Wilyer Abreu Strikes A Balance—And Excels—For Red Sox
When the Red Sox acquired outfielder Wilyer Abreu from the Astros as part of the return for Christian Vazquez at the 2022 trade deadline, they were drawn to his lefthanded power and patience along with the ability to play all three outfield positions.
A year later, Abreu went on a run that suggested a potentially elevated ceiling.
Abreu had a solid but unexceptional start to the season at Triple-A Worcester while playing inconsistently due to hamstring injuries. Through the end of July, the 24-year-old hit .238/.357/.438 with 13 home runs in 69 games.
But as the year progressed, the 5-foot-10, 215-pound Abreu developed better balance in his load, allowing him to more consistently cover the strike zone with a compact swing while doing damage to all fields.
The results were spectacular. In 17 August games for Worcester, Abreu hit .424 with nine homers and more walks (12) than strikeouts (10) to indicate sound swing decisions.
He stayed hot following a late-August callup to the Red Sox. He hit .316/.388/.474 in 85 plate appearances with above-average walk and chase rates, demonstrating the ability to hit plenty of line drives against righthanders while occasionally generating loft to clear the fences.
“He controls the strike zone. He’s really good at what he does,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “He understands what he needs to do, the situation—and he’s a good hitter.”
Abreu totaled 448 plate appearances between Triple-A and the big leagues. He planned to play in the Venezuelan League this winter in order to gain additional offensive and defensive reps.
Abreu’s range grades as roughly average in the outfield corners and a tick below in center, but his arm strength is plus.
If Abreu can stay healthy, the Red Sox see him as an MLB-ready outfield option, likely as the primary option in a platoon, who should compete for at-bats in 2024.
SOX YARNS
— Righthander Wikelman Gonzalez finished the year with a 35.2% strikeout rate in 111.1 innings, good for the highest rate in the minors among pitchers who threw at least 100 innings.
— Righthander Bryan Mata, who missed most of the season with a teres major strain, was pitching as a single-inning reliever in the Arizona Fall League.
