Nick John

Wilyer Abreu had an excellent rookie campaign and the team has plenty of outfield depth. But will Abreu remain a platoon player, and if he does, can Rob Refsnyder continue the lefty-mashing brilliance he showed in 2024? In 2024, right field was a pleasant surprise for the Red Sox, as Wilyer Abreu proved himself to be a more than capable starting outfielder. Entering the season, it was assumed that Abreu would take over the starting right field position following the trade of Alex Verdugo to the New York Yankees. Not necessarily assumed was that Abreu would prove to be more valuable than Verdugo, finishing sixth in Rookie of the Year voting and winning a Gold Glove. His steady play helped solidify the outfield, manning one of the hardest right fields in baseball with relative ease. Abreu is penciled in as the starting right fielder for 2025, and the team looks for him to provide outstanding defense once again while taking a step forward with his bat. Red Sox Right Fielders at a Glance Starter: Wilyer Abreu Backup: Rob Refsnyder Depth: Blake Sabol, Nate Eaton (NRI), Trayce Thompson (NRI) Prospects: Roman Anthony, Jhostynxon Garcia, Miguel Bleis Red Sox RF 2024 fWAR ranking: Six out of 30 The Good Right away, it’s Wilyer Abreu. Since coming over from the Astros at the deadline in 2022, Abreu has been impressive. He climbed through the minor leagues and made his debut in 2023. Following a good showing in September, the Red Sox felt confident entering 2024 with him as the starting right fielder and he did not disappoint. In his rookie season, Abreu put up 3.1 fWAR while slashing .253/.322/.459 with 15 home runs in 132 games. Abreu has shown he can be a bright part of the future, especially if he continues to improve as he has every year since joining the organization. Joining him is Mr. Reliable, Rob Refsnyder, who has fulfilled his role with the team every season since joining Boston. Brought in because of his ability to hit left-handed pitching and play all three outfield positions, Refsnyder has slashed .278/.367/.427 with 18 home runs in 239 games in Boston. The ability to hit lefties is crucial, given Abreu's shortcomings (and Boston's lack of trust) in that area, but Refsnyder is also a leader in the clubhouse, providing a veteran voice for an otherwise young roster. The Red Sox also have an abundance of depth, both on and off the 40-man roster. Blake Sabol was brought in over the offseason, and although he's a catcher, he has experience in the outfield and could play there if needed. Nate Eaton and Trayce Thompson are both interesting depth options who have been playing well in spring training. Both are on minor league deals and will be in Worcester to open the season. Should an injury occur, they would be able to fill in. The future is even more exciting. Between Roman Anthony, Jhostynxon Garcia, and Miguel Bleis there is a lot of talent waiting to make its way up to Boston. Of course, Anthony is the crown jewel as the consensus top prospect in baseball after playing in Portland and Worcester. Across 119 games he managed to slash .291/.396/.498 with 18 home runs. At 20 years old, Anthony is showing in his first major league spring training that he is ready for Boston, running a 134 wRC+ during his first 10 games. Miguel Bleis also has interesting potential. Bleis could be one of the biggest boom-or-bust prospects in the system. When he’s healthy and playing well, Bleis looks like he could be one of the top prospects in the system, thanks to plus speed, plus range, and plus raw power while also boasting an above-average arm. The Bad Abreu has yet to prove that he can hit left-handed pitching well enough to be a full-time starter. Last season, a strict platoon limited him to 61 at bats against lefties. It may have been for the best, as he batted just .180, but he'll never learn if he doesn't get the chance. Even early in spring training, the team has planned to keep him limited against left-handed pitchers, at least to begin the season. Health is the next issue. Last season, Abreu missed nearly all of June due to an ankle sprain, while Refsnyder had two stints on the injured list last season. While the team has depth to deal with injuries, whether they can handle a long-term absence is unknown. Thompson and Eaton don’t exactly have a strong track records, as the former has only managed a career .212 batting average and has struck out in nearly a third of his career at bats. Eaton has only amassed 159 at bats with .201 batting average. They're enough to last a couple weeks, but anything longer may lead the Sox to look to promote Roman Anthony to the majors instead. Miguel Bleis has also missed time in 2021, 2022, the majority of 2023, and some time in 2024. On top of that, he struggled during his first time in High-A Greenville, striking out out 54 times in 52 games. The Bottom Line As with left field, so long as the Red Sox stay healthy, they’ll be fine. After missing time due to a mysterious gastrointestinal virus, it seems like Abreu will get into game action soon, improving his chances of being ready. The outfield is in good shape right now, as right field is being patrolled by one of the best defensive outfielders for the upcoming season all while having what could be a generational player waiting at Triple A. View full article

You can't. Thompson has no options remaining, you would have to DFA him to send him down. Nate Eaton on the other hand has options so they could send him back and forth freely if they needed to.

