Jacoby Ellsbury

2013

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2012

Ellsbury turned in an MVP-caliber season for Boston in 2011, finishing second in MVP balloting to a pitcher, winning his first Silver Slugger award and his first Gold Glove. He's setting himself up for a monstrous payday next offseason. We've seen hints at good multi-skill productivity from Ellsbury, but reaching 30 homers was not part of the forecast, at least not for 2011. Ellsbury will return to same role he held last season as Boston's starting center fielder and leadoff hitter.

2011

Ellsbury got hurt early on in 2010, suffering broken ribs after colliding with teammate Adrian Beltre and didn't play an important role in Boston's season. His recovery was slower than expected, and then we learned the Ellsbury's injury was more serious than originally diagnosed by the team's medical staff. That led Ellsbury (at the behest of agent Scott Boras) to seek second opinions and rehabilitation away from the team. It also led to a disconnect to some extent between the player and the team. Whatever the relationship between the two sides, it looks like Ellsbury is on schedule for offseason workouts and he'll return as Boston's leadoff hitter and center fielder in 2011.

2010

Ellsbury's on-base percentage may be less than desirable for the modern era's idea of a leadoff hitter, but there's no doubting he can be a disruptive presence atop the batting order. Ellsbury stole a franchise-high 70 bases last year while improving his theft success rate to 85.4 percent. After getting dropped from the leadoff spot in May, Ellsbury eventually returned to the top spot in the order and posted a .355 OBP -- not great, but something Boston can live with. As he matures as a hitter, and with the organization's fascination with plate patience, we expect Ellsbury to improve that part of his game. He often plays through minor injuries and should get plenty of plate appearances in 2010.

2009

Ellsbury slumped badly in the middle of the season and was dropped in the batting order as a result, but finished with a strong September. His superior speed and good defensive ability didn't slump, but he seemingly forgot how to take a walk after May. A wrist and tailbone injury may have played a role in his mid-season funk. He'll need to be consistent because Boston traded away Coco Crisp and presently doesn't have a suitable center field backup. As such, Ellsbury will begin the season as the starting center fielder and most likely the club's leadoff man.

2008

Ellsbury lit a fire for the Red Sox in September and October, appearing to have won the starting center field job from Coco Crisp. His defensive skills are top notch, and he's a game changer atop the batting order. Whether he'll be batting leadoff in Boston or Minnesota is the big offseason question. His name is front and center in the Johan Santana trade talks. A good baserunner who knows how to get on base, Ellsbury is ready to blossom in 2008.

2007

Ellsbury, the organization's top prospect, hit .303 as a leadoff hitter between stops at high-A Wilmington and Double-A Portland, where he finished the 2006 season. He has superior defensive skills, but offensive ability, too. He has good plate discipline (53:49 K:BB in 442 AB), knows how to get on base (.382 OBP), and can take an extra one (41 SB, 70.6% success rate). He'll probably start in Portland and finish in Triple-A, but a September call-up is possible.

2006

Ellsbury was Boston's first-round pick in the 2005 draft and has excellent speed and plate discipline (Baseball America rated his strike zone judgment as third-best in the NCAA). After hitting .406 at Oregon in 2005, he spent his first season in the pros with Boston's Single-A affiliate in Lowell (Mass.), where he stole 23 bases and had a .418 OBP in 35 games.