On some level, Connor Wong has spent the past two years looking over his shoulder. Still a young player trying to prove himself in big leagues, the Red Sox catcher has also had to contend with the reality that the club was grooming his potential successor.

Then last month the Red Sox traded top catching prospect Kyle Teel as part of the Garrett Crochet blockbuster, leaving Wong as the clear-cut No. 1 guy in the organization’s catching hierarchy.

With his primary long-term competition gone, Wong now has the opportunity to establish himself as not just the Red Sox’s starter for 2025, but as its catcher of the future. And while he told reporters his mindset hasn’t changed since the trade, he did acknowledge the move felt like a vote of confidence.

“I think a little bit, but at the same time I still have goals I wanted to accomplish this offseason to make myself a better ballplayer whether he was going to be with us or not,” Wong said.

Recognizing the opportunity before him, Wong has spent the offseason working to transform his body in order to better perform over the long grind of an MLB season. Officially listed as 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Wong does not possess a traditional catcher’s build, so he’s made a point to bulk up just enough that he won’t sacrifice the athleticism that sets him apart.

“I wanted to be a little more physical, a little more durable,” Wong said. “See how much weight I can put on and still move the same way I have in the past.”

Wong has already gotten impressive results, and manager Alex Cora said Wong had caught his attention when he saw him this past week. But elevating his body won’t be enough, Wong knows he needs to elevate his game as well.

Last season Wong turned in a successful season at the plate. He batted .280 with 13 home runs, 52 RBI and a .758 OPS, and his 110 OPS+ — which translates to 10% above league average offensive production — ranked ninth in MLB among those who played at least half of their games at catcher and recorded at least 300 plate appearances.

But defensively Wong needs a lot of work. According to Statcast, Wong’s fielding run value of minus-13 was tied for second-worst in MLB behind only Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos. He’s also listed as 3rd percentile in blocks above average and 9th percentile in framing, putting him near the bottom of the league in each of those categories.

“Receiving, blocking, the whole thing really,” Wong said when asked what aspects of his game he’s focused on. “We’ve changed some of the setup and it’s felt really good so far, still have a little time left in the offseason to keep pushing.”

In part to help give Wong the best chance to succeed, the Red Sox also brought in new catching instructor Parker Guinn this offseason as part of a larger staff shakeup. Guinn’s presence will allow Jason Varitek to focus primarily on game planning, and Wong said Guinn’s coaching has already made a difference.

“I think it’s a different set of eyes, different terminology, I think it’s the same thing I’ve just been able to understand his verbiage a little better and the ideas,” Wong said. “In the past everyone’s wanted me to get to this point, but with him I’ve really taken to it well.”

Now he and the Red Sox hope all this offseason’s work will pay off in the form of a breakthrough year, one that answers the question of who Boston’s catcher should be through the remainder of the decade.

New backup earns high marks

With Teel gone and Danny Jansen now playing in Tampa Bay, the Red Sox traded for New York Yankees prospect Carlos Narvaez to shore up their depth at catcher behind Wong. Despite having appeared in just six MLB games, Narvaez looks like the favorite to enter 2025 as Boston’s backup.

“Physical, strong kid, good athlete, good framer, I talked to (Yankees manager Aaron Boone) about him and he likes him as a person,” Cora said. “He did an outstanding job in Venezuela defensively so it’ll be good for him to get at bats, and we’ll see.”

Cora said Seby Zavala, a five-year MLB veteran who signed with the Red Sox on a minor league deal this offseason, will also be in the mix at catcher. To this point the club hasn’t made any other additions at the position this winter.