Adonys Guzman plans to 'impact games behind the plate' for Greenville

The Red Sox added a catching prospect this offseason who grew up a diehard Yankees fan. Thirty years after Manny Ramirez, Adonys Guzman was born and raised in the Bronx, right down the road from where Ramirez went to high school. Both ended up in the sworn enemy’s uniform.

Guzman was traded to the Red Sox this offseason alongside Johan Oviedo and Tyler Samaniego. The trade came just six months after he was selected in the MLB Draft by Pittsburgh.

"I didn’t really expect it going into it," Guzman said of the trade. "I had just been drafted. I didn’t even know you could get traded that quickly, honestly. But it was a huge blessing. I’m with the new team and I get to play baseball every day. I am meeting new people almost every day. I also have some old teammates here that I played with in college. There is a great culture here and a great environment. I am loving the Red Sox so far."

The University of Arizona product got down to Fort Myers as soon as he could in the first week of January to prep for his first spring training as a professional. "It has been all about learning," Guzman said of his time at the complex. "Just watching the big leaguers work and go about things was eye opening when they were down here. Everything they did was precise and on point. I knew that is what it looked like to be a professional. I was learning as much as I could every single week. Last year, I only got to play in one game in Low-A Bradenton. I just have been learning how it works and what being a pro is all about."

The one game in Low-A is all Guzman has under his belt entering the 2026 season in which he was assigned to Greenville. Red Sox fans will get their first look at Guzman as he will take the field for the Drive this weekend, but what kind of things has he been working on since joining the organization?

"It has been simplifying things on the defensive side," Guzman noted. "I have been working on cleaning up some attack angles. I want to be a little more consistent at the bottom of the zone and have cleaner moves and paths. I am trying to perfect that craft and be as consistent as possible with that. On the offensive side of things, it is all about understanding the kind of hitter I am. I need to understand what I can be and what I can do at the plate. I have been trying some new things out on that end while still keeping my main focus, which is putting the bat on the ball. I don’t like to strike out much, but I am trying to add a little more power. It feels like I am trying new things on a daily basis and trying to see what clicks and what works. I feel like I have learned so much since joining the organization."

As far as the offensive side of his game, as Guzman showed off more of his plate approach during his last season in college.

"I am a guy who puts the bat on the ball," Guzman said. "I like to make contact, but I also feel like I can drive the ball pretty well gap-to-gap for some power. We are working on getting a little more ball flight. That is something I improved a lot on in my later years at Arizona. I think I am a guy who could be useful if I strike out less than twenty-five, thirty percent of the time. I pride myself in my plate discipline.  Overall, I am going to put the ball in play, not strike out much, and will still hit doubles and home runs."

Guzman started two games for Greenville during opening weekend and went 1 for 6 with three walks and two strikeouts. Two games is a very small sample size, so what will we see from the 22-year-old throughout the season?

"I think my defense is a very strong attribute of mine," Guzman said. "I think I am a really good hitter too, but I think I can impact games from the defensive end more than some people can. I have a really good arm behind the plate. I like to try to make things happen as a catcher. I will do the best I can with the receiving part because I have a really good arm. I can block pretty well behind the plate too and you will be seeing that over the season."