Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Makes first start at 2B
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Rafaela started at second base and went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored in Friday's 3-2 win over the White Sox.
Rafaela has appeared at second base three times this season but Friday was the first start. The position, which has been a revolving door in 2023, is expected to be an open competition in 2024. Red Sox manager Alex Cora told Sean McAdam of MassLive.com that the rookie could make a few more starts there in the final week. The manager also said the team is considering having Rafaela play second base during winter ball.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Slots in at shortstop
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Rafaela started at shortstop and went 2-for-5 with an RBI in Wednesday's 15-5 loss to the Rangers.
Rafaela made his fifth start at shortstop since being called up from Triple-A Worcester in late August. During stints in Worcester and Double-A Portland, the organization had him mainly focus on outfield. He's slashing .305/.328/.492 in 61 plate appearances (20 games) since his arrival in the majors.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Added to lineup Friday
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Rafaela was added to the lineup for Friday's game at Toronto.
Rafaela will start in center field and bat leadoff after Triston Casas (undisclosed) was scratched. Justin Turner is covering first base and Masataka Yoshida will serve as Boston's designated hitter. This is now the sixth straight start for Rafaela, who boasts a .368/.400/.632 batting line through his first 40 major-league plate appearances.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Taking seat Friday
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Rafaela is not in the lineup for Friday's game in Toronto, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
Rafaela had made five straight starts and is coming off a four-hit day during Thursday's doubleheader versus the Yankees. He'll begin this one on the bench though, as the Red Sox open up a weekend series north of the border.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Collects four hits across twin bill
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Rafaela went 4-for-9 with a solo home run, a double and three total runs across both games of Thursday's doubleheader split with the Yankees.
Rafaela collected a pair of hits in each contest, including two extra-base knocks -- a solo homer and a double -- in the matinee. The rookie center fielder batted in the leadoff spot in both games and has now made five consecutive starts for Boston. Rafaela has fared well so far in his short time as a major-leaguer, slashing .368/.400/.632 with two homers, four doubles, three RBI, nine runs and a stolen base over 40 plate appearances. However, he's been punched out 15 times, so the sterling batting average may not be sustainable.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Collects hit in first start
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Rafaela went 1-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI in Wednesday's 7-4 loss to the Astros.
Despite spending most of the season in the minors patrolling center field, Rafaela's first big-league start came at shortstop as he gave Trevor Story a breather. The rookie delivered from the leadoff spot, with his first MLB extra-base hit banging off the Green Monster in the sixth inning to drive in his first MLB run. With Boston still on the fringes of the wild-card picture and Adam Duvall hot again at the plate, Rafaela could have a hard time finding a consistent spot in the lineup in the short term, but the 22-year-old prospect is talented enough to force the Red Sox to make room for him down the stretch.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Not starting Tuesday after all
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Rafaela is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Astros, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Browne says that the original plan was for Rafaela to start in center field in his major-league debut Tuesday while Adam Duvall received a night off. However, after Duvall homered again Monday -- his sixth homer in eight games -- manager Alex Cora changed his mind. Rafaela might only be around until Wilyer Abreu (paternity) returns.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Receives call-up to majors
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Rafaela was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Monday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Rafaela has dazzled at the plate and on the basepaths between stops at Worcester and Double-A Portland this season, slashing .302/.349/.520 with 20 home runs and 37 stolen bases over 485 plate appearances. The Red Sox are now ready to give one of their top prospects a shot at the top level, though Rafaela won't immediately enter the lineup. Even with Jarren Duran (toe) on the injured list and Wilyer Abreu (personal) on the paternity list, Rafaela may be limited to a fourth-outfielder role since the trio of Alex Verdugo, Adam Duvall and Masataka Yoshida typically serves as Boston's starting outfielders.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Extends homer streak
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Rafaela hit a home run for the fifth consecutive game Saturday in Triple-A Worcester's win over Syracuse.
Rafaela has launched 11 long balls in 30 games since being promoted to the WooSox in late June. The 22-year-old outfielder is slashing .317/.370/.683 at the advanced level, bettering his production at Double-A Portland by a wide margin. Worcester manager Chad Tracy notes the biggest improvement in Rafaela has been his plate discipline, per Jaylon Smoot of MLB.com. "He is focused on swinging at strikes, understanding what he's looking for and what area of the strike zone he's looking for," Tracy said. Rafaela's speed and defense have been his most notable assets, but the 5-foot-9, 195-pounder is showing an added tool to the package.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Bumped up to Triple-A
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Rafaela was informed Sunday that he will be promoted to Triple-A Worcester on Monday, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports.
