How has the Red Sox' Ceddanne Rafaela become one of the best defensive outfielders in all of baseball?

Boston Globe

24-07-2025

Related
:
'I was taught to do it that way coming up,' Rafaela said. 'So that's just how I've always done it.'
The result is a pre-pitch approach that is highly unconventional for an outfielder, but is the foundation of Rafaela's elite defense. Per MLB's Statcast, Rafaela's 13 Outs Above Average leads all American League center fielders and is tied for sixth among all position players, making him a candidate to win a Gold Glove in his second full big league season.
Get Starting Point
A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday.
Enter Email
Sign Up
'He's an infielder at heart,' said Kyle Hudson, the Red Sox' third base coach and outfield instructor. 'Guys that go from the infield to the outfield, they have the ability to react quicker. And he's taken those instincts and those reactions to the outfield, and you're seeing it translate to probably the best jumps in the game right now.'
Advertisement
Hudson attributes Rafaela's standout defense to a mix of elite physical traits, including agility, acceleration, and anticipation. Those attributes all factor into Rafaela's biggest differentiator, which is his reaction time the split-second after the batter makes contact.
Advertisement
Advanced metrics affirm the eye test: Rafaela's 'outfielder jump' is measured at 5.6 feet above average, according to Statcast. That would be the best mark by an outfielder since MLB began tracking jumps in 2016.
'It all starts with my preparation,' Rafaela said. 'I prepare each pitch, before the game, during [batting practice] for that … I always expect the ball to come to me.'
Outfielders are commonly taught to keep their weight balanced on the balls of their feet as the pitch comes in, so they can break in any direction upon reading the ball off the bat. On the contrary, Rafaela's mechanics require him to commit to a direction sooner, but also enable him to reach full speed sooner. Then, he uses his agility and instincts to change angles while already in motion.
Related
:
The result is evident in Rafaela's 'burst' ― defined as feet covered by an outfielder between the first 1.6-3 seconds after contact ― which is 3.2 feet above average, according to Statcast. The mark would be MLB's highest since 2021.
'I would never teach a guy to take a pre-pitch like he does,' said Hudson. 'But obviously I didn't want to change it because of his ability to react.'
Because Rafaela starts moving so early, he takes a less direct path to the catch point ― Statcast grades his route efficiency as the league's seventh worst. But since he's moving at full speed by the time he adjusts, Rafaela easily makes up the ground.
'By the second step, I know where the ball is going to be,' Rafaela said.
Advertisement
Sacrificing route efficiency for first-step quickness is a tradeoff Hudson embraces, especially when paired with excellent ball-tracking skills. That paradox was similarly true of former Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., who had the league's worst route efficiency in 2018, when he won the American League Gold Glove.
'What we found [with] outfielders are the elite ones have quick reactions, and then they're able to adjust on the fly and then adjust in the route. And [Rafaela] does that probably better than anybody,' Hudson said. 'The body awareness that he has, his ability to adjust, his ability to finish the play, is probably better than anybody I've seen.'
In any pre-pitch setup, Hudson said it's critical to maintain consistency on each pitch, which requires discipline over the course of a game, let alone a season. When Rafaela was first called up in 2023, Hudson noticed that he would sometimes lose his pre-pitch form, which Rafaela has worked to correct.
'It would be just kind of like a 1-2 step, and he wouldn't have the little hop … he got a little bit more consistent last year, and then this year, he's been nothing short of perfect ― like he hasn't missed a pitch,' Hudson said.
Related
:
The progression is a credit to Rafaela taking pride in the minute details of his game, and also the rapport between Rafaela and Hudson.
'He's always on me,' Rafaela said. 'And I tell him to be on me, so when I'm [lagging], he can tell me so I can get back on track.'
The adjustments have stuck this year, as Rafaela has acclimated to the rigors of the big leagues and seen more consistent time in center field. Last season, he started 72 games in center, 71 at shortstop, and 4 at second base. This season he's started 95 games in center and just five at second base, all of which have come in the past two weeks.
Advertisement
Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela says that "by the second step, I know where the ball is going to be.'
Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Rafaela also has had
'It was his first full season [in 2024]. He played a lot of games and lost weight and he grinded through it,' said manager Alex Cora. 'But this year, he was prepared for 162 and he's showing it.'
And while Rafaela's recent offensive strides have raised his overall ceiling, defense will continue to be his calling card ― and provide the Sox with a dynamic presence in center.
'You're seeing what's happening from him just being out there and going to get those balls every single night,' Hudson said. 'It's pretty special what he's doing.'
Matty Wasserman can be reached at