The Sox wouldn't add them to fill a small stint. They already said that wherever they play they want the Big 3 to be playing regularly. And why waste an option on them to have them up for 2 weeks when Romy or Sogard can handle things for a week or two.

Yeah, but when was the last time he played the outfield? If he gets hurt do you really want to rely on Blake Sabol or Seby Zavala? Unlike the Dodgers we don't have the same level of catching depth they had when they put Wong in the outfield

I could trust Romy handling LF for a small stint but I'd rather keep Wong out of LF. I still get flashbacks to Blake Swihart trying to play LF and getting hurt because of it. And with how our catching depth is currently, I'd prefer not to take a risk with Wong or any of the catchers.

The Red Sox upgraded their roster throughout the offseason, but one position they did not need to touch was left field. With Jarren Duran back in the outfield and sliding over to left field from center field, the Red Sox might have one of the best defensive outfields this season. Left field was one of the most consistent for the Red Sox last season, as they only used three players: Duran, Rob Refsnyder, and Tyler O’Neill. Of the three, only O’Neill is gone, as Duran is now the starting left fielder again. The explosive player looks to build off a career year and prove that his All-Star season was no fluke. Alongside him is once again Refsnyder and potentially Masataka Yoshida, as the Sox hope to have him play the field more than he did in 2024. Red Sox Left Fielders At A Glance Starter: Jarren Duran Backup: Rob Refsnyder Depth: Masataka Yoshida, Trayce Thompson (NRI) Prospects: Roman Anthony (NRI), Will Turner, Corey Rosier Red Sox fWAR Ranking Last Year: 1st out of 30 The Good Jarren Duran is coming off of a career year, which is something to look forward to. The left fielder made his first All-Star game and finished eighth in MVP voting this past season. Slashing .285/.342/.492, Duran led the Red Sox offense throughout the season. He also hit 21 home runs, leading the league in doubles and triples with 48 and 14, respectively. It might sound crazy, but Duran has a chance to build off his incredible season as he works to hit left-handed pitchers better. Last season, Duran began the year as the left fielder, but injuries forced him to move to center field after Ceddanne Rafaela was moved to shortstop. Now, the plan is for him to return to left field, where his weaker arm won’t be taken advantage of as often. Bringing back Refsnyder after he considered retirement is another positive. Refsnyder is a lefty killer, consistently hitting well against left-handed pitchers and providing a veteran voice in the clubhouse. Even with the loss of O’Neill to the Baltimore Orioles, Duran and Refsnyder are as good a duo to handle left field as any team in the major league can boast. The ability to make contact, hit for power, great speed, and good defense makes the Red Sox very comfortable with left field entering the season. The Bad There isn’t much depth. After Duran and Refsnyder, the only other player with major league experience playing left field consistently is Yoshida. Last season, he became the team’s designated hitter and hasn’t played in the outfield since 2023. It’s also likely that the team will want to avoid using him in left field to begin the season as he continues to recover from offseason shoulder surgery. After Yoshida, there’s Trayce Thompson, who’s lighting up the Grapefruit League. However, he’s not on the 40-man roster, and it's unlikely they will add him to it. Roman Anthony is more of a right fielder but has played some left field in the minors. However, the Red Sox would most likely prefer that he sticks to his main position if he’s up in the major leagues. Finally, Duran had some issues against left-handed pitchers. In 43 games, he hit .235/.289/.358 and struck out 57 times in 187 at-bats. The Bottom Line So long as the Red Sox stay healthy, they’ll be fine in left field. Duran will provide a consistent presence in left field, backed up by arguably one of the most consistent players since arriving in Boston in Refsnyder. Most teams would love to have this combination on their roster, especially as Duran broke out last season. Should the injury bug strike both of them, the Red Sox may be forced to call up top prospect Anthony and have him adjust to playing in front of the Green Monster. View full article

