FORT MYERS, Fla. — Catcher Connor Wong needs to improve his receiving after struggling in that area throughout 2024. He ranked in the ninth percentile in framing.
Multiple members of the Red Sox organization have noted how Wong worked hard this past offseason, especially on his receiving in the bottom of the zone. Wong made his Grapefruit League debut Saturday here at JetBlue Park.
“We’ll look at the video but it seems like more conviction with the moves,” manager Alex Cora said about Wong’s defense. “He looks more athletic.”
Cora said it’s difficult to measure defensive improvements here in spring training because the Red Sox don’t receive some of the same data on players that they do during the regular season. He said it will be more about the “eye test.”
Cora added that Wong’s next challenge will be throwing down to second base on steal attempts.
“It’s a new (stance). It’s very simple,” Cora said. “So that’s going to be the next challenge and hopefully, he’ll feel comfortable doing it.”
Wong said he gained about 15-20 pounds in the offseason and he’s now in the 200-205 pound range. He said he finished last year at 183-185 pounds. He began last year at about 190-192. So he’s starting this year at least 10 pounds heavier than he did last season.
Asked the value of gaining that much weight, Wong said, “I think just overall strength. We’ll see what happens, right?”
Catching instructor Parker Guinn spent time working with Wong at his home in Houston this offseason. Wong said Guinn made about six or seven visits.
“Just being more athletic,” Cora said. “This guy’s a freak athlete numbers-wise. Between him and Trevor (Story), we don’t know who’s the best athlete. Trevor will say it’s him and Connor will say it’s him. Just be more athletic and the move, be more aggressive.”
Cora said the important thing is Wong gets strike calls on strikes.
“For me, probably others in the organization don’t agree, but for me, it’s more about strikes are strikes. We cannot lose strikes,” Cora said. “I know we can steal strikes. But if we don’t lose strikes, we’re going to be in a good spot. And hopefully we can accomplish that.”
Wong added, “You’ve gotta keep the strikes strikes. That’s first and foremost. And that’s something I’m still learning. I think I didn’t really have a full grasp of it. I don’t think I still do. It’s a learning process. And just trying to be better at that.”
The organization wants Wong to receive pitches better in the bottom of the zone.
“That’s what everyone talks about but from my end, not the organization, we cannot lose strikes,” Cora said. “That’s, for me, the most important thing about the whole concept.”
Red Sox Insider Predicts Boston To Make Prominent Change
There has been a lot of chatter about the Boston Red Sox’s infield configuration over the last few weeks.
It’s a good conversation to have because Boston has a surplus of talent. It’s much better to have more high-end leading to tough decisions rather than too little talent. That arguably was the case over the last few years but Boston is in a completely different spot right now after a fantastic offseason.
Who will be the Red Sox’s starting third baseman to kick off the 2025 Major League Baseball season? This has been widely discussed with both Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman in the mix for the job.
The Red Sox have two of the top third basemen in baseball so obviously it’ll be a tough choice. MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo released his latest roster projection and predicted Devers to be the team’s designated hitter to at least begin the season.
“Designated Hitter (1): DH/3B Rafael Devers,” Cotillo said. “Analysis: Devers will be healthy enough to make the Opening Day roster. The conversation about his position will be incessant until then. When people like Breslow and Cora diplomatically note that “these things tend to work themselves out,” they’re basically saying that Devers will eventually play where they want him to play. If Campbell shows out and claims second base, that spot will be designated hitter.”
It’s a pretty fair prediction. Masataka Yoshida is working his way back to the field and hasn’t appeared in Spring Training games yet. Neither has Devers. We should see both soon. If one of the young guys can shine, this seems like the most likely option at least at this point.
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