There are similarities between Rico Petrocelli and Xander Bogaerts. Both made their major league debut with the Boston Red Sox at 20-years-old, although Petrocelli’s had been for just one game. Both players received some nasty criticism regarding their defensive abilities at shortstop – some of it certainly deserved. And both are right-handed hitters expected to supply power.
Petrocelli is memorable for the last catch of the 1967 regular season that would send the Red Sox to the World Series once the Tigers lost. Petrocelli eventually moved to third base and developed the power predicted by hitting a then record 40 home runs for an American League shortstop in 1969.