4 Red Sox players who will pleasantly surprise Boston fans in 2024

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The buzz surrounding the Boston Red Sox offseason has been overwhelmingly negative. Regardless of the talent the front office leaves on the market or the trades that didn't get made, the players on the team are still doing all they can to put out the best possible product for Red Sox Nation.

Boston may not compete for a playoff spot this season, but there are talented players on the roster looking to make their mark in a big way. From rookies to veteran sluggers to relievers in the starting rotation, a lot of Sox players have something to prove this year.

Every season has its bright spots. Sox fans everywhere saw Triston Casas' transformation and offensive impact last year, and his transition into a leader in the clubhouse is already happening. A lot of players have the potential to "Casas" themselves this year — a new season is another chance to make an impression. Some have had multiple seasons of work and haven't met expectations while others are brand new.

Boston fans are demanding. A few of these players have felt the eyes of Red Sox Nation burning into them before, and getting on the fans' and management's good side could be a must for them if they want to keep their spot on the roster. Here are some players we think will prove their worth this season.

4 Red Sox who will pleasantly surprise Boston fans in 2024

OF Masataka Yoshida

Masataka Yoshida arrived from Japan last season with the weight of the world's expectations on his shoulders — literally. Baseball fans across the globe saw Yoshida perform in the World Baseball Classic, and his showing was definitely noteworthy. The 30-year-old set a record for the most RBI in a single WBC tournament and blasted a three-run homer to send his team to the championship game, which he helped team Japan take from the United States.

Yoshida started slow in a Red Sox uniform and his offensive production stalled at the end of the season, too. But he still hit .289/.338/.445 and struck out less frequently than most, if not all of the other players on the roster. Baseball Savant ranks Yoshida in the 93rd percentile in K percentage, making him one of the better sets of eyes in the league.

There were a lot of barriers to Yoshida's production last year that don't exist or are not as prevalent this year. He entered the season tired from playing in the WBC and he's had a season of work at Fenway to get used to the Green Monster. And after hearing of the Sox's efforts to trade him this offseason, Yoshida has a lot to prove.

Get ready. He could come out swinging in his WBC form.

OF Wilyer Abreu

Wilyer Abreu is one of the prospects the Red Sox have held in high regard over the past few seasons. Young players acquired during Chaim Bloom's tenure as chief baseball officer are finally making it to the majors, and in the few big-league games he played last year, Abreu enjoyed success.

Abreu's offensive production in the minors earned him a call-up to the big leagues late last season. He batted .274/.391/.539, with August being his best month, during which he hit .424. In his 28 games with the Red Sox, Abreu logged a .316/.388/.474 line with a five-hit game against the Orioles.

The 24-year-old's defensive potential is up in the air. His defense is known to be of a lesser quality than his bat, but Baseball Savant ranks Abreu's arm strength in the 97th percentile. While he may mishandle a few plays, he can still make outs with a cannon of that strength.

Abreu possesses the quality that the Red Sox need most: the ability to get on base. The Venezuelan can hit and he walks frequently, a winning combination for quality offense. Chairman Tom Werner said he expects Abreu to get 400 at-bats this season, and Red Sox Nation should be excited to see them.

SS Trevor Story

The Red Sox signed Trevor Story to serve as Xander Bogaerts' replacement at shortstop. So far, he's struggled to meet the demands of the position.

No one is denying Story's defensive capabilities. He played just 43 games for Boston last season but managed to log eight defensive runs saved. His offense has left room for improvement. In 2023, he hit just .203/.250/.316, but the biggest issue, by far, was that Story just couldn't manage to stay off the injured list.

The Red Sox are confident that this year will be different for the veteran. He's been putting in work all offseason, which included hosting an infield camp for his fellow Sox players, during which the participants worked on their game.

Story's work in the cages has been showing through, according to Boston's coaching staff. The Sox's hitting coach, Pete Fatse, went as far to call the shortstop "explosive." Story claims he feels a difference in his swing from his chronically injured early days in Boston.

A new era of Story could be coming — not just on the field, but as a leader in the clubhouse as well.

RHP Lucas Giolito

Signing Lucas Giolito has been the Red Sox's biggest move of the offseason so far, and since Spring Training is just days away, it looks like it's going to stay that way. But when Giolito signed, he made his intentions very clear: he wants to prove himself.

The Red Sox pursued Giolito aggressively during free agency because they saw his potential. His last two seasons have been unimpressive. In 2022 he pitched to a 4.90 ERA and in 2023 it only came in slightly better at 4.88. Giolito led the American League in starts last season, but he also led the league in home runs allowed after he let up a staggering 41 long balls.

But he has the potential to throw well, and he showed it with the White Sox. Giolito earned Cy Young votes in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Lucas Giolito posted a 2.92 ERA in 6 starts against the AL East last season.

37.0 IP, 12 ER, 37 K, 9 BB, 5 HR

vs. BOS – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H
at NYY – 6.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H
vs. TB – 6.2 IP, 2 R, 8 H
at TB – 7.0 IP, 4 R, 5 H
vs. TOR – 6.0 IP, 2 R, 4 H
at TOR – 5.1 IP, 3 R, 6 H
— J.P. Long (@SoxNotes) January 4, 2024

Giolito has acknowledged that he accepted the Sox's offer with the hopes of increasing his value in Boston. He admitted that he hopes to find his way back to free agency in better shape than he found himself in this go-round, and that new pitching coach Andrew Bailey and the Red Sox organization could help him do just that.

The right-hander has self-imposed "prove it" expectations on himself as well as the demands of Red Sox fans that he would surely like to meet. Hopefully, they'll be enough to get him back to his 2019 form.