Mookie Betts possesses a very particular set of skills

Outfielder Mookie Betts could be the best player on the Red Sox’ roster in 2016.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff file

Mookie Betts distinguishes himself as someone who combines traits that aren’t usually found together: Though just 5-foot-9, he hits the stuffing out of baseballs. Though he hits the stuffing out of baseballs, he also is an impact runner on the bases and athlete in the field. He can bowl a perfect game and dunk a basketball. He can levitate yet remains grounded.

Matt Collins of Over the Monster examines one of the more interesting pairings of Betts’ skills, chiefly his ability to make contact/avoid strikeouts while still making consistent hard contact.

Another way of looking at that pairing of skills: In 2015, Betts struck out in just 12.5 percent of plate appearances, the 27th lowest rate among all qualifying hitters in baseball. Of the players with the 30 lowest strikeout rates last year, Betts: 1) Was the youngest; 2) had the highest rate of plate appearances that ended in an extra-base hit (10.4 percent); and 3) featured the third highest average exit velocity (on average, the ball came off Betts’ bat at 91.8 mph, behind only Albert Pujols (10.9 percent strikeout rate, 92.2 mph average exit velocity) and Prince Fielder (12.7 percent strikeout rate, 92.2 mph average exit velocity).

A different kind of contact hitter

Lowest strikeout rate among qualifying MLB hitters, 2015

Rk	Name	Age	Tm	K%	Exit velo (mph)
1	Daniel Murphy	30	NYM	7.10%	91.3
2	Andrelton Simmons	25	ATL	8.20%	87.1
3	Buster Posey	28	SFG	8.40%	90.0
4	Michael Brantley	28	CLE	8.60%	90.3
5	Jose Altuve	25	HOU	9.70%	87.1
6	Yangervis Solarte	27	SDP	9.80%	89.4
7	Ben Revere	27	TOT	10.10%	83.0
8	Ender Inciarte	24	ARI	10.30%	86.3
9	Adrian Beltre	36	TEX	10.50%	90.7
10	Ben Zobrist	34	TOT	10.50%	89.7
11	Brandon Phillips	34	CIN	10.90%	86.7
12	Alexei Ramirez	33	CHW	10.90%	85.5
13	Albert Pujols	35	LAA	10.90%	92.2
14	Yadier Molina	32	STL	11.10%	87.1
15	Josh Reddick	28	OAK	11.20%	89.8
16	Alcides Escobar	28	KCR	11.30%	85.4
17	Erick Aybar	31	LAA	11.40%	86.1
18	Yunel Escobar	32	WSN	11.80%	90.5
19	Elvis Andrus	26	TEX	11.80%	88.6
20	Johnny Giavotella	27	LAA	11.80%	86.5
21	Ian Kinsler	33	DET	11.90%	87.2
22	Jose Reyes	32	TOT	12.00%	85.9
23	Nick Markakis	31	ATL	12.10%	90.0
24	Martin Prado	31	MIA	12.30%	90.3
25	Wilmer Flores	23	NYM	12.40%	87.9
26	Mike Moustakas	26	KCR	12.40%	91.3
27	Mookie Betts	22	BOS	12.50%	91.8
28	Prince Fielder	31	TEX	12.70%	92.2
29	Melky Cabrera	30	CHW	12.90%	91.4
30	Aramis Ramirez	37	TOT	13.20%	88.6

SOURCE: Baseball-Reference.com, MLB

In other words, Betts makes something approximating the contact (in frequency and impact) that made Pujols and Fielder $200-plus million sluggers – while also featuring a far more dynamic skill set than those two at a time when his best years are likely in front of him. That package is hardly a guarantee of stardom, but if one were betting on who the Red Sox’ best player will be in 2016, it would be hard to argue with the choice of a player whose underlying skills are matched by few players in the big leagues.