Red Sox Keeping Options Open With Versatile Ceddanne Rafaela

Ceddanne Rafaela showed off his speed in his first dozen games with the Boston Red Sox, but his future in Major League Baseball could be dependent on his ability to play both middle infield positions.

Rafaela, who turns 23 on Sept. 18, played two games at second base in his first 12 games with Boston and only played 24 games at the position in his minor-league career. The speedy prospect primarily played center field and shortstop, but he might get extended time at second base once the 2023 season concludes.

“If he goes, probably that’s going to be the case,” manager Alex Cora told reporters on Rafaela playing second base in winter ball, per MassLive’s Sean McAdam. “If he goes, yeah. We’ll talk about it. Last year, he played a little bit down there. It was beneficial for him. This year, he has a lot of at-bats already and we’ll see how he finishes. That’s something we’ll talk about in the upcoming days.”

Cora tried to find the balance at the beginning of September between competing for an American League wild card and testing out prospects like Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu.

Jarren Duran, whose season was cut short due to turf toe surgery, is set at center field. Masataka Yoshida and Alex Verdugo likely are locked in at the corner outfield spots, and Trevor Story in at shortstop. That leaves second base up for grabs, which could be Rafaela’s spot if he proves he can play the position on a consistent basis.

“I think that’s a question for later,” Cora said. “The fact that he can be versatile (opens up multiple possibilities). The second base part of it is real. We believe he can do it, too. It’s just a matter of whether we play him there in September. But versatility is a big part of this game. It helps your roster. He’s a good defender at short, at center field, and other positions.

“Talking to (Worcester manager) Chad Tracy (Monday), he takes grounders at third and he looks like a natural. He’s a good athlete who can do it all. We’ll see what the future holds.”

Rafaela is one of the most exciting Red Sox prospects, and his fast rise through the minors created even more hype. It could be a key last few months of the season to determine if he will stick in Boston’s roster.