Wilyer Abreu has been one of many prime rookies in baseball this season. Together with taking part in above-average protection in proper subject, the 24-year-old Boston Crimson Sox outfielder has logged a 155 wRC+ whereas slashing .316/.396/.519 over 91 plate appearances. His 1.1 WAR ranks second amongst rookie place gamers, behind Baltimore’s Colton Cowser. Granted, lower than a month’s value of video games is hardly sufficient time to know if he’ll maintain this up, however Abreu’s sturdy begin is encouraging nonetheless.
He equally impressed final 12 months in a 28-game cameo. Debuting in late August, Abreu went 24-for-76 (.316) with two house runs, the very same numbers he had this April. There’s juice in his bat. Eric Longenhagen wrote final summer time that Abreu “has above-average uncooked energy,” and the teen’s manufacturing has backed up that prose. By the point of his call-up, Abreu had gone yard 22 instances, with a 135 wRC+, at Triple-A Worcester.
His path to the large leagues included greater than your typical climb up the minor league ladder. The Crimson Sox acquired Abreu from the Houston Astros, together with Enmanuel Valdez, within the commerce for Christian Vázquez on August 1, 2022 — however that’s additionally solely a part of the story. The Maracaibo, Venezuela native had supposed to signal with Boston in 2016, however the Crimson Sox had been locked out of the worldwide newbie market in 2016-17 as punishment for violating international-signing rules. Abreu subsequently signed with the Astros in 2017; he waited an additional 12 months to signal as a result of he was advised he’d get a greater supply if he did.
He’s advanced as a hitter since inking his first skilled contract.
“I’ve modified loads,” Abreu advised me just lately via translator Carlos Villoria-Benítez. “Perhaps the swing is just like again then, however the posture and the stance have modified all through the years. 12 months to 12 months, I used to be making changes, searching for the right place, right stance, that was most snug.”
Not surprisingly, analytics and expertise had been concerned within the course of.
“In Houston, I labored principally with Blast Movement,” Abreu. mentioned. “I noticed the metrics, however I left it to the workforce to know them and provides me suggestions on what I wanted to do to develop into a greater participant.”
The first adjustment was the period of time Abreu was preserving his bat via the hitting zone. Quite than having it go out and in too rapidly, he wanted for it to “keep on the identical airplane,” thus necessitating some mechanical tweaks.
“We targeted on tips on how to rotate my physique with out going ahead to the ball,” he mentioned. “It was about making an attempt to remain on my again leg and getting my physique in a greater place to the place the bat stayed within the zone longer. It was about staying closed and never over-rotating, and pulling away from the ball.”
That Abreu’s first full season within the Crimson Sox system was each statistically his finest as knowledgeable, and culminated in a giant league call-up, was aided by one other adjustment. It was two-fold, with the identical objective in thoughts.
“One of many issues we labored on after I received right here was my hand place,” Abreu mentioned. “Additionally my stance, I believe my stance was slightly bit too open. They’d me shut it slightly bit in order that my fingers are nearer to the firing place.”
The aim of this adjustment was to chop down on the motion in his swing earlier than he assaults the baseball. That brings us to what he feels is the important thing to his having success on the dish.
“An important factor for me is to be on time,” Abreu mentioned. “Loading early, getting my heels to the bottom to have my rotational energy there when the pitch comes, is essential. For me, timing is the whole lot. If I’m on time, I’m going to hit the ball exhausting.”
Per Statcast, Abreu’s common exit velocity this 12 months ranks within the 76th percentile at 91 mph. Furthermore, his most exit velocity has been 114.4 mph — the very best amongst certified rookies. Wilyer Abreu can affect a baseball.