Red Sox Opening Day roster projection 3.0: Bello starts, Rafaela flexes versatility
By Evan Roberts
Red Sox Opening Day Infield:
- Triston Casas (1B)
- Enmanuel Valdez (2B)
- Trevor Story (SS)
- Rafael Devers (3B)
- Connor Wong (C)
- Reese McGuire (C)
- Bobby Dalbec (INF)
- Pablo Reyes (INF)
- Ceddanne Rafaela (INF/OF)
Expect Comeback Player of the Year-caliber seasons from both Rafael Devers and Trevor Story this year. If Story plays more than 115 games at shortstop, the left side of the infield's defense should be much improved.
Triston Casas is poised for a monster season, and is looking a little more spry at first base this spring. In Monday's game against Minnesota, Bobby Dalbec made a throw bound for the camera well but Casas made a full-extension catch with his foot still on the bag to preserve the out. All the yoga he does before games is coming in handy.
If Ceddanne Rafaela makes the team, he will be taking the majority of his reps in center field. However, Alex Cora indicated that Rafaela will be taking infield reps in the last few games of Grapefruit League action. The 70-grade fielder could add even more value to his glove if he can play a successful middle infield at the big-league level. Rafaela is a natural shortstop, after all, so it does make sense to give him a shot at some playing time in the middle infield in second baseman Vaughn Grissom's absence.