Seems the plan for Bello and Giolito right now is for them to spend the minimum and then rejoin Boston late April/early May at the latest. At beat we'll have Fitts and Priester for like 3 to 4 starts each before the rotation is back to full strength. Unless the duo pitch too well to be sent down

After a mild hamstring strain, Lucas Giolito will become the third Red Sox starter to begin the season on the IL. They still have excellent options to fill out the starting rotation. They always say you can never have too much pitching, and the Boston Red Sox are proving that true. With news that Lucas Giolito will open the season on the injured list, the Red Sox have now seen three starters shut down this spring. Kutter Crawford went down first, dealing with a knee issue that he had been bothering him since last season. There was some concern that he might need surgery, but that doesn’t look likely now. Crawford will instead look to rehab it and look to help the Sox during the season. Brayan Bello was the next, dealing with a sore shoulder that kept him behind schedule. The right-hander has yet to pitch in a spring training game, but has thrown on the backfields as he’s worked to get ready for the season. Bello is expected to miss only the 15 days needed to qualify for the IL, so long as he doesn’t suffer a setback. He'll likely pitch in a couple of rehab appearances in the minors before returning to Boston. As for Giolito, the right-hander signed a two-year, $38.5-million deal before the 2024 season, but injuries have kept him from making a single start for the Red Sox. In his first spring training appearance, Giolito lasted a single inning, being pulled due to a left hamstring strain. Giolito said he felt it while pitching to the first batter of the game and that he has dealt with worse. Giolito had been lined up to pitch the fifth game of the season per Alex Cora but the injury will now place him on the injured list. Just like Bello, it seems he’ll only miss the minimum amount of time. Usually, three injuries to your starting rotation before the season even starts can be enough to derail an entire season, leaving the team so far in the hole that they can't recover. The Red Sox, however, built up their pitching depth over the offseason and it’s starting to pay off. Even with Hunter Dobbins being optioned to minor league camp, the Red Sox have three potential candidates in camp competing for the last two spots in the rotation: rookie Richard Fitts, trade deadline acquisition Quinn Priester, and swingman Cooper Criswell. Fitts has looked the most impressive out of the three, and may have already locked up a spot in the rotation. In three appearances this spring, Fitts has gone 6 1/3 innings and struck out nine. What may be most impressive is the increased velocity on his fastball. Last season Fitts’ four seamer averaged around 94-95 mph. Through his three spring training appearances, his fastball has climbed to 97 mph and even topped out at 99 mph. He's also introduced a sinker and curveball to his arsenal and now looks like a different pitcher. To put into perspective the improvement of his arsenal, in 20 2/3 innings last year, Fitts only struck out nine batters. In 6 1/3 innings this spring he’s already matched that. If he can continue to get whiffs with his improved fastball, then Fitts could make the Verdugo trade with New York look even better than it already does. Prior to this change, his ceiling appeared to be a fifth starter or a bullpen arm. Now? If he’s able to put everything together, there’s an argument to be made that he could become a number three or four pitcher. Priester has also looked different since the start of spring training. He put on 15 pounds of muscle over the offseason, and like Fitts, his fastball has improved, topping out at 96 mph this spring. The right-hander was acquired at the trade deadline for Nick Yorke and spent most of his time at Worcester. Priester made one start for the Red Sox, pitching five innings and allowing a single run. So far in the spring, he has looked good, starting three games and throwing 6 2/3 innings, though has allowed his share of walks, surrendering four of them so far. Still only 24 years old, Priester could be a decent fill-in until either Bello or Giolito is healthy. Finally, Criswell is the pitcher with the most big-league experience. A low-cost signing last year, Criswell became invaluable to the Red Sox as he bounced back and forth between Boston and Worcester, filling in for the rotation and bullpen as needed. In 99 1/3 innings over 26 appearances and 18 starts, Criswell pitched to a 4.08 ERA. So far in spring training, he has been hit the hardest, pitching in three games and allowing four runs in 6 2/3 innings pitched. While the Red Sox have yet to offer any hints about who will fill out the rotation, there’s a good chance they might go with Fitts and Priester. Criswell would either be sent down to Worcester to begin the season, or, with Josh Winckowski struggling, fill in as the long man in the bullpen. The Red Sox are in a good position because of their depth, and also because Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, and Walker Buehler, make an excellent top of the rotation. View full article

He can play short but Cora has said the team hopes to not have to use him in the infield this year unless it's an emergency. They want him to be in the outfield all year.

