Christian Vázquez   Catcher

       
 
Born: August 21, 1990
Birthplace: Bayamon, PR
Height: 509
Weight: 205
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
   
Drafted: 9th round, 2008 by BOS
How Acquired: Draft
High School: Puerto Rico Baseball Academy
   

Photo © Kelly O'Connor
Christian Vazquez photos by Kelly O'Connor

Pronunciation: VAHZ-kehz
First Pro Contract: June 12, 2008 (BOS)
Signing Scout: Edgar Perez
Signing Bonus: $80,000
   
Pro Debut: June 25, 2008 (GCL)
MLB Debut: July 9, 2014 (BOS)
   
Twitter: -
Instagram: @1990colo


Traded to Houston for Enmanuel Valdez and Wilyer Abreu (Aug. 2022)
 
 
 
 
 
     
  Scouting Report & Links      
         
  Physical Description: Short, stocky build. Strong catcher's frame. Thick lower half with strong core. Limited physical projection remaining. Surprisingly agile for someone with his build.  

Hit: Short, compact swing. Simple swing mechanics. Average bat speed. Has worked to quicken swing load. Extends on offerings middle-to-away well. Can get tied up by higher velocity fastballs on inner third. Can be fooled by sharp breaking balls. Rarely strikes out, contact oriented approach. Potential average hit tool.  

Power: Below-average power potential. Capable of driving balls into the gap hard. Will show occasional over-the-fence power, but projects to hit 10-14 home runs a year in his peak.  

Run: Below-average speed. Not a part of his game.  

Field: Potential plus-plus defender. Excellent receiving and pitch-framing skills. Has struggled in the past blocking balls in the dirt, but has made strides controlling his body to front offerings. Knows how to take control of the game form the catcher's position. Game calling still needs some work, but has improved considerably.

Arm: Quick release, plus-to-better arm. Consistently timed quicker than 1.85 seconds on throws to second base. Quick feet. Smooth footwork when popping out of the crouch. Can get over-aggressive with his throws, attempting to backpick runners and make ill-advised throws.
  Career Notes: Participated in the 2014 Futures Game. Had Tommy John surgery shortly before the 2015 season. Early in his career, saw time in the infield in deference to other catchers ahead of him on the depth chart. Agreed to a three-year contract extension with the team in March 2018. World Series champion in 2018. Played first base and designated hitter in winter ball in 2021 in Puerto Rico during the MLB lockout to get extra at-bats. World Series champion with the Astros in 2022.

Summation: Potential to be one of the best defensive catchers in baseball who can also add enough value with his bat. Has the arm to shut down the running game. Receiving and framing will also add significant value. Gold Glove-caliber defender. Student of the game, really works hard at his craft. Potential to hit .260 with 10+ home runs a year in his peak

Links
2012 Prospect Preview
Vazquez' arm, bat helps Salem in comeback
(7.18.12)
2013 Prospect Preview

Vazquez's new focus at the plate paying off (5.15.13)
Scouting Scratch: Portland notebook (7.31.13)
2013 Top 40 Season in Review
The Write-Up: Cecchini & Vazquez (4.17.14)
The Write-Up: Notes from McCoy (6.25.14)
2014 Graduates Season in Review
 
   
     
    Hitting Stats                                          
  year team lg level org age g ab r h 2b 3b hr rbi tb bb so sb cs avg obp slg ops
2008 GCL Red Sox GCL Rk Bos 17 21 58 7 11 1 0 0 5 12 6 17 0 0 0.190 0.266 0.207 0.473
  2009 GCL Red Sox GCL Rk Bos 18 10 36 5 10 5 0 0 7 15 4 7 0 0 0.278 0.366 0.417 0.783
  2009 Lowell NYPL A- Bos 18 21 65 4 8 2 0 2 9 16 11 16 0 0 0.123 0.250 0.246 0.496
  2010 Greenville SAL A Bos 19 79 270 34 71 11 0 3 32 91 23 62 3 1 0.263 0.328 0.337 0.665
  2011 Greenville SAL A Bos 20 105 392 71 111 27 3 18 84 198 43 84 1 1 0.283 0.358 0.505 0.863
  2011 Mayagüez PRWL Wint --- 20 3 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
  2012 Salem Car A+ Bos 21 81 293 42 78 17 0 7 41 116 40 70 2 2 0.266 0.360 0.396 0.756
  2012 Portland East AA Bos 21 20 73 11 15 4 0 0 5 19 8 9 0 0 0.205 0.280 0.260 0.541
2012 Surprise AFL Fall Bos 21 10 35 4 9 3 0 1 3 15 8 9 0 1 0.257 0.395 0.429 0.824
  2012 Manati LBPRC Wint Bos 21 9 24 5 7 2 1 1 3 14 3 7 0 0 0.292 0.393 0.583 0.976
  2013 Portland East AA Bos 22 96 342 48 99 19 1 5 48 135 47 44 7 5 0.289 0.376 0.395 0.771
  2013 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 22 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.000 0.250 0.000 0.250
  2013 Santurce LBPRC Wint   22 33 102 os4 21 8 0 0 9 29 16 17 0 1 0.206 0.319 0.284 0.604
  2014 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 23 66 244 35 68 17 0 3 20 94 21 52 0 1 0.279 0.336 0.385 0.721
  2014 Boston AL MLB Bos 23 55 175 15 42 9 0 1 20 54 19 33 0 0 0.240 0.308 0.309 0.617
  2014 San Juan LBPRC Wint Bos 23 33 111 7 32 6 0 1 12 41 10 22 2 1 0.288 0.365 0.369 0.734
  2015 DNP - Injured --- --- Bos 24 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
  2015 Mayagüez LBPRC Wint Bos 24 4 15 0 3 1 0 0 1 4 0 3 0 0 0.200 0.200 0.267 0.467
2015 Santurce LBPRC Wint Bos 24 25 93 10 26 5 1 0 11 33 5 13 0 1 0.280 0.317 0.355 0.672
  2016 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 25 42 152 19 41 9 0 2 16 56 15 31 2 0 0.270 0.345 0.368 0.713
  2016 Boston AL MLB Bos 25 57 172 21 39 9 1 1 12 53 10 39 0 0 0.227 0.276 0.308 0.584
  2016 Santurce LBPRC Wint Bos 25 28 97 12 23 2 0 2 6 31 13 12 2 1 0.237 0.333 0.320 0.653
  2017 Boston AL MLB Bos 26 99 324 43 94 18 2 5 32 131 17 64 7 2 0.290 0.330 0.404 0.735
  2018 Portland East AA Bos 27 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0.500 0.333 0.500 0.833
  2018 Pawtucket IL AAA Bos 27 3 11 1 3 0 0 0 1 3 1 1 0 0 0.273 0.333 0.273 0.606
  2018 Boston AL MLB Bos 27 80 251 24 52 10 0 3 16 71 13 41 4 1 0.207 0.257 0.283 0.540
  2019 Boston AL MLB Bos 28 138 482 66 133 26 1 23 72 230 33 101 4 2 0.276 0.320 0.477 0.798
  2020 Boston AL MLB Bos 29 47 173 22 49 9 0 7 23 79 16 43 4 3 0.283 0.344 0.457 0.801
  2021 Boston AL MLB Bos 30 138 458 51 118 23 1 6 49 161 33 84 8 4 0.258 0.308 0.352 0.659
  2021 Santurce LBPRC Wint Bos 30 8 31 3 5 2 0 1 2 10 2 4 0 0 0.161 0.212 0.323 0.535
  2022 Boston AL MLB Bos 31 84 294 33 83 20 0 8 42 127 18 51 1 2 0.282 0.327 0.432 0.759
  2022 Houston AL MLB Hou 32 35 104 8 26 3 0 1 10 32 4 18 0 2 0.250 0.278 0.308 0.585
  2023 Minnesota AL MLB Min 33 102 327 34 73 13 0 6 32 104 25 82 1 0 0.223 0.280 0.318 0.598
  2024 Minnesota AL MLB Min 34 93 294 29 65 10 0 7 27 96 11 65 3 1 0.221 0.248 0.327 0.575
   
     
  Advanced Stats & Splits
   
     
  Awards   SoxProspects.com Awards  
  2010 Fall Instructional League Red Sox Top Catcher
South Atlantic League Player of the Week (June 20-26, 2011)
South Atlantic League Player of the Week (August 29 - September 5, 2011)
Red Sox ML Defensive Player of the Month (July 2011)
2011 Red Sox ML Defensive Player of the Year
Red Sox ML Defensive Player of the Month (June 2012)
2012 Carolina League Post-Season All-Star
Red Sox ML Defensive Player of the Month (April 2013)
2013 Eastern League All-Star
2014 International League All-Star
2014 Futures Game All-Star
  SoxProspects.com Player of the Week (June 20-26, 2011)
SoxProspects.com Player of the Week (August 29 - September 5, 2011)
2013 SoxProspects.com All-Star - C
 
   

   
     
 
 
 
     
 
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