Ceddanne Rafaela showcasing offensive talents with current hitting streak
Ceddanne Rafaela shot up the Boston Red Sox prospect rankings with a breakout campaign in 2022. The right-handed hitter slashed .299/.342/.538 with 32 doubles, 10 triples, and 21 home runs between High-A and Double-A that season. He drove in 86 runs, scored 82 more, and stole 28 bases. Rafaela also featured elite defense in the outfield and at shortstop.
The only real knock on Rafaela was his tendency to chase pitches. That was something many were hoping would be ironed out in the offseason.
Rafaela started the 2023 season in Double-A. In his first nine games, the 22-year-old held a .216/.275/.243 with one double. He had 12 strikeouts compared to only three walks. It wasn't just that the K/BB ratio was bad, though. Rafaela wasn't working counts and getting his pitch.
Since April 14, Rafaela has had an eight-game hitting streak (multiple hits in three straight games). He's 14-for-34 (.412) with four doubles and one home run. Rafaela's only walked once in the stretch. His strikeouts are down a bit (eight), though. Importantly, the prospect has been a little more patient. He's waiting for his pitch more often. It's led not just to hits but to extra bases.
Your favorite prospect's favorite prospect now has a .310/.347/.423 slash line with five doubles and one home run on the year. He's driven in 12 runs, scored 14 more, and stolen seven bases.
There's no questioning that Rafaela's an elite defensive prospect. It was his bat that people wondered about. Would he be able to keep up the offensive production if he didn't stop chasing pitches?
This stretch hasn't been perfect, but it's giving us a glimpse of Ceddanne Rafaela's talent. He'll likely never be the most patient hitter. At times we'll see him get into a rut and start free-swinging. When that happens, he'll have his defense continuing to make an impact and keep him contributing.
Then there will be times like this, when Rafaela gets into a groove. The ball can jump off his bat, and even when he makes weak contact, he has the speed to beat out grounders.
With someone like him, you have to accept that walks will likely never be a major part of his game. That's okay, though. We can't be putting the craziest expectations on prospects. Rafaela's already viewed as an elite defender with great speed and plenty of pop in his bat. If he has one flaw, that doesn't suddenly make him a "bad" prospect.
What makes him special is that he can still contribute even when things aren't going perfectly. And when he gets into those grooves where he's taking pitches and waiting for a mistake he can crush? That's when he becomes that rare talent. That's when he's Ceddanne Chipper Nicasio Marte Rafaela.
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