I've heard that too. Though at this point I feel there isn’t really anyone who would be available that's worth it. Might as well just run with Refsnyder/the kids/possibly Thompson. Of course it all depends on how long Abreu would be out for.

That's what I would prefer. Just have Refsnyder handle things with Romy (if ready) and Sogard being super utility players coming off the bench.

The Red Sox have no shortage of outfielders, if Wilyer Abreu's recovery takes longer than the team hopes, the roster calculus gets very tricky. In 2024, Wilyer Abreu was a key piece in the Red Sox roster, providing irreplaceable defense and delivering clutch hits. This year he’s behind schedule and there’s a good chance he might not break camp with the team because of it. Abreu has yet to play a game or do much more than just track pitches and play catch. He came to spring dealing with a gastrointestinal virus, unable to do any baseball activities. Instead, he was getting lab tests done in hopes of being given the all-clear to begin getting ready for the season. Abreu got the go-ahead last week, but the virus cost him strength and several pounds. He's now trying to ramp up so he won’t miss the start of the season. Should that prove impossible, there are plenty of candidates to take his spot, but there really isn’t just one answer. It’ll all depend on how much time Abreu needs to get back into the lineup. In a perfect world, Abreu would be able to get into game action sometime before the end of the week, ending all these concerns. Abreu is a valued member of the team, playing outstanding defense in what is arguably one of the hardest right field in all of baseball. Add to that the offensive potential he showcased last year, batting .253 with a .322 on-base percentage and 15 home runs, and he’ll be missed no matter how much time he might miss. I’ve thought of a few different scenarios, and it’s been reported that the Red Sox are looking for rght-handed outfielders in the trade market, everything you're about to read was written under the assumption that the team doesn't acquire anyone else. Option 1: Rob Refsnyder is the temporary left fielder, Jarren Duran moves to center, Ceddanne Rafaela moves to right. This is probably the most likely scenario, besides Abreu being ready for Opening Day. Rob Refsnyder has been a key piece of this team since being called up from Worcester back in 2022. He’s played in 239 games, providing key hits and hustling on all plays. Last season was a career year for Refsnyder, one that was almost his last, as he pondered retirement despite running an impressive 130 wRC+. He also set a career-high with 11 home runs. Refsnyder is known as a lefty killer, which normally makes him a solid candidate for Abreu as a platoon partner. Refsnyder can play either corner outfield position, having split his time between the two last year. However, it would make sense for superior defenders Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela to cover the more challenging center and right. I think Rafaela's superior arm makes him the better candidate for right rather than Duran. Refsnyder would be a stopgap, a veteran presence comfortable when he’s facing a left-handed pitcher but hoping for the best when a right-hander is on the mound. He'd return to the bench when Abreu returned, without causing much roster shuffling. However, if Abreu were out for more than a few weeks, that might be asking too much of Refsnyder. Option 2: Kristian Campbell breaks camp with the Red Sox as the left fielder. This situation may seem like a bit more of a stretch, but I feel the team could go in this direction. All throughout the beginning of spring training, we’ve heard about how much the team likes Kristian Campbell and how they would love for him to break camp with the big club. At the time, the thought was for him to be the second baseman, but it seems that there are two other options ahead of him at that position. Both Vaughn Grissom and David Hamilton have played well while Campbell pressed and struggled to begin spring training. When you look at where Campbell has played in the games, it becomes clear that the Red Sox are looking at him as a potential outfielder, to start the season at least. Campbell has played seven of his 11 games at second base and the remaining four in left field. It may not seem like much, three of those seven were his first three games played. Whatever the reason for it, the team seems to be thinking of Campbell more as an outfielder lately. However, this situation would be a bit different upon Abreu’s return. Instead of being sent down to Worcester, Campbell would stay on the roster, perhaps moving to second base if the current second baseman struggles. Or he could even stay in a platoon with Abreu considering the team may be hesitant to use him against left-handed pitchers. The point is, I can’t see Campbell being the replacement for Abreu if he is just going to be sent back down once Abreu is ready. It makes no sense to waste an option year like that and Campbell is a true star prospect. The team needs to do whatever they feel will help him develop into the best player he can be. Now, why did I choose Campbell and not Roman Anthony? While Anthony is an outfielder, he is also a left-handed hitter and wouldn’t help to balance the lineup. And considering that the team is searching for a right-handed bat to fill Abreu’s spot on the roster if necessary, it seems Campbell would be the better fit. It also seems like the team feels Anthony could use a little more seasoning in Triple A, despite how well he played there last year. Lastly, Anthony succumbed to the stomach bug making its way through the clubhouse last week, and he also lost some time getting up to speed. Option 3: Trayce Thompson makes the team, then gets DFA’d upon Abreu’s return. This may be more likely than Campbell playing left field in Boston aside from one hiccup. Thompson is a veteran with some power who can play all three outfield positions, and he's having an unbelievable spring so far, but he isn't on the 40-man roster. At this point in the spring, Boston’s 40-man roster doesn't have any room to spare, meaning someone would need to lose their spot for Thompson to gain one. The most likely openings will occur near the end of spring training when Zach Penrod and Chris Murphy are likely placed on the 60-day injured list. Even if Thompson were to make the team, there’s no guarantee the Red Sox would keep him for anything longer than a short stint. His spring training stats are something else: a .391 batting average to go along with six home runs. But it’s still spring training. Sam Travis and Bobby Dalbec should remind fans of how spring training stats can be deceptive. Thompson ran a 129 wRC+ in spring training in 2024, then ran a below-average batting line in the minors, never earning a big-league appearance. Thompson last played in the majors in 2023, when he split the year between the Dodgers and White Sox, appearing in 72 games and struggling mightily. In his entire career, he’s only had one really decent season. In 2022, he ran a 142 wRC+ over 80 games with the Padres and Dodgers. His track record is against him, and even if he made the roster, it's hard to imagine him keeping his spot once Abreu is ready (unless his monster run continues into the regular season). Beacause of the roster crunch, Thompson would most likely be DFA’d immediately upon Abreu’s return, passing through waivers and returning to Triple A. There's no shortage of options, but the best option is still Abreu proving himself ready to start the season on March 27. In order to do that, he'll need to get back into playing shape and get quality at-bats in games. Abreu is a key piece of the team, and while you can’t outright replace him, these Red Sox have the depth to be able to withstand a short absence. View full article

