Ceddanne Rafaela
Ceddanne Rafaela | |
---|---|
![]() Rafaela in 2024 | |
Boston Red Sox – No. 43 | |
Infielder / Outfielder | |
Born: Willemstad, Curaçao | September 18, 2000|
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
MLB debut | |
August 28, 2023, for the Boston Red Sox | |
MLB statistics (through August 9, 2024) | |
Batting average | .256 |
Home runs | 15 |
Runs batted in | 63 |
Stolen bases | 13 |
Teams | |
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Ceddanne Chipper Nicasio Marte Rafaela (born September 18, 2000) is a Curaçaoan professional baseball outfielder for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Career
[edit]Rafaela participated in the 2012 Little League World Series as a member of the Willemstad team representing the Caribbean Region.[1] He signed with the Boston Red Sox as an international free agent in July 2017.[2] Rafaela made his professional debut in 2018 with the Dominican Summer League Red Sox. In 2019, he played for the Gulf Coast Red Sox batting .248/.330/.425 and Lowell Spinners batting .182/.167/.182.
Rafaela did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] He returned in 2021 to play for the Salem Red Sox, batting .251/.305/.424.[4] He started 2022 with the Greenville Drive before being promoted to the Portland Sea Dogs.[5][6] Rafaela was selected to the 2022 All-Star Futures Game.[7] For the season, Rafaela was named minor-league Defensive Player of the Year by the Red Sox organization.[8] On November 15, Rafaela was added to Boston's 40-man roster.[9]
In January 2023, Rafaela was ranked 71st in the Baseball America list of baseball's top 100 prospects.[10] Rafaela was initially optioned to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox to begin the 2023 season.[11] However, on March 28, the Red Sox announced that Rafaela would begin in Double-A Portland so he could work on his approach at the plate without having to adjust to the higher level.[12] On May 13, Rafaela set a franchise record after stealing six bases in a game against the Somerset Patriots—he was initially credited with seven steals, but had one taken away due to defensive indifference.[13] Rafaela was promoted to Worcester on June 28.[14] On August 28, he was added to Boston's major-league active roster.[15] He made his MLB debut that evening, collecting a hit in his first at bat.[16] On September 12, in the second game of the doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Rafaela hit his first major-league home run, estimated at 400 feet, off Carlos Rodón.[17] In September, Rafaela was recognized as the Red Sox' minor-league baserunner of the year for 2023.[18] In 2023 with the Red Sox, he had a slash line of .241/.281/.386.[19]
Rafaela was included as part of Boston's Opening Day roster to begin the 2024 season.[20] On April 8, 2024, Rafaela signed an eight-year, $50 million contract extension with the Red Sox locking him up through the 2031 season. [21] On July 5, 2024, Rafaela hit a two-run home run in the top of the tenth inning to help secure a 5-3 win for the Red Sox against the New York Yankees in his first career game at Yankee Stadium.[22]
Personal life
[edit]Rafaela's middle name of "Chipper" comes from Chipper Jones, due to his mother being a fan of the Atlanta Braves.[23]
References
[edit]- ^ Stiefel, Keagan (February 8, 2023). "Red Sox Prospect Outlook: Can Ceddanne Rafaela Exceed Insane 2022 Season?". NESN. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ Speier, Alex (April 28, 2022). "Red Sox' most improbable prospect is power-hitting 5-8 utilityman Ceddanne Rafaela". Boston Globe. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ Speier, Alex (April 16, 2022). "Ceddanne Rafaela Makes More Hard Contact For Red Sox". Baseball America. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ Smith, Christopher (April 20, 2022). "Boston Red Sox's other Raffy: Ceddanne Rafaela is 76 pounds lighter than Rafael Devers but has 5 homers, 5 doubles in 10 games". MassLive.com. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
- ^ "Surging Red Sox Prospect Ceddanne Rafaela to Make Double-A Debut". June 7, 2022.
- ^ Mayo, Jonathan (July 14, 2022). "Here are the 2022 Futures Game rosters". MLB.com. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
- ^ Woodward, Will (September 27, 2022). "Minor Notes: Red Sox announce their Players of the Year & Portland's playoff run ends". soxprospects.com. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
- ^ "Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. Boston Red Sox. November 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- ^ Abraham, Peter (January 21, 2023). "Sunday Baseball Notes". The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
- ^ "Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Shipped to minor-league camp". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
- ^ "Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Will begin season in Double-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
- ^ "Red Sox prospect steals SIX bases in one game". mlb.com. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
- ^ Cassell, Tommy (August 28, 2023). "Meet one of the top Red Sox prospects, who recently earned a promotion to Triple-A Worcester". Telegram & Gazette. Worcester, Massachusetts. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
- ^ "Red Sox Announce Roster Moves". MLB.com (Press release). Boston Red Sox. August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
- ^ "Ceddanne Rafaela's first hit". MLB.com. August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
- ^ Browne, Ian (September 13, 2023). "Rafaela shows off light-tower power with 1st big league homer". mlb.com. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
- ^ Speier, Alex (September 26, 2023). "Minor league honors offer Red Sox chance to reflect on their developing homegrown pitching pipeline". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ "Ceddanne Rafaela Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ Speier, Alex (March 23, 2024). "Red Sox name Ceddanne Rafaela to Opening Day roster". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
- ^ "Rookie Rafaela agrees to 8-year extension with Red Sox (source)". MLB.com. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "Red Sox stun Yankees 5-3 on 2-run homers by Yoshida in the 9th and Rafaela in the 10th". ESPN.com.
- ^ Ryan, Conor (August 28, 2023). "5 things to know about Red Sox prospect Ceddanne Rafaela after his call-up to MLB". Boston.com. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- 2000 births
- Living people
- Baseball players from Willemstad
- Boston Red Sox players
- Criollos de Caguas players
- Curaçao expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
- Curaçao expatriate baseball players in the United States
- Dominican Summer League Red Sox players
- Greenville Drive players
- Gulf Coast Red Sox players
- Lowell Spinners players
- Major League Baseball outfielders
- Major League Baseball players from Curaçao
- Portland Sea Dogs players
- Salem Red Sox players
- Worcester Red Sox players
- Dutch people of Curaçao descent