Wilyer Abreu

Wilyer Abreu
Abreu with Venezuela in 2026
Boston Red Sox – No. 52
Right fielder
Born: (1999-06-24) June 24, 1999
Maracaibo, Venezuela
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
August 22, 2023, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
(through 2025 season)
Batting average.256
Home runs39
Runs batted in141
Stats at Baseball Reference 
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Venezuela
World Baseball Classic
2026 Miami Team

Wilyer David Abreu (born June 24, 1999) is a Venezuelan professional baseball right fielder for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023 and won a Gold Glove Award in 2024 and 2025.

Career

Houston Astros

On July 2, 2017, Abreu signed with the Houston Astros as an international free agent.[1] He made his professional debut that year with the Dominican Summer League Astros.[2] Abreu spent the 2018 season with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Astros, playing in 41 games and batting .223/.310/.302 with 16 RBI and eight stolen bases.[3]

Abreu advanced to Single-A in 2019, splitting the year between the Quad Cities River Bandits and the Low-A Tri-City ValleyCats. In 59 appearances for the two affiliates, he hit a combined .255/.326/.365 with two home runs, 13 RBI, and six stolen bases.[4] Abreu did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Abreu returned to action in 2021 with the High-A Asheville Tourists, slashing .268/.363/.495 with 16 home runs, 50 RBI, and 10 stolen bases across 82 appearances.[6] He began the 2022 season with the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks, batting .249/.399/.459 with 15 home runs, 54 RBI, and 23 stolen bases over 89 games.[2]

Boston Red Sox

On August 1, 2022, the Astros traded Abreu and Enmanuel Valdez to the Boston Red Sox for catcher Christian Vázquez.[7] Abreu played 40 games for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, batting .242/.399/.375 with four home runs, 19 RBI, and eight stolen bases. After the regular season, he played for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League and posted a .167/.275/.204 slash line with 18 strikeouts in 54 at-bats.[2] On November 15, the Red Sox added Abreu to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[8]

In a spring training game in early March 2023, Abreu suffered a left hamstring strain while running out a base hit against the Miami Marlins, following which Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he “will be out for a while.”[9] On March 11, he was optioned to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox. On August 22, Abreu was promoted to the major leagues for the first time following an injury to Jarren Duran.[10] Abreu made his major-league debut that evening, in a game against the Astros, and recorded his first MLB hit.[11] In late August, he spent time on the paternity list.[12] Overall, Abreu appeared in 28 major-league games, batting .316 with two home runs and 14 RBI.[13] In 86 Triple-A games with Worcester, he batted .274 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs.[2] He was also named to the post-season Triple-A all-star team.[14]

Abreu spent the 2024 season with Boston, appearing in 132 games including 106 starts in right field.[13] He batted .253 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI.[13] Abreu was named the Fielding Bible Award winner among major-league right fielders[15] and the Gold Glove Award winner at that position for the American League (AL).[16]

Abreu hit two home runs on Opening Day in 2025, against the Texas Rangers.[17] He was the seventh player in Red Sox history to record a two-homer game on Opening Day.[18] Abreu hit two home runs on June 30 against the Cincinnati Reds. His first home run was an inside-the-park home run, and the second was a grand slam, the first of his career. He was the sixth player to hit an inside-the-park home run and a grand slam (separately) in a game, the first since Roger Maris in 1958.[19] In 2025, Abreu played in 115 games, including 95 starts in right field[13] He batted .247 with 22 home runs and 69 RBI.[13] On November 2, Abreu won the Gold Glove for AL right fielders.[20]

International career

Abreu played for the Venezuela national team in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He hit a go-ahead three-run home run in a quarterfinal win over Japan.[21] He also hit a home run in the finals against the United States en route to the WBC championship.[22]

Personal life

Abreu is married.[23] The couple's first child was born in August 2023.[12][24] During spring training in 2025, his wife had twins.[25]

References

  1. ^ Smith, Christopher (August 17, 2022). "Boston Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu (from Christian Vázquez trade) swings to 'do damage' and serves as his own barber". masslive. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "Wilyer Abroad Winter, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  3. ^ "Wilyer Abreu Stats & Scouting Report". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  4. ^ "Wilyer Abreu - Stats - Batting". fangraphs.com. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  5. ^ Adler, David (June 30, 2020). "2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled". MLB.com. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  6. ^ "Wilyer Abreu - Baseball Statistics". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved December 29, 2025.
  7. ^ Smith, Christopher (August 2, 2022). "Boston Red Sox trade: Who are prospects Enmanuel Valdez, Wilyer Abreu from Christian Vázquez deal?". masslive. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  8. ^ Browne, Ian (November 16, 2022). "Red Sox add five players to 40-man roster". MLB.com. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  9. ^ "Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu: Leaves with hamstring strain". CBS Sports. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  10. ^ Ryan, Conor (August 22, 2023). "Red Sox injuries: Jarren Duran placed on 10-day IL; Tanner Houck to make first start since June 16". Boston.com. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  11. ^ "Wilyer Abreu's first career hit". MLB.com. August 22, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2023 – via Yahoo! Sports.
  12. ^ a b "Red Sox Announce Roster Moves". MLB.com (Press release). Boston Red Sox. August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Wilyer Abreu stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  14. ^ Stiefel, Keagan (October 4, 2023). "Red Sox Rookie Named To Post-Season All-Star Team". NESN. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  15. ^ Simon, Mark (October 24, 2024). "2024 Fielding Bible Award Winners". sportsinfosolutions.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  16. ^ "14 first-timers highlight 2024 Gold Glove winners". MLB.com. November 3, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  17. ^ "Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu dedicates 2-HR game to his newborn twins". ESPN.com. Associated Press. March 28, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  18. ^ Browne, Ian (March 28, 2025). "Abreu honors twin sons, powers Sox with pair of HRs on Opening Day". MLB.com. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  19. ^ Browne, Ian (June 30, 2025). "Abreu joins Maris with inside-the-park HR, slam in same game". MLB.com. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  20. ^ Browne, Ian (November 2, 2025). "Abreu, Rafaela earn Gold Glove nods for outfield magic in '25". MLB.com. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
  21. ^ Thames, Alanis (March 15, 2026). "Abreu's 3-run homer sends Venezuela to its first WBC semifinal in 17 years". AP News. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  22. ^ Castrovince, Anthony. "Venezuela wins 2026 World Baseball Classic". MLB. Retrieved March 18, 2026.
  23. ^ Cassell, Tommy (June 24, 2023). "WooSox player makes biggest swing of his life in gender reveal at Polar Park". Telegram and Gazette. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  24. ^ Cassell, Tommy (August 29, 2023). "A baby, an engagement and a promotion: They all took place on a busy off-day for the WooSox". Telegram and Gazette. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
  25. ^ McAdam, Sean (March 17, 2025). "Red Sox OF is proud father of newborn twins, but already back to work". MassLive. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
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