Trevor Story will always represent an injury risk, but he's healthy and playing well right now, and the Red Sox have a surfeit of options behind him. Go ahead and take a deep breath. Shortstop has been an issue of concern for the Red Sox since Xander Bogaerts left for San Diego. It hasn't been because of a lack of talent, but rather an inability to stay healthy at the position. This year, the Red Sox hope things will be different with both a healthy Trevor Story and depth in triple-A. Prospect Marcelo Mayer looks ready to take that next step to the major leagues. The past few seasons have been shaky, as Trevor Story has consistently gotten hurt either before or soon after the start of the season. This has forced the Red Sox to give playing time to players such as Kiké Hernández, Pablo Reyes, Yu Chang, David Hamilton, Zach Short, and Ceddanne Rafaela, with minimal success. This year, Story looks to have a healthy season, but should he miss time, Hamilton, Mayer, or even Kristian Campbell could step in and plug the hole that his absence would create. For that reason, the shortstop position looks stronger than it has in years. No longer will they be discussing having Bobby Dalbec learn the position in case he’s needed. Instead, they have players such as Nick Sogard, Romy González and Hamilton on the 40-man roster who can be plugged into the position as a stopgap. Red Sox Shortstops At A Glance: Starter: Trevor Story Backup: David Hamilton Depth: Nick Sogard, Romy González Prospects: Marcelo Mayer, Mikey Romero, Franklin Arias Red Sox fWAR Ranking Last Year: 15th out of 30 The Good The Red Sox are in a better position than previous years should Story suffer another injury. Their depth, between the 40-man roster and the upper levels of the minor leagues, will make handling an injury much more feasible for the team. Yet the hope is still that Story can handle a full season at the position. Since signing with Boston before the 2022 season, Story has dealt with various injuries, the latest being a glenoid fracture and torn labrum after diving for a ball early in the 2024 season. He managed to return to the team in September, playing a total of 26 games. When Story is on the field, his defense is a huge boost for the team. So far in spring training, the 32-year-old has looked like his old self, playing great defense and hitting like he did before his two injury-filled seasons. As of March 10, Story is batting .458 with two homers over eight spring training games. Story isn’t the only player who’s been looking good either. Hamilton, who played a decent amount at shortstop last year before moving to second base, started off hot during spring training, putting his name into the competition for the starting second baseman job. Despite some struggles at shortstop last year, he showed himself to be a productive second baseman before his season ended due to a left index finger fracture in late August. Hamilton came to camp looking stronger, his speed could make the difference in him winning a starting spot in the lineup. Sogard has joined him in looking impressive early on, appearing in 12 games where he’s managed to hit .360 and get on base at a .448 mark. In those 12 games, Sogard has nine hits, including two home runs. And yet it might be the guys who aren’t on the 40-man roster that could be the most exciting. Top prospect Marcelo Mayer came into camp showing no health issues from the injury that limited him to 77 games in 2024. Instead, he’s impressed as he’s bounced between shortstop, third base, and second base while looking comfortable at the plate. If Mayer can stay healthy this year, there’s a good chance he’ll be called up to Boston sooner rather than later. He’s putting in the work and showing why he is considered a top prospect in the game. Mikey Romero has also impressed, doing so well that Alex Cora singled him out when asked which prospects besides the Big Three have caught his eye. Romero hasn’t played as much as the others, but he’s made the most of his chances, going 4-for-6 with a walk and a homer, and hitting the ball very hard. While Romero won’t reach the major leagues this season, it is a positive sight to see him build off his 2024 season. If he can stay healthy, the former first-round pick could be in for a huge season. The Red Sox don't view Campbell as a shortstop. They view him as the second baseman of the future and have also used him in left field so far in spring training. Still, Campbell has also played shortstop in the minor leagues, having learned the position last season. In 2024, he played a total of 36 games at the position between double-A Portland and triple-A Worcester. The Bad The obvious topic is health issues. Story, Hamilton, Mayer, and Romero all missed significant time last year. Hamilton played the most, appearing in 103 games between Worcester and Boston, no one else played more than 78 games. To reach their potential, the Red Sox will need their shortstop depth to remain healthy this season. With Mayer and Romero opening the season in the minor leagues (barring some unforeseen event), the Red Sox may not have as much depth on the major league roster as they think. González has been slow in spring training as he works to get ready for the season, and if Hamilton wins the starting second baseman job, that takes another depth option away from shortstop. Lastly, Sogard is much more experienced at second and third than shortstop. The Red Sox are also hoping that Trevor Story returns to his pre-2023 self at the plate. Last season, in a very short sample, Story looked closer to his Colorado Rockies self instead of how he’s hit in Boston. However, over three years in Boston, Story has yet to reach the same level of ability he showcased in Colorado. Still, should Story be unable to hit like he’s known to it could cause an issue for the offense but not one large enough to take his glove out of the lineup each day. The Bottom Line Despite any issues mentioned above, the Red Sox should feel better than they have in previous seasons when it comes to shortstop. Story has given no new reasons to worry about his health, and at this point, that's the best you can hope for. We’re halfway through spring training now, and even his bat has looked impressive so far. The rest of the group has also performed well, the Red Sox are set for a bright future at shortstop, even if there are questions about whether Mayer will stick there. Unlike previous years, the Red Sox now have sustainable depth to handle an injury or two. View full article

