Red Sox Rookie Of The Year Candidate Earns Surprising Performance Grade

Is the rookie being too harshly judged?

Sep 13, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Wilyer Abreu (52) makes a catch for an out on a ball hit by New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (not pictured) during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

During a topsy-turvy 2024 campaign, one of the best things that has happened to the Boston Red Sox has been the youth movement.

The Red Sox have had numerous young players perform above expectations this season on both sides of the ball. They're a faster, younger, and more dynamic overall team than they have been in many years, since at least the 2018 World Series team.

One of the best surprises for the Red Sox has been rookie right fielder Wilyer Abreu, who came over in the Christian Vázquez trade with the Houston Astros in 2022. In fact, Abreu was the less-heralded of the two prospects Boston received, behind second baseman Enmnauel Valdez.

With a potent left-handed bat and surprisingly excellent defense, Abreu has had a very solid rookie campaign. But his late-season slump may be costing him a chance to win Rookie of the Year, based on a performance review from Tuesday.

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report assigned letter grades to 15 of the most prominent rookies in Major League Baseball this season, and he assessed Abreu a "B" for his efforts in 2024.

"Manager Alex Cora's Red Sox ran out of gas in the second half of the season, but there were quite a few positive long-term developments for Boston to feel good about. Among those is right fielder Wilyer Abreu," Kelly said.

"The 25-year-old has 31 doubles, 57 RBI and an .808 OPS. In right field, he's graded out like a Gold Glove candidate with five outfield assists, 11 defensive runs saved and five outs above average."

Abreu has cooled off in September, but an .800 OPS from a rookie is truly nothing to sneeze at. In fact, the only other first-year players with an .800 or better this season are Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres and Jackson Chourio of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Those two were Top-10 preseason prospects, while Abreu was never considered a blue-chipper. But even if Abreu's ceiling isn't as sky-high as the younger Merrill and Chourio, it's clear that he's a valuable piece of a big-league starting lineup.

Is the "B" grade a proper representation of Abreu's value to the Red Sox? That's up for debate, but the 25-year-old should have a chance to silence any remaining doubters by building on his success next year.

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