Xander Bogaerts is a well-known shortstop in Major League Baseball (MLB) and is currently playing for the San Diego Padres. Like many international players, he did not attend college, but became a professional at a young age. He began his professional baseball career in 2009 when the Boston Red Sox signed him for $410,000 at the age of 16, after impressing their scout, Mike Lord, with his slick fielding and batting skills.

Born and raised on the island of Aruba, Bogaerts played for the Dominican Summer League (DSL) Red Sox in 2010, where he quickly caught the attention of scouts with his outstanding performance. He batted .314 with a .396 on-base percentage (OBP) that year and led the team in various categories, including batting average, hits, home runs, runs batted in, total bases, slugging, and on-base plus slugging (OPS).

Bogaerts' impressive performance in the minor leagues led him to become a highly-rated prospect in the MLB. In 2013, he ranked sixth in the MLB.com Top 100 Prospects list and eighth in the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects list. He started the season with the Portland Sea Dogs, the Double-A affiliate of the Red Sox, and was promoted to the Pawtucket Red Sox of the Triple-A International League in mid-June.

Bogaerts' stellar performance in the minor leagues earned him a call-up to the major leagues on August 19, 2013. He made his MLB debut on August 20, 2013, against the San Francisco Giants and got his first major league hit five days later against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Despite not attending college, Bogaerts' early playing career showed that he had a natural talent for the game of baseball. His quick rise through the ranks of the Red Sox organization, impressive performance in the minor leagues, and eventual success in the major leagues, serve as a testament to his hard work and dedication to the sport. Today, Bogaerts continues to be a dominant force on the field, dazzling fans with his incredible skills as a shortstop for the San Diego Padres.