I just feel Wong's numbers aren't sustainable because of his savant numbers. Everything points to the fact he got lucky on a lot of soft hit balls. If Narváez can hit even slightly below those Triple-A numbers I'd argue this trade could be a steal.

I have a feeling that Narváez will get the majority of the starts behind the plate if he can hit about. 220/.230, especially with his defensive capabilities and I'm expecting Wong's offensive numbers to regress. I do hope Wong has improved on the defensive side of the game but we'll see.

The Red Sox made many improvements to their roster this offseason, but catcher is still a question mark for the team. Last year at this time, Kyle Teel looked like the catcher of the future. Likely to make his major league debut some point in 2025, Teel appeared set to take over for Connor Wong as the starter. Fast-forward a year, and Kyle Teel has been traded to the White Sox in the Garrett Crochet deal, and Wong is still entrenched as the team's starting catcher. Wong can be serviceable behind the plate but is better suited as a backup. Last season, Wong was one of the worst defensive catchers in baseball. Statcast put him in the ninth percentile when it came to framing, costing the teams seven runs. He graded out even worse at blocking: third percentile, costing the Red Sox 13 runs. And while his offense looked decent, with a slash line of .280/.333/.425 across 126 games, there were still issues. He hit 13 home runs in 447 at-bats, but for the most part, he did not hit the ball hard. Wong's average exit velocity was near the bottom of the league at 86.5 mph, and his stat line carried several indicators of unsustainability. The Red Sox didn’t ignore the catching position, however. Gone are Reese McGuire and trade deadline acquisition Danny Jansen, replaced by defense-first rookie Carlos Narváez and former 2019 draft pick Blake Sabol. Also brought in as extra depth on a minor league deal was Seby Zavala. All three are fighting for the backup catcher position in spring training, though Narváez may have a leg up on the other two from his early showings. Red Sox Catchers At A Glance: Starter: Connor Wong Backup: Carlos Narváez Depth: Blake Sabol, Seby Zavala (NRI), Mark Kolozsvary (NRI) Prospects: Brooks Brannon, Ronald Rosario, Johanfran Garcia Red Sox fWAR Ranking Last Year: 22nd out of 30 The Good Honestly, with this crop of catchers, there's nowhere to go but up. Last season, the Red Sox had Wong as the starter and McGuire as the backup, to go along with Tyler Heineman as a depth option in Triple A. McGuire struggled in 53 games, only hitting .209 before being designated for assignment in late July. His replacement, Danny Jansen, didn’t do much better in his short time in Boston, hitting .188 in 30 games. Offensively, Wong was the lone bright spot, despite relying on a very high BABIP and a career-low exit velocity. He did manage to cut his strikeout percentage from 33.3% in 2023 down to 23.4% last season. Relying on Wong offensively is not something the Red Sox can do if they plan to compete for the playoffs, but having someone with his bat near the bottom of the lineup will play out well for the team. Add to it the work Wong put in during the offseason to improve his defense, and there’s a good chance he can improve upon his poor framing and blocking ability. Simply getting to league-average defensive production would make a huge difference. When it comes to defense, Carlos Narváez should represent a huge improvement. Acquired from the Yankees in December, Narváez is known for his defensive capabilities and a strong arm behind the plate. He entered spring training in a competition for the backup catcher position and has shined with both his glove and bat in his given opportunities. Defensively he’s more than ready for the majors but if his bat can be anything around league-average for a catcher, there’s a chance he could even challenge Wong for the starting position by the end of the season. The position right now is Wong’s to lose, though a regression to his 2023 season offensively could give Narváez a bigger opportunity. When it comes to the future, the Red Sox may have to wait, but if both Garcia and Brannon can stay healthy and showcase their potential on the field it could make trading away Kyle Teel easier to swallow. Garcia has been profiled as a bat-first backup with the ceiling of an everyday catcher. