Homegrown: How the Red Sox Built a Champion from the Ground Up

The captivating inside story of how the historic 2018 Boston Red Sox team came together, from one of America’s most respected baseball writers.

“Alex Speier spins a compelling narrative about how great scouting and player development created a perennial contender in baseball’s toughest division, without losing sight of the people at the heart of his story.” —Keith Law

Player development is the mystery at the heart of any successful baseball team. Why do many highly touted prospects fail, while others rise out of obscurity to become transcendent? How can franchises help their young talent, in whom they’ve often invested tens of millions of dollars, reach their full potential? And how can management balance long-term aims with the constant pressure to win now?

Focusing upon the 2018 Red Sox, World Series champions and one of the most successful teams in the sport’s history, Boston Globe reporter Alex Speier tells the story of team-building in baseball’s modern age. With unparalleled access to the Red Sox’s scouting network, front office, and minor league system, Speier spins a fascinating narrative of how the Sox drafted and developed a golden generation of prospects. Drawing upon hundreds of interviews and nearly a decade of reporting, Homegrown is part insider’s account of one of the greatest baseball teams ever, part meditation on how to build a winner.

“The narrative of a team in the making delivers compelling reading. A must for Red Sox fans.” —Booklist

“A tight, tense, and quite enjoyable story, almost like an adventure novel… . . . Well worth the read.” —Bookreporter.com

© 2023 William Morrow (Ebook): 9780062943576

Release date

Ebook: 21 November 2023