Red Sox minor league utility man Nick Sogard has the versatility to stick on the major league roster
When the WooSox wrapped up their final home game of the season, Nick Sogard mashed his seventh homer of the season. Showcasing his sneaky pop at the plate to go along with his surefire glove when in the field.
The utility man is a plus defender at multiple positions, seeing time at second base, shortstop, third base, left field and right field in 2023.
As the Red Sox build their roster for 2024, the strong defender has the skills and versatility to play a role for the Boston.
“Shortstop has always been my natural position kind of as soon as I came over to the Red Sox,” said Sogard while on the “To the Show We Go” podcast. “I’ve been playing more third and second a little bit less there but I'll play wherever I enjoy doing it. I think it's fun to do it. It kind of keeps things fresh to do it so I don't mind playing all over the place it's fun to do it so I'm just trying to kind of get a little bit better at it cuz I've never done that before.”
Sogard had a sound season at the plate in Triple-A Worcester, hitting up and down the whole lineup, while enjoying hitting out of the No. 1 hole.
“I’ve led off a lot in my life,” said Sogard. “I don't know if that was maybe a sense of kind of comfortability, or maybe a little boost of confidence from from Trace (Chad Tracy) to say, like, ‘hey, you're going to do this for us now.’ Or maybe just know what I'm getting at least five out bats that day is, I don't know something about it just feels feels right.”
Sogard finished the season posting a .266 batting average with 104 hits, seven homers, 47 RBIs, 17 stolen bases and a .761 OPS.
Playing time hasn’t come easy for Sogard, he’s had to force his way into the WooSox lineup.
“To be honest with you, that's kind of where I've always been throughout my entire career,” said Sogard. “So it's pretty comfortable. Trace kind of came and found me and said just kind of hanging there at the beginning, you know, and just take your opportunities when they come. And I've been told that throughout my whole life, so I was pretty comfortable in that role. And I'm always, you know, confident in myself to break out of that role as well.”
Baseball runs deep in the Sogard family, the WooSox switch-hitter is the nephew of Steve and Dave Sax. His cousin Eric, played 11 seasons in the majors as a super utility player. Versatility on the baseball diamond runs in the blood of the Sogard family.
Boston has options for back up infielders next season, Pablo Reyes, David Hamilton, Enmanuel Valdez and fellow minor league infielder Christian Koss is an option to compete for a roster spot.
When players like Jarren Duran and David Hamilton were called up, Sogard filled the void for the WooSox and stepped up, whether it was in the field or at the plate, he also set the tone wherever he batted in their lineup. If the Red Sox are looking for a versatile depth player that can come off the bench and play everywhere, Sogard is sitting their right in front of them, deserving of a major league invite and opportunity to win a job in 2024.
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You might want to try proofreading. Isn’t he worthy of a major league invite, not minor? And you are missing a word when saying what Sogard did after other players were called up