Rafaela got off to a slow start at Double-A Portland, but the 22-year-old turned it around the last month. He's batted .331/.377/.522 over the last 34 games to bump his season average to .294 through 60 games. He's also stolen 30 bases, two more than he had in 2022 over 116 games. The speedy center fielder also added versatility by playing nine games at shortstop while with the Sea Dogs.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Shipped to minor-league camp
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The Red Sox optioned Rafaela to Triple-A Worcester on Monday.
Rafaela established himself as one of Boston's top outfield prospects last season after slashing .299/.342/.538 with 21 home runs and 28 stolen bases in 518 plate appearances between stops at High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland. The 22-year-old earned himself a spot on the 40-man roster this offseason along with an invitation to big-league spring training. Though he fell short in his longshot bid for a spot on Boston's Opening Day roster, Rafaela could push his way to the big leagues at some point later in 2023 if he continues to mash at the highest level of the minors.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Earns BA honors
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Rafaela was named by Baseball America as Boston's Minor League Player of the Year, Alex Speier of Baseball America reports.
Rafaela looked overmatched early in 2021 while with Single-A Salem, but Salem hitting coach Nelson Paulino worked with the him to remove a pre-swing hitch that created too much movement. The results were immediate last season, but few anticipated the breakout season Rafaela has experienced in 2022. The 22-year-old hit .299/.342/.539 with 21 homers, 10 triples, 31 doubles, 28 stolen bases, 26 walks and 113 strikeouts in 116 games split between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland. The one-time shortstop has handled the transition to center field with aplomb, and the the 5-foot-8, 152-pounder should add more power as he matures.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Delivers Sea Dogs to playoffs
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Rafaela went 2-for-6 with a grand slam in win for Double-A Portland on Wednesday that clinched a playoff berth for the Sea Dogs.
Rafaela's bat, which had cooled in August, is hot once again. He's currently riding a seven-game hit streak, during which he's 12-for-32 with 15 RBI. At 5-foot-8, 159 pounds, Rafaela doesn't present as a powerful hitter, but he leads Boston's minor leaguers with 62 extra-base hits. Red Sox manager Alex Cora discussed the prospect Friday, telling Christopher Smith of MassLive.com, "it's very unique. His body, obviously he's not a big guy, but he's a strong kid. He punishes the ball to right-center. It seems like he has made progress as far as like swing decisions and all that." Rafaela has played both center field (89 starts) and shortstop (20 starts) and shows elite defense at each. He'll be Rule 5 eligible in the offseason, so the Red Sox will need to add Rafaela to the 40-man roster.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Unfazed by Double-A
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Rafaela was promoted to Double-A Portland on June 5 and has hit .310/.375/.621 with two homers through his first seven games there.
This comes on the heels of a remarkable 45-game run in High-A during which the 21-year-old Rafaela batted .330/.368/.589 with nine homers and 14 steals. At the time of his promotion, he led the South Atlantic League in batting average, hits and runs. Though he's a free swinger who's going to accumulate a fair share of strikeouts and thus may not ultimately hit for lofty average, Rafaela's tools and defensive versatility have made him a rising star in Boston's organization. The Red Sox aren't known for promoting prospects this quickly, which says a lot about what they think of Rafaela.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Hits for cycle
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Rafaela hit for the cycle for High-A Greenville on Tuesday, posting a single, double, triple and home run in five at-bats against Hickory. He drove in two runs and scored three.
He's now cruising along with a .312/.353/.567 batting line accompanied by eight homers and 10 steals. Rafaela cooled off for a little while after his red-hot start, but he's on another heater now, having hit .366 across his last nine contests. The electric 21-year-old doesn't walk much (4.7 percent), but his strikeout rate is a reasonable 22.7 percent. His well-rounded skill set and defensive versatility (he's mostly played center field this year, but he's seen time at second and short as well) should send him flying up the prospect lists when they get their midseason update.
