Red Sox’s Ceddanne Rafaela Ranked Among MLB’s Top Defenders

Boston Red Sox pitchers will love having Ceddanne Rafaela patrol Fenway Park’s outfield for the foreseeable future.

Rafaela won a Gold Glove Award in his second full season, leading all center fielders with 20 defensive runs saved (DRS) despite shifting to second base during the summer. The 25-year-old’s glove work received more recognition from an MLB.com analyst.

Mike Petriello ranked his top-10 defensive players in all of baseball for MLB Network’s “MLB Now.” Rafaela placed third, sandwiched between fellow center fielders Pete Crow-Armstrong and Denzel Clark.

“You can probably order those guys any single way that you want,” Petriello said of the three outfielders.

Petriello gave his No. 1 spot to San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey, who won his second consecutive Gold Glove in 2025. Third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes rounded out the top five, followed by Bobby Witt Jr., Alejandro Kirk, Jacob Young, rumored Red Sox trade target Nico Hoerner and Steven Kwan.

Rafaela has quickly earned a reputation as an elite fielder. Petriello gave a slight nod to Crow-Armstrong, but the Chicago Cubs star called Rafaela “the best in the game” when endorsing his peer as a deserving winner for the American League’s Platinum Gold Award, which went to Witt.

That should motivate Boston to keep Rafaela at center field, especially since he also struggled at the plate after moving to second base. He can take the next step by displaying more consistency at the plate.

Rafaela was one of MLB’s hottest hitters when batting .285 with 11 home runs in June and July, but he couldn’t maintain that breakout with a .622 OPS over the following 52 games. His glove nevertheless makes Rafaela an essential piece of Boston’s puzzle in 2026.