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL last season and his projection depends on how he recovers from the injury. Stil, entering his age-20 season, he’ll have time to progress through the minors. Brannon, on the other hand, has struggled to stay healthy, but when he has been able to stay on the field he’s shown flashes of potential with his power. The Bad There’s a chance everything goes wrong. The floor here is very low. Wong is the first big question mark. His defense was very bad last season. It’s been reported that Wong spent the offseason focusing on his defense, but if he doesn't improve in a big way and his offense comes down to earth, there won't be much keeping him in the starting job. If Narváez struggles to hit major league pitching and shows that he’s not ready, the other backup option is Sabol. Across two seasons, he’s played in a total of 121 games with San Francisco, and he may not be much of an upgrade over either of the catchers on the 40-man roster. If his bat doesn’t work out, the Red Sox could be forced to make a move, especially since Sabol showed some defensive weakness last season. He made three errors in only eight games behind the plate, and also allowed five wild pitches and 11 stolen bases. The rest of the depth is almost non-existent. After Wong and Narváez the only other catcher on the 40-man roster is Sabol, who will most likely play the role Heineman played last year; play in Worcester and be an emergency call-up when needed. Heineman played a total of two games for Boston last year. After Sabol, the Red Sox will have Zavala, Nathan Hickey and Mark Kolozsvary sharing time behind the plate, first base, and designated hitter to make sure they get playing time. The group represents emergency depth, with Zavala's 194 games giving him the most major league experience in the group. His best season came in 2022 with the White Sox, where he managed to hit .270 across 61 games. For his career, Zavala is a .205 hitter who gets on base at a .271 pace. Hickey started last year in Worcester, but struggled and was demoted to Portland during the second half. So far in spring training, he’s mainly played first base, but the Red Sox still plan to have him catch in Worcester this season. Kolozsvary will rejoin him there, the right-hander played in only 27 games last season as he spent a large portion on the development list. His strength lies more in his ability to work with the pitching staff instead of actual in-game contributions. The future also isn’t very bright, as top catching prospect Garcia recovers from surgery. There’s been no word on when he’ll return to catching. He’s only 20 years old and the team will want to make sure he is completely healthy before playing him again. They don’t want another injury to sideline him and slow down his progress. As he's only made it to single-A Salem, he won't be reaching Boston any time soon regardless of injuries. The Bottom Line Jason Varitek isn’t getting behind the plate and calling games any time soon. You would hope for more stability at the catcher position, but the Red Sox seem to like what they have with the combination of Wong and Narváez. However, there’s no knowing what you’ll get with these two. Either Wong builds off of his 2024 season and shows he can bridge the gap to the next catcher, or he regresses and Narváez is given a chance to play more. Should both of them struggle, Sabol will get his chance. After that, the Red Sox will need to make a move to bring in some catching help. However, if Wong and Narváez are the players that the Red Sox expect them to be, they’ll be in a good situation with complementary pieces: an offense-first catcher and a defensive standout for a backup. View full article

