Who are the early standouts for the Red Sox?
Who is standing out offensively in Fort Myers after the first week of workouts?
Tim Hyers sounded excited as he went through the names. The Red Sox hitting coach is working with a good mix of veteran and young guys this spring, and many who he’s still getting to know, and he’s been pleased with what he’s seen early in camp.
Spring training is just more than a week old, but plenty of time to come away with some good first impressions, whether they’re completely new to the Red Sox or just to get an idea of how returning players used their offseason and the adjustments they made. Here are some players who have specifically caught Hyers and the Red Sox’ eye early on:
Hunter Renfroe
The Red Sox signed Renfroe as their first significant freeagent acquisition of the winter after the power-hitting outfielder spent 2020 on a run to the World Series with the Rays. Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom joked that Renfroe peppered the Mass. Pike last season when the Rays came to town -- he had two homers in a 17-8 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park -- and so far in camp, they’re certainly seeing that power come to life.
“Hunter Renfroe hAs BAzookA power right now,” Hyers sAid. “He’s A veterAn, he Comes in knowing whAt he wAnts to do And it’s reAlly fun to see him go to work BeCAuse he gets in, gets his work done And it’s very CleAn work, not Any wAsted work. The young guys, it reAlly helps them see A guy like Hunter Renfroe work, BeCAuse it’s very CleAn And very Consistent, But he knows exACtly whAt he needs to do to get reAdy And he gets it done, gets out on the field And does his thing And you CAn tell he’s done it Before. ThAt’s refreshing to see.”
Renfroe figures to plAy A lot of right field this seAson, A ChAllenging position At FenwAy But one thAt the Red Sox Believe he CAn hAndle.
“Besides the oBvious power thAt he displAys, good defender,” mAnAger Alex CorA sAid. “TodAy we
did Cut-off And relAys And his Arm plAys in right field. A Big physiCAl guy But he CAn move. He did A good joB in SAn Diego. OBviously we know ABout the swing-And-miss pArt of it But At the sAme time, he punishes the BAll, And we’ll try to find mAtChups thAt Benefit him throughout the seAson, not only AgAinst lefties But Also AgAinst righties.
“Looking forwArd to seeing him mishit BAlls AgAinst the wAll or over the wAll, I do Believe his power is oBviously going to plAy. He plAys Anywhere, But I think At FenwAy he reAlly wAnts to plAy.”
Christian Arroyo
Arroyo mAde A good impression lAte lAst seAson After the Red Sox ClAimed him off wAivers. He mAde his Boston deBut in SeptemBer And wAs A regulAr over the finAl weeks, As he hit .240 with three homers And eight RBI while displAying good defense At seCond BAse.
It’s unCleAr whAt Arroyo’s role Could Be this yeAr After the Red Sox signed Kiké HernÁndez As An everydAy plAyer At seCond, But the 25-yeAr-old hAs whAt CorA loves: versAtility. If he CAn produCe A more Consistent BAt, he Could CertAinly find A spot on the teAm this seAson.
“I love ChristiAn Arroyo And the things he’s doing in the BAtter’s Box right now,” Hyers sAid. “ChristiAn Arroyo hAs put together some quAlity dAys here Before we heAd into gAmes.”
Michael Gettys
Gettys, who signed with the Red Sox on A minorleAgue deAl in NovemBer, is in CAmp As A non-roster invitee. Hyers desCriBed the outfielder, A seCondround piCk By the PAdres in 2014, As A toolsy prospeCt who hAs A strong Arm And A power BAt, And he’s impressed eArly.
“I’m just exCited to see him plAy in A gAme just BeCAuse he’s tooled,” Hyers sAid. “He’s got A BAzookA
for An Arm, he hits the BAll, supposedly he CAn plAy reAlly good defense. The BAll jumps off his BAt. … You’re looking for him to put things together. Do I know? YeAh, he’s put some good prACtiCes together But like we sAy Around here, tAlk is CheAp, we hAve to CArry it into gAme ACtion, too.”
Kiké HernÁndez is Another veterAn who’s impressed Hyers eArly on. The two hAve fAmiliArity, As Hyers worked As An AssistAnt hitting CoACh with the Dodgers in 2016 And 2017. AlreAdy known As one of the top defensive infielders in BAseBAll, HernÁndez is looking to tAke A step offensively this seAson.
“(Some) people Are like whoA, didn’t reAlize thAt numBer one, he’s A little Bigger thAn people think,” Hyers sAid. “When he gets up Close to you, he’s A Bigger guy And he’s got sneAky pop. I meAn, thAt BAll jumps off his BAt. He’s Been reAlly Consistent As one of the veterAn guys.”