It's not often you see a utility man grace an All-Star roster, nevermind be the sole representative of their team in the Midsummer Classic.
The versatile Brock Holt of the Boston Red Sox has broken both of these normalities as he received All-Star honors for the first time in his career. So far in the 2015 season, Holt has a batting average of .295, an on-base percentage of .383 (seventh in the American League), two home runs, and 21 RBIs in 66 games.
Much of Red Sox Nation expected shortstop Xander Bogaerts to receive the nod. While Bogaerts is a finalist for the AL's final five-man player vote, Holt's incredible flexibility on the diamond (he has appeared in every single position excluding pitcher and catcher this season) caught the eye of American League manager Ned Yost.
"What impressed me is his versatility. Super-utility guys should be celebrated," said Kansas City Royals manager Yost.
While he may not be the flashy, bomb-smashing player that we have become accustomed to seeing on All-Star teams (hence Bryce Harper), Holt is a rare breed in a league in which position specialization has become the usual. As Yost stipulated, his admirable versatilty should indeed be recognized.
Holt's 3.1 WAR ranks 10th in the American League amongst position players, while at the plate his .807 OPS is nothing to discount.
After appearing in a combined 50 games in 2012 and 2013, with Pittsburgh and Boston respectively, the 27-year old saw his playing time skyrocket in 2014 as his ability to effectively fill in for injured starters in almost every single position paid dividends. He batted .281 with a .331 OBP in 106 contests last season, and despite beginning 2015 as a reserve, Holt became an everyday starter on June 3rd, having started in 30 of the 32 games since.
Holt's breakout game came on June 16th, as he became the first Boston player to hit for the cycle since 1996 in a 9-4 win over the Atlanta Braves.