Why Insider Believes Red Sox 2024 Breakout Star Hitter Could Soon Be Traded

Would selling high be the best move for these Red Sox?

Sep 20, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A detail view of Boston Red Sox hats and gloves at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images / Kim Klement-Imagn Images

As the Boston Red Sox get set for a pivotal 2025 campaign, it feels as though more potential solutions are on the table than ever before.

After an up-and-down 81-81 season, there is a lot to like about the Red Sox roster moving forward. But at the same time, there are lots of flaws. If Boston is going to finally make a run at the playoffs for the first time since 2021, they can and should pursue upgrades at any possible position.

One of those positions, surprisingly enough given the results of the 2024 season, could be catcher.

Most of the eggs in the Red Sox's catching basket seem to be attached to star prospect Kyle Teel, who reached Triple-A in 2024 just a year after he was drafted in the first round. Teel, the No. 25 overall prospect in MLB.com's year-end rankings, has all the makings of a star behind the plate.

That could leave starting catcher Connor Wong, the third prospect the Red Sox acquired in the Mookie Betts trade who had a surprisingly excellent 2024 campaign, expendable. MassLive's Chris Cotillo speculated on Monday that the Red Sox could look to move off of Wong in a trade this winter.

"Wong... may profile as a trade candidate if the Red Sox want to parlay some good numbers into help elsewhere on the roster. Wong’s strong offensive stat line was made possible largely due to a fantastic first six weeks during which he hit .362 with a .942 OPS in 30 games. From there, he hit a wall (possibly due to workload) and was just OK (.254 average, .702 OPS) in his final 96 games," Cotillo said.

"The Statcast numbers were not kind to his bat or his glove, and he ranked among the worst defensive catchers in the league, especially in terms of blocking (3rd percentile) and framing (9th percentile). But in a league where catchers don’t really hit, a .280 hitter is still a .280 hitter — and a team may want to add him."

To state the obvious, the Red Sox should not trade Wong unless they believe Teel is ready to take over the starting job from day one in 2025. As limitless as the youngster's potential might be, next season is playoffs-or-bust for Boston, and they can't sacrifice production now for prospect development.

With that being said, there are a lot of teams who could use the version of Wong we saw in 2024. If trading him allows the Red Sox to pick up a strong pitcher, that could be a trade worth its weight in gold.

It's all just one of the infinite possibilities on the table for Craig Breslow and the Red Sox front office this winter. The rest of us can only sit back and watch what unfolds.

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