Position-by-position look at Red Sox roster: Shortstop

This is Part 4 in a series in which we'll examine the Red Sox roster by position. Each day, we'll focus on one spot around the diamond, examine the incumbent player(s), look at prospects in the system and comment on the state of the position within the organization in general.

TODAY: SHORTSTOP

INCUMBENT: Xander Bogaerts
CONTRACT: The extension that Bogaerts agreed to in the first week of last season doesn't kick in until the 2020 season. He'll be paid $20 million in each of the next five seasons, with a $20 million option for 2026.
THE SKINNY: Not much went right for the Red Sox in 2019, but Bogaerts was the exception to the rule. The contract extension proved to be the best deal done during the Dombrowski Era, as Bogaerts surely

would have attracted far more on the open market as a free agent.

Bogaerts posted career bests in home runs (33), RBI (117), walks (76), OBP (.384), slugging (.555), OPS (.939), OPS+ (140), total bases (340) and doubles (52), establishing himself as one of the game's best offensive shortstops.

Defensively, metrics aren't kind to Bogaerts, but while he has somewhat limited range, most evaluators believe he's closer to league average. He's also become more sure-handed and reliable.

Best of all, perhaps, is the fact that Bogaerts is just now entering his prime (he'll play all of next season at age 27) and is secured for the next six seasons under team-friendly terms.

BACKUPS: Tzu-Wei Lin, Marco Hernandez
Bogaerts has proven himself to be highly durable (he's played 155 or more games in three of the last five seasons) and there's not a great need for someone to come off the bench. Were an injury to take place, the Sox would likely turn to Lin, who is an exceptional defender. Hernandez is far less accomplished and to date, Alex Cora has been reluctant to have him play short, but he could certainly fill in at short in a pinch.

PROSPECTS: C.J. Chatham; Matthew Lugo; Antoni Flores
With Bogaerts locked down for the next few seasons, there's little need to worry about the developmental pipeline at shortstop. Just for good measure, however, the Red Sox are well-stocked at this position. Chatham, who was discussed as a potential option at second base because of being blocked by Bogaerts, is the closest to helping out at the big league level. Lugo was a second-round pick out of Puerto Rico last June and is regarded as a potential five-tool player. At 18, he still has plenty of developing to do, however. That goes double for Antoni Florez, an international free agent who has played just 57 games in North America. At 19, he's less developed than Lugo and his ceiling isn't as high.

OVERALL: The shortstop position is in more than good hands for the foreseeable future with Bogaerts under control for a minimum of six seasons. Depth is something of an issue at short, but in case of injury, Lin could provide some solid defense as his replacement.