Ceddanne Rafaela

Defense is Rafaela's greatest strength as a player. He won the Gold Glove in center field in 2025 while also making 24 appearances (19 starts) at second base, accommodating as the Red Sox made room for others between the outfield and DH. While Rafaela showed improvement with his strikeout rate last season, the quality of the contact was lacking. He took a step forward overall with a season that was propped up by two months in the middle of the campaign, though he was still nine percent worse than league average by wRC+. Severely lacking in terms of OBP, he chips in enough power and speed to clear the low offensive bar provided by his excellent defense at a premium position. The 25-year-old now has his first 15-20 season and nearly did it the year prior, falling one steal shy of 20 in 2024. Expected to focus on center field in 2026, Rafaela offers volume with modest rate stats. Read Past Outlooks