All around the diamond, the Boston Red Sox’s roster feels deeper than it’s been in a long time, which is always a good problem to have.

Depth is critical to success late in the season, but before the campaign starts, the men in charge on Boston’s coaching staff will have some tough decisions to make. The Rafael Devers and Alex Bregman dilemma will probably be the most complex choice for Red Sox management, but setting the everyday outfield may also be a difficult task. Ceddanne Rafaela isn’t making it easier.

Boston clearly has faith in Rafaela’s talent, as it presented him with an eight-year contract extension in April. His defense was just as stellar as advertised, and he flew through center field, making multiple highlight-reel plays last year. His plate presence didn’t match up with his defensive success, and he posted one of the highest chase rates in the league in 2024. He batted .246/.274/.390 with a .664 OPS last year with 151 strikeouts in 152 games.

All Rafaela would need to do to become an All-Star caliber player is fix his swing and make better decisions. The 2025 Grapefruit League season is still young, but he may have already done it.

First Sox homer of the spring goes to Ceddanne! pic.twitter.com/wXthq6XotC

— Red Sox (@RedSox) February 22, 2025

Ceddanne Rafaela’s improved swing could be too good for Red Sox to keep on the bench

In his first spring training appearance, Rafaela debuted a new approach and new swing mechanics. His swing now features a leg kick and lowered hands compared to last year, and the results were immediate. He mashed Boston’s first homer of spring in their Feb. 22 matchup against the Jays. He also continued his defensive excellence and hosed a Toronto runner at the plate from shallow center.

The Sox’s outfield didn’t get enough credit for its dominance last year — Jarren Duran came in eighth in American League MVP voting, Wilyer Abreu claimed a Gold Glove in the hardest right field in the league, Rob Refsnyder posted the best season of his career at age 33 and Tyler O’Neill slugged a team-high 31 homers in quite the rebound season. O’Neill signed with the Orioles in December and isn’t a factor in Boston’s pastures anymore, but the Red Sox hope to slot Masataka Yoshida back in the outfield and there’s a possibility Roman Anthony makes the Opening Day roster.

But if Rafaela’s swing changes stick and he adds quality offense to his potentially elite defense and speed, he may be too good to serve in a bench role in 2025. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow mentioned keeping Rafaela in center field as much as possible next season, but if Yoshida needs to play the field because Devers becomes the designated hitter, Duran will need to play center field. Rafaela could overtake Abreu in right field, but that still doesn’t match up with Breslow’s hope to play him in center.

There’s still over a month until baseball season and rosters need to be set. Spring training is still young, but if Rafaela keeps up his swing and approach changes and improves his offense long-term as a result, he could make setting Boston’s outfield very difficult in the best way.