Ceddanne Rafaela isn’t just making waves in the Boston Red Sox system.
Now, the 21-year-old prospect officially is drawing national recognition, with Major League Baseball announcing Wednesday that Rafaela has been selected to participate in the 2022 All-Star Futures Game later this month at Dodger Stadium.
Rafaela has enjoyed a breakout season to this point, first at High-A Greenville before earning a promotion to Double-A Portland in June. SoxProspects.com currently ranks Rafaela as the No. 8 prospect in Boston’s farm system, a huge jump from the No. 19 spot he previously occupied.
Rafaela, signed as an international free agent out of Curaçao in 2017, served as a utility infielder upon entering the organization and earned a reputation as a defense-first prospect. He added the outfield to his résumé in 2021, a development that boosted his stock as he showed elite upside on the grass.
But Rafaela’s biggest strides down the stretch last season and into this season have come at the plate, where he’s now making hard contact that’s translating into results. As such, his ceiling continues to rise, with Wednesday’s news being the latest indication of his burgeoning profile.
Rafaela slashed .330/.368/.594 with nine home runs, 36 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in 45 games (209 plate appearances) this season with Greenville. He entered Wednesday slashing .278/.333/.578 with six homers, 18 RBIs and three stolen bases in 23 games (100 plate appearances) with Portland.
Rafaela was one of eight players announced Wednesday for the All-Star Futures Game, scheduled to take place Saturday, July 16, ahead of the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 19. Full rosters will be revealed Thursday.
