Sandy Leon (2012-13) – .218/.310/.303, 135 G, 50 R, 45 RBI, 24 2B, 4 HR)

After watching him in the opening game of the 2012 season I wrote, “Sandy Leon might be the most perfect catcher I’ve ever seen up close and personal. He possesses a rifle for an arm, the quick hands of a lightweight boxer, and the footwork of a Russian ballet dancer. Most catchers would settle for one of those, but Leon has all three.”

However, the then 23-year-old backstop impressed that season almost as much as a batter. He hit a career-high .311 in Harrisburg in 40 games before being called up to Washington where he was injured during his MLB debut.

Leon returned to Harrisburg to begin the 2013 season, and although his defense was still omnipresent, the Venezuela native slumped offensively especially from the left side of the plate. His role in nurturing the pitching staff that year to a postseason berth, as it became the best in the league cannot be understated.

Since then, Leon has enjoyed a five-year career with Boston including last season when he went 3-for-6 appearing in three World Series games as the Red Sox won the title.