Red Sox
Narváez is batting .327 since the start of May — a span of 32 games with the Red Sox.
The 2025 Red Sox have officially embraced the youth movement.
Be it Boston breaking camp with Kristian Campbell on the big-league roster or the Red Sox eventually calling up their two other blue-chip talents in Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony over the past month — the future looks bright for a franchise in need of a spark.
But for all of the anticipation and justified hype rooted in players like Anthony carving out key roles for Boston already, the case can be made that the Red Sox’s most impactful rookie so far in 2025 is catcher Carlos Narváez.
The 26-year-old Narváez further validated that sentiment on Friday night at Fenway Park — securing Boston’s seventh walkoff win of the season with an RBI single off the Green Monster in the 10th inning against the Yankees.
Narváez’s base knock drove in David Hamilton from third base, giving Boston a 2-1 win over New York and the team’s third straight victory.
An unheralded offseason pickup by Boston this past winter, the Red Sox plucked Narváez from the Yankees in a trade on Dec. 11, 2024 — the same day Boston also pulled off a blockbuster with the White Sox centered on Garrett Crochet.
Boston parted ways with minor-league pitcher Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz and international signing bonus pool money to acquire Narváez — who was initially expected to serve as a backup to Connor Wong on Boston’s roster.
But Narváez has quickly asserted himself not only as Boston’s starting catcher, but one of the best backstops in the big leagues.
Narváez has been as advertised as one of the top defensive catchers in baseball — ranking near the top across baseball in framing pitches. According to 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Tyler Milliken, Narvaez is currently tied for the most defensive runs saved amongst all catchers in baseball (7).
Before his heroics at the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning, Narváez kept New York from scoring in the top of the frame, throwing out Anthony Volpe — the extra-inning automatic runner — as he attempted to steal third base.
But Narváez’s production at the plate has allowed him to separate himself from the pack as an elite catcher through the first two-plus months of the 2025 season.
In 32 games since the start of May, Narváez is slashing .327/.421/.510/.931 with 13 extra-base hits (10 doubles and three home runs) to go along with 15 RBI.
According to FanGraphs, Narváez is one of just 43 players in the majors who has sported a WAR of at least 2.2 this season — which ranks third on the Red Sox behind only Garrett Crochet (2.5) and Alex Bregman (2.4).
Friday was far from the first time that Narváez has tormented his former team, as he also slugged a three-run homer against the Yankees to help Boston beat New York, 11-7, in The Bronx on Sunday.
Following that win, Yankees superstar Aaron Judge offered up high praise for Narváez and the promise he initially showcased during his time in New York.
“Narvy is a hard worker, a great teammate, one of the best we ever had over here,” Judge said, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. “I was sad to see him go, but excited for the opportunity he’s getting right now. He’s really doing his thing over there, swinging it well.
“He had a short time coming up with us for a little bit and the stuff I saw in Spring Training and stuff I heard about, everybody loved him. He outworked everybody in this room. So it doesn’t surprise me he’s having the success he is this year.”
Judge might have been an early believer in Narváez. But the rest of the league is now taking notice of Narváez’s ascension as one of the top young catchers in the majors.
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