Outfielder Mullins has agreed to a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays.

In order to boost their overall outfield strength for the new season, the Tampa Bay Rays have finalized a one-year agreement with free agent center fielder Cedric Mullins. This news has been verified by MLB’s official site, while the team has not officially confirmed it yet. Details of the contract will be disclosed upon successful completion of the physical exam.

The Rays intend to slot Mullins into center field. However, with many outfield options on the roster — including right-handed hitter Jonny DeLuca, who missed nearly the entire last season due to injury; left-handed corner outfielders Josh Lowe, Jake Fraley, and Chandler Simpson; switch-hitter Jake Mangum; as well as Richie Palacios and Ryan Vilade, who can also play infield — the team’s outfield configuration remains uncertain.

Regarded as one of the most exciting center fielders in the league, Mullins is known for making seemingly impossible defensive plays. Since his MLB debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2018, his Defensive Runs Saved have consistently been above average, marking him as a highly rated defensive center fielder. Last season, his Outs Above Average (OAA) was +4.

Mullins didn’t secure a regular starting role with the Orioles until 2021, when he transformed into one of the league’s elite outfielders. That season, he recorded an OAA of +11, posted a slash line of .291/.360/.518 over 675 plate appearances, achieved an OPS+ of 137, was selected for the All-Star Game, earned a Silver Slugger Award, and became the first player in Orioles history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a single season.

However, his offensive performance declined significantly afterward. Over the past four seasons, his slash line dropped to .237/.308/.403 with an OPS+ of 102, just slightly above league average. The decline was particularly evident in the 2025 season; after a strong start, he slumped for an extended period, hitting only .208 with a 0.636 OPS in his final 69 games with the Orioles before being traded to the New York Mets on July 31.

At that time, the Mets were in urgent need of a center fielder, but Mullins’ bat remained quiet after moving to New York, hitting just .182 with a 0.565 OPS over 42 games.

Although his batting average and on-base percentage may not return to the heights of 2021, since 2022 he has consistently contributed 15 to 18 home runs per year and never stolen fewer than 19 bases. At 31 years old, his speed remains impressive, ranking faster than 77% of players in the league during the 2025 season.

As long as he continues to pull the ball and hit it in the air, his home run production should remain solid. Last season, his pulled fly ball rate of 29.6% ranked eighth among qualified players and marked a personal career high.