Ceddanne Rafaela
Ceddanne Rafaela has taken huge steps on both sides of the ball this spring. Some reporters believed the rookie would need another stint in Triple-A to hone his eye and shorten his strike zone, but Rafaela has squashed many of the doubts about his offensive prowess. He slashed .270/.319/.508 with three home runs, 10 RBI and five stolen bases this spring.
But Rafaela's defensive talent is the true selling point here. As a prospect, Rafaela was praised for his speed, athleticism and defensive ability, and he's already showing it off in the outfield. He's made multiple diving catches and robberies to save hits and runs. The rookie is a natural shortstop and his defensive skills translate well to the middle infield, too.
CEDDANNE TAKES FLIGHT 😱 pic.twitter.com/SX51lEMp1n
— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 26, 2024
Rafaela's abilities alone represent an uptick in Boston's defense. Jarren Duran and Masataka Yoshida beside each other in the outfield were a poor combination and the Red Sox had some of the worst defense in the league last year. Amongst an error-prone defensive alignment and other weaker arms in the outfield, Rafaela will change the course of Boston's defense for the better.