Perhaps no other player for the Boston Red Sox has improved as much as Ceddanne Rafaela during the 2025 season.
The 24-year-old finished his 2024 rookie campaign with 15 home runs, 75 RBIs and 19 steals, but also 10 times caught stealing, a rough 151 to 15 strikeout to walk ratio and a meager .246/.274/.390 slash line. Rafaela also committed 12 errors last season while primarily splitting time between centerfield and shortstop.
The versatile youngster has already matched his home run and stolen bases totals from 2024 with just five times being caught stealing, an improved .248/.293/.420 triple slash and has recorded 96 strikeouts against 22 walks as well.
There’s still room for growth in Rafaela’s game, but he’s already become one of the elite defensive centerfielders in the game, while still showcasing his value at second base with 23 games at that post.
Chad Jennings of The Athletic said on Tuesday that Curacao native “feels like a Gold Glove shoo-in” this year.
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“The Red Sox are loaded with guys who could end up as runners-up. Garrett Crochet (Cy Young), Roman Anthony (Rookie of the Year) and Alex Bregman (Silver Slugger) are having award-caliber seasons in categories in which someone else is the favorite. Even Aroldis Chapman, who probably is the favorite for Reliever of the Year, has Bryan Abreu of the Astros as a viable alternative,” he wrote. “Rafaela, though, feels like a Gold Glove shoo-in either as a center fielder or as a utility man (he’s not as good at second base, but the fact he can play there has been helpful for the Red Sox).”
Rafaela is among the league leaders in a host of defensive categories this season. He’s tied for the MLB lead in assists as a centerfielder (seven) and is tied for fourth in MLB in defensive wins above replacement (WAR) with 2.0.
Rafaela has cut down on his miscues as well, committing eight errors thus far but only five in the outfield.
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Along with Jarren Duran and the injured Wilyer Abreu, the Red Sox have had one of the best defensive outfields in baseball in 2025.
