The Boston Red Sox have seen all sorts of athleticism from Ceddanne Rafaela during his first months as a full-time big-leaguer.
He plays high-level defense at both shortstop and in center field while making dynamic plays out of the box offensively. The Red Sox have a talented athlete and rewarded him as such with a long-term deal.
That's not new for Rafaela, as shown by ESPN's lookback to when Rafaela represented the Caribbean during the Little League World Series in 2012. During his video introduction, Rafaela shared his favorite player was former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter before showing off his skills with a backflip.
No, he did not try it on air afterward. The Red Sox outfielder did tell the ESPN crew he believes he can still complete a backflip if he tried.
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The 23-year-old stands out among American League rookies this season, hitting .250 with 11 home runs and 52 RBIs. He's still developing as the Red Sox see the skillset that convinced them to invest internally in their future.
His versatility continues to benefit the Red Sox, ensuring defensive stability in positions Boston believed to have locked down before the season while still improving as an offensive talent.
Featured image via Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports Images
