One of Boston’s most promising prospects simply received rather a lot nearer, each actually and figuratively, to the large present.
Ceddanne Rafaela discovered about his promotion from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester on Sunday. He’s now only one degree and about 40 miles, or 45 minutes (with out Mass Pike site visitors) from Fenway Park.
It was considerably stunning that Rafaela even started the season in Portland, after a standout efficiency in 2022 led to the group’s Minor League Defensive Player of the Year award (and Baseball America’s Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year), a spot on the 40-man roster, and his first main league spring coaching. Currently the group’s No. 3 prospect, the Curaçao native broke out final season when he moved from the infield to middle area and have become a one-man spotlight reel.
Rafaela’s protection is already described as Gold Glove-caliber; Double-A supervisor Chad Epperson made headlines final summer time when he mentioned that the younger prospect’s fielding is already higher than Mookie Betts’ had been at that degree (Betts additionally moved from the infield to outfield at Double-A Portland). One Red Sox government assessed that Rafaela’s protection is already major-league prepared.
His pace is next-level, too. Last month, he stole six bases in a single recreation to set a franchise file, then stole three extra in his subsequent. He advised reporters that 30 stolen bases was considered one of his targets for the season, and certainly, ascends to Triple-A having met that objective, precisely 30 steals underneath his belt.
“Defensively and on the bases, he’s showing all the skill that he has. Frankly, the skill that he has in those areas is probably beyond that level,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom advised the Herald on the finish of May. “But we sent him there for a reason.”
A good portion of mentioned cause is plate self-discipline, which the Red Sox wished Rafaela to have the ability to hone with out the added stress of concurrently adjusting to a better degree of play. Though his total 20.6 % strikeout price (Okay%) and 5.26 % stroll price (BB%) by 60 video games in Double-A are nearly unchanged from the 19.8 % Okay% and 5.1 % BB% he put collectively over 71 video games on the similar degree final season, he’s proven extra endurance on the plate just lately. Over his final 34 video games, he’s at an 18 % Okay% and 7 % BB%.
Improvement can also be obvious in his slash line. He’s hitting .364/.381/.584 this month, with an total .294 common and .773 OPS this yr.
At the tip of May, Rafaela advised the Herald, “It doesn’t matter where I start, it’s where I finish this year.”
He’s already closing out the primary half of the season a degree up from the place he began. Who’s to say he gained’t end the yr at Fenway?
Source: www.bostonherald.com