Red Sox catcher Connor Wong wants to be ‘a little more durable’ heading into the 2025 season
Red Sox catcher Connor Wong looked noticeably different at Fenway Fest on Saturday after he spent this offseason beefing and adding size to his frame.
“If you see Connor, you’d be impressed with how he looks...,” said manager Alex Cora. “He looks strong. Shoulders, big legs, explosive. He’s in a big spot.”
Boston’s athletic catcher, who also played first base and second base last season, has focused on adding weight to his frame. He wants to remain athletic enough to allow him to continue to play other positions while maintaining his speed and athleticism.
“A lot of eating, forcing food, trying to put on as much weight as I can,” Wong said. “Wanting to be a little more physical, a little more durable ... That’s the goal: to see how much weight I can put on and still move the same way I have in the past.”
Wong has been following his offseason individualized plan developed by new catcher instructor Parker Quinn. He is hopeful that his plan will pay off for him over the course of a full 162-game season.
“That was one of the biggest goals for me this offseason, to get better back there,” Wong said. “That has been a huge focus.
“Receiving, blocking, the whole thing, really. We’ve changed some of the setup. It’s felt really good so far. We still have a little bit of time left in the offseason to keep pushing.”
The 28-year-old had a great offensive season for a catcher, hitting .280 with 13 homers, 24 doubles, one triple, 52 RBI, and eight stolen bases while slashing .333/.425/.758. An issue with Wong offensively was his 114 strikeouts to just 28 walks in 447 at-bats, meaning he’s not particularly selective at the dish.
Defensively, Wong was one of the worst framers in the league, ranking 57th out of 59 catchers last season with -7 framing runs. He ranked in the lower percentile for blocks above average at -12, and his pop time was 1.95. Boston’s young pitching staff could benefit from having a catcher with better behind-the-plate metrics.
Wong’s -12 blocks above average ranked toward the bottom with other catchers like the Mets' Francisco Alvarez and the Athletics’ Shea Langeliers.