Top prospects Jhostynxon Garcia and Luis Perales were reassigned to minor league camp, but the Big Three ride on. Spring training has been going on for nearly a month now, and the Red Sox have made their first cuts this week. On Friday morning, the team announced the first series of cuts to their spring training roster as top prospects Luis Perales and Jhostynxon Garcia were optioned to minor league camp. The first move comes as no surprise, considering that Perales is still recovering from Tommy John surgery and isn’t expected to get into any game action until June at the earliest. As he was on the 40-man roster, Perales was part of the major league camp, though besides running on the agility field and playing catch, he didn’t do much. He did get to do fielding practice but without throwing. The right-handed pitcher is the top pitching prospect for the Red Sox. On the other hand, it's a bit of a surprise for Garcia's spring to end this early. The outfielder had been used frequently at the beginning of camp, though hestruggled a little at the plate. In 11 games and 21 at-bats, Garcia only had one hit with 10 strikeouts. Despite the numbers, the young outfielder still impressed. However, with Trayce Thompson having a great spring, there may have not been room to keep him around and allow both to get sufficient playing time. Garcia ended last season with the Portland Sea Dogs and seems likely to open the season with them again. Joining the duo in being cut is a quartet of pitchers who were non-roster invites. Left-handed pitcher Jovani Morán and right-handers Robert Stock, Brian Van Belle, and Jacob Webb were all reassigned to minor league camp. Out of the four pitchers, Stock appeared in the most action, pitching in three games to less-than-stellar results. The 35-year old surrendered four runs across three innings pitched. In that span, he walked three and struck out four. Van Belle appeared in only two games: the exhibition against Northeastern and the game against Philadelphia on February 28. In that game he lasted a single inning, allowing three runs on four hits, including two home runs. Webb pitched in two games, tossing 2 2/3 innings without allowing a run. Morán did not appear in a single game as he continued to recover from surgery that kept him out all of 2024. All four of these pitchers should expect to be in Worcester to begin the season, though it’s not yet known if Morán will start the season on the minor league injured list. Each of them has some experience pitching at the triple-A level or higher. The four will provide minor-league depth in the event of an injury or the need for reinforcements to the bullpen. After the first round of cuts, there are still plenty of noteworthy names competing for the last few spots on the opening day roster, especially with some opportunities opening due to the stomach bug that has spread throughout camp. Most notably the Big Three of Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer are all remaining in major league camp. UPDATE 3/9/25: The Red Sox announced Saturday morning, March 8th, that Yovanny Cruz was reassigned to minor league camp. The right-handed pitcher appeared in two games, throwing two innings and allowing six earned runs. With the roster move, the Red Sox now have 56 players in the Major League camp with 18 of them being non-roster invites. View full article

There's no way you trade the face of your franchise just 2 seasons after he signed an extension. It would make it hard to sign any of the young guys like Anthony, Mayer or Campbell to extensions. Plus it wouldn't look good to free agents. As it is, I wouldn't say his shoulder condition will become chronic. Probably should have got shut down sooner in September to give more time to rest but it is what it is.