- Source: Ceddanne Rafaela
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
Rafaela participated in the 2012 Little League World Series as a member of the Willemstad team representing the Caribbean Region. He signed with the Boston Red Sox as an international free agent in July 2017. 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. In 2021, he played for the Salem Red Sox, batting .251/.305/.424. He started 2022 with the Greenville Drive before being promoted to the Portland Sea Dogs. Rafaela was selected to the 2022 All-Star Futures Game. For the season, Rafaela was named minor-league Defensive Player of the Year by the Red Sox organization. On November 15, Rafaela was added to Boston's 40-man roster.
In January 2023, Rafaela was ranked the 71st best prospect by Baseball America list and the 53rd best prospect by Fangraphs. Rafaela was initially optioned to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox to begin the 2023 season. However, on March 28, the Red Sox announced that Rafaela would begin back in Double-A Portland so he could work on his approach at the plate without having to adjust to the higher level. 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. Rafaela was promoted to Worcester on June 28. On August 28, he was added to Boston's major-league roster. He made his MLB debut that evening, hitting a single in his first at bat. 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. In September, Rafaela was recognized as the Red Sox' minor-league baserunner of the year for 2023. In 2023 with the Red Sox, he had a slash line of .241/.281/.386.
Rafaela was on Boston's Opening Day roster to begin the 2024 season. On April 8, 2024, Rafaela signed an eight-year, $50 million contract extension with the Red Sox, locking him up through the 2031 season. 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 game at Yankee Stadium.
In 2024, he batted .246/.274/.390 with 15 home runs and 75 RBIs. He walked 2.6% of the time, the lowest percentage in Major League Baseball.
Personal life
Rafaela's middle name of "Chipper" comes from Chipper Jones, due to his mother being a fan of the Atlanta Braves. He speaks English, Dutch, Spanish, and Papiamento.
References
External links
Career statistics from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- Ceddanne Rafaela
- 2024 Boston Red Sox season
- Curaçao
- Rafaela (disambiguation)
- Boston Red Sox
- List of Major League Baseball team rosters
- Little League World Series
- 2024 Chicago Cubs season
- 2012 Little League World Series
- 2025 Boston Red Sox season
