The Boston Red Sox are taking a page out of the Atlanta Braves’ playbook by locking up a young piece of their roster for the foreseeable future.
Boston and centre fielder Ceddanne Rafaela have come to terms on an 8 year, $50M extension which will keep the 23 year old under team control through 2031. The deal is currently pending a physical.
Ranked as the organization’s number 4 prospect by MLB.com, Rafaela began his career as an infielder, but transitioned to the outfield 3 seasons prior. The Curacao native won the starting job for Opening Day in 2024 after debuting for the club in August last season.
Currently hitting .233 with 6 runs, 5 RBIs, and 1 stolen base across 30 at bats, Rafaela appears to be the first step in Boston’s renewed commitment to locking up its core for the long term, following several disappointing campaigns. With the departure of homegrown superstar Mookie Betts still fresh in the memory of more than a few Sox fans, the front office is looking to build on the good faith shown through Rafael Devers’ 10 year, $313.5M extension from last year.
Rafaela is known for his defensive prowess, but currently remains a bit of a project offensively. Nevertheless, his signing will keep a core piece of the team’s roster in Beantown throughout the prime of his career.
Interestingly, the deal comes on the heels of shortstop Trevor Story’s season ending injury. With no clear replacement currently on the roster, Rafaela could see some reps at SS for Alex Cora should the need arise over the next few weeks.
Photo: Emmanuel Huybrechts. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.