Wilyer Abreu

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #6 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: The Red Sox nearly signed Abreu in 2017, but when they were forbidden from signing players for two years as a penalty for circumventing international package signing rules, the Astros grabbed him for $300,000. After an unremarkable pro start, Abreu overhauled his approach during the 2020 shutdown, combining selectivity and damage on pitches in the zone. Boston acquired him for Christian Vazquez at the 2022 deadline. Abreu was limited at times in 2023 by hamstring injuries, but when healthy he torched the ball at Triple-A Worcester. The most notable example came during an August home run binge in which he hit nine in 17 games. His mature approach translated to an impressive big league debut to end 2023.
  
  Scouting Report: Abreu is a fire hydrant, featuring a compact swing with barrel life on middle-in pitches, particularly those in the upper half of the zone. He struggled with his mechanics--particularly the balance in his weight transfer--early in 2023. Once he got healthy and locked in his timing, Abreu made consistently hard contact at Triple-A and in MLB, including a 49% hard-hit rate that ranked second among Red Sox big leaguers who batted least 50 times. He tended to whiff on pitches in the zone but rarely chased. In deference to a minor league platoon split, he faced few big league lefties. Abreu spent most of his big league time in center field and left field but may be best suited for right--despite below-average speed--thanks to good jumps and high-end arm strength.
  
  The Future: Abreu should compete for a big league roster spot out of the gate in 2024. If he can remain healthy, he has a solid baseline as at least the strong side of a platoon and possibly an everyday player.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Field: 50 | Arm: 70
• 
  Ranked Boston Red Sox #22 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Signed by the Astros for $300,000 as an 18-year-old in 2017, Abreu was unimpressive in his first three pro seasons. After he overhauled his approach to focus on selectivity with an eye towards damage, he blasted 16 homers in 82 games in High-A in 2021. He followed that in 2022 by drawing the second-most walks (114) in the minors while hitting a combined .247/.399/.435 in Double-A, with the Red Sox acquiring him in the trade deadline deal for catcher Christian Vazquez.
  
  Scouting Report: Though Abreu's selectivity can veer into passivity, he swings with bad intentions, creating three true outcomes potential. With Houston, Abreu closed off his front shoulder, then exploded with a rotational swing to generate average power. The Red Sox asked him to square up his stance, hoping that in doing so, it would become easier for Abreu to get to pitches in different parts of the zone. His basestealing instincts help his average speed play up as he went 31-for-34 on stolen base attempts in 2022. Despite a fire hydrant frame, Abreu moves well enough to be respectable in center and good in the outfield corners with a solid-average arm.
  
  The Future: The Sox added Abreu to the 40-man roster, seeing him as a potential fourth outfielder with a number of paths to contribute. He should open 2023 in Triple-A.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Signed by the Astros for $300,000 as an 18-year-old in 2017, Abreu was unimpressive in his first three pro seasons. After he overhauled his approach to focus on selectivity with an eye towards damage, he blasted 16 homers in 82 games in High-A in 2021. He followed that in 2022 by drawing the second-most walks (114) in the minors while hitting a combined .247/.399/.435 in Double-A, with the Red Sox acquiring him in the trade deadline deal for catcher Christian Vazquez.
  
  Scouting Report: Though Abreu's selectivity can veer into passivity, he swings with bad intentions, creating three true outcomes potential. With Houston, Abreu closed off his front shoulder, then exploded with a rotational swing to generate average power. The Red Sox asked him to square up his stance, hoping that in doing so, it would become easier for Abreu to get to pitches in different parts of the zone. His basestealing instincts help his average speed play up as he went 31-for-34 on stolen base attempts in 2022. Despite a fire hydrant frame, Abreu moves well enough to be respectable in center and good in the outfield corners with a solid-average arm.
  
  The Future: The Sox added Abreu to the 40-man roster, seeing him as a potential fourth outfielder with a number of paths to contribute. He should open 2023 in Triple-A.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Signed by the Astros for $300,000 as an 18-year-old in 2017, Abreu was unimpressive in his first three pro seasons. After he overhauled his approach to focus on selectivity with an eye towards damage, he blasted 16 homers in 82 games in High-A in 2021. He followed that in 2022 by drawing the second-most walks (114) in the minors while hitting a combined .247/.399/.435 in Double-A, with the Red Sox acquiring him in the trade deadline deal for catcher Christian Vazquez.
  
  Scouting Report: Though Abreu's selectivity can veer into passivity, he swings with bad intentions, creating three true outcomes potential. With Houston, Abreu closed off his front shoulder, then exploded with a rotational swing to generate average power. The Red Sox asked him to square up his stance, hoping that in doing so, it would become easier for Abreu to get to pitches in different parts of the zone. His basestealing instincts help his average speed play up as he went 31-for-34 on stolen base attempts in 2022. Despite a fire hydrant frame, Abreu moves well enough to be respectable in center and good in the outfield corners with a solid-average arm.
  
  The Future: The Sox added Abreu to the 40-man roster, seeing him as a potential fourth outfielder with a number of paths to contribute. He should open 2023 in Triple-A.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  August Update: Acquired from the Astros in the Christian Vazquez trade, Abreu has played all over the outfield and is a surprisingly twitchy athlete. He has strong plate discipline and plus raw power but is prone to swing and miss. He&#39s a potential fourth outfielder.
  
  Track Record: Signed out of Venezuela in 2017, Abreu has slowly climbed the Astros minor league ladder impressing in 2021 with improved game power, on-base ability and the defensive chops to handle centerfield. Assigned to Double-A Corpus Christi out of spring training Abreu has once again a showed a jump in game power and on-base skills at Double-A. Scouting Report: After trading contact for power coming out of the 2020 pandemic, Abreu has found a happy medium this season, showing better hat to ball skills allowing him to more consistently access his power in game. He&#39s an extremely patient hitter with a discerning eye at the plate, leading to high walk totals and some strikeouts due to passivity. Overall it&#39s high level swing decisions with above-average game power. He has enough bat-to-ball skills to avoid the three-true-outcome label, but his average will fluctuate due to his flyball heavy approach. Defensively he can handle centerfield and tests highly on the Astros internal athleticism measurements. He has an unusual build as he&#39s a bigger bodied player for centerfield, but he has the ability to hit and provide versatility in the outfield. The Future: A breakout position player over the last two seasons, Abreu has quietly proven he has value on both sides of the ball with the power and on-base ability to develop into a solid average regular at the major league level.