Why Ceddanne Rafaela Isn’t Leaving Center Field Anytime Soon

The Boston Red Sox are in no rush to shift Ceddanne Rafaela out of center field — and for good reason.

While moving him to the infield could help open a spot for others, such as top prospect Roman Anthony, Boston sees Rafaela’s glove as one of the most valuable defensive assets in the game.

Manager Alex Cora continues to lean on Rafaela as a stabilizing force in center, where Statcast rates him among the league’s very best. His elite jumps, instincts and range have made him nearly irreplaceable in a crowded outfield that also features Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Rob Refsnyder. Not to mention outside pressure about a certain aforementioned and highly praised prospect currently manning the outfield in Worcester.

“I’m happy that I’m playing every day center field,” Rafaela told The Athletic’s Chad Jennings. “It’s helping my body, too.”

Rafaela’s path to everyday duties began with a standout transition from the infield to the outfield during his High-A days. What was once solid shortstop defense quickly became elite-level center field play.

Even when Trevor Story’s injury forced Rafaela back to shortstop last season, the results weren’t the same — he posted minus-7 Outs Above Average. Boston believes he’d improve with more reps, but the tradeoff would likely reduce his overall value and potentially stall his development at the plate.

Though Rafaela owns a below-average 91 wRC+, wading into the data shows reason for optimism. He’s trimmed his strikeout rate, increased his hard contact, and his expected slugging far outpaces what’s showing up in the box score. Cora recently compared his progress to Mookie Betts’ early years, pointing to a need for Rafaela to pull the ball more consistently.

Jennings also notes that Rafaela currently holds the third-best fWAR among AL center fielders and is producing top-tier base running numbers. With only a few center fielders reaching 4 WAR last season, Boston sees Rafaela’s all-around contributions — not just his glove — as worth building around, not reassigning.