Wilyer Abreu embraces tips from Red Sox greats

HOUSTON – Adjusting to the major leagues was a challenge for Wilyer Abreu initially. As he continued receiving playing opportunities with the Red Sox, he kept absorbing knowledge along the way. 

Playing for a historical franchise like the Red Sox surely has its perks. The native of Maracaibo, Venezuela, has had meaningful conversations with Hall of Famers David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez regarding ways to improve his play. 

Ortiz, who made a living taking advantage of Fenway Park’s dimensions, shared the same philosophy to Abreu. Ortiz, a 10-time All-Star, told the young outfielder to utilize the Green Monster.

While he hasn’t hit a home run over the Green Monster yet, Abreu has collected five doubles off the enormous wall. Two of them have driven in runs.

The Pesky Pole in right field also falls into favor with Abreu’s left-handed swing. 

“I’ve had the opportunity to talk to David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez, who go to Boston often,” Abreu said. “They have given me advice when I’ve talked to them. That has helped me a lot.”

Venezuelan roots

Abreu, 25, was introduced to baseball by his godmother Aura Hernandez. Since he was 4 years old, Hernandez would take him to the field to go practice. 

As Abreu continued to practice and refine his craft, his love of baseball never diminished. The more time he spent on the field, the more he appreciated the game.  

Throughout his career, Abreu has never been shy to ask questions. The 5-foot-10 outfielder is adamant that his rookie year has been the toughest yet because of the quantity of information he had to dissect. 

He’s spent numerous hours developing a plan at the plate with coaches. For him, baseball is a mind game between the pitcher and the batter. The coaches and Abreu talk about pitcher tactics and how each team tries to get batters out.

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Most importantly for Abreu, he learned how to control the zone. Since the minors leagues the message from coaches has been clear. Red Sox manager Alex Cora emphasized how minor league coaches preach zone control to the players during his pregame conference. 

Abreu has garnered more playing time this season, helping him to be more comfortable at the plate. 

“This year I’ve had more time in the majors,” Abreu said. “That has helped me a lot to understand the league and helped me develop a plan for every team.”

Wilyer Abreu has elite arm

Boston acquired Wilyer Abreu via a trade that sent longtime catcher Christian Vazquez to the Astros. While Vazquez helped the Astros win the 2022 World Series, Boston received a prospect with plenty of upside. 

Abreu is an elite outfielder with arm strength that ranks in the 99th percentile. He also has a hard-hit percentage in the 91st percentile.

He has surpassed his previous career highs. He has hit 14 home runs and has 49 RBIs. Abreu has an average of 114.4 mph max exit velocity.  When Cora first saw Abreu play in last year’s spring training, he was impressed.

Not on Abreu's watch‼️ pic.twitter.com/3xKOZTbt5B

— Red Sox (@RedSox) August 28, 2024

“He’s a  good kid that cares and plays hard,” Cora said. “There is no hesitation to throw him out there when there’s a righty. And with time he’s going to hit lefties. We’ve been through this with (Triston) Casas, (Jarren) Duran,  Rafael (Devers), where they become platoon players but with time he’s going to be able to hit lefties and he is going to be fun to watch for years to come.” 

Cora raved about Abreu’s strength and style of play. He enjoys watching the young slugger’s power production on a daily basis. 

Abreu is a young player still developing. He has shown glimpses of great potential. His early struggles to hit lefties keep him on the bench against southpaws. Cora predicts, however, that Wilyer Abreu is destined to be an everyday player in Boston.

_{Featured art courtesy Boston Red Sox.}