By DJ Harding
Today the Boston Red Soxs signed infielder/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela to an eight year contract extension that has a club option for the 2032 season and spans from 2024 until 2031.
Rafaela was originally signed by the Red Soxs organization as an international free agent on July 2, 2017.
At 23 years old Rafaela is the youngest player on the Red Sox’ active roster. Ranked as a top 100 prospect by both MLB.Com (No.76) and Baseball America (No.94), he made his first Opening Day roster in 2024 and joined Mookie Betts as the only players age 23 or younger to start in center field for the first three games of a season in the last 50 years.
In the last three seasons Rafaela has been rated by Baseball America as the best defensive outfielder in the Boston Red Sox minor league system. He was also recognized by the Red Sox as the organization’s Minor League Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 and 2022 along with being named Minor League Base Runner of the Year in 2023
In 39 Major League games thus far, