Red Sox Rising Star Ranked No. 5 Rookie Of The Year Candidate By Insider

Boston's future is undeniably bright

Maddie Meyer / Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Boston Red Sox are likely going to fall short of a playoff berth, but 2024 has been far from a complete failure.

One of the most surprising successes of Boston’s season has been the stellar play of two of its rookies, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela. Abreu was the less-touted of the two players heading into the season, which makes it all the more rewarding that he was named a top-five candidate for American League Rookie of the Year on Tuesday by The Athletic’s Jim Bowden.

Bowden ranked Abreu at No. 5 on his list of the ten candidates for the award (with Rafaela falling close behind at No. 6) and noted Abreu’s underrated defense.

“Wilyer Abreu surprisingly has been Boston’s top rookie, slashing .266/.336/.497 with 27 doubles, 14 home runs, 50 RBIs and seven stolen bases in nine attempts,” Bowden said. 

“Defensively, he’s been well above average, ranking in the 86th percentile in outs above average and in the 98th percentile in arm strength, rekindling memories of the cannon arm of former Red Sox right fielder Dwight “Dewey” Evans, who should be a Hall of Famer, by the way.”

Abreu is looking like Boston should make him a right field fixture at Fenway Park for years to come.

What will the rest of that outfield look like? Jarren Duran should certainly be another lock, but left field could be soon taken over by the No. 1 prospect in the Red Sox farm system.

Abreu is just one of a handful of reasons why the Red Sox have a ton to look forward to for the rest of the decade.

More MLB: Red Sox All-Star Having ‘Best Offensive Season Of Career’ Isn't Team MVP