Sox bullpen and had an impressive Spring after making his Major League debut in 2016.
STEVE SELSKY
Selsky was a surprise addition to the Red Sox roster, likely making it in order to play first base against lefties in order to give Moreland a rest. Hanley Ramirez is unable to play in the field.
BEN TAYLOR
Another surprise addition to the Red Sox roster, Taylor will be making his Major League debut in 2017. He was a 7th round pick in 2015 by the Red Sox.
CHRISTIAN VAZQUEZ
An incredibly talented defensive catcher, Vazquez's offense has left a lot to be desired. If he could be even a slightly below-average hitter, his defense would make him a good player. He is not even at that point yet.
STEVEN WRIGHT
Hopefully Wright will prove that last season was not a fluke. He had always shown flashes of being a good pitcher, but no one expected an All Star appearance.
CHRIS YOUNG
Young mashes lefties. That is his primary skill. And it makes him a terrific bench bat. He will do more of the same in 2017.
And there you have the 2017 Red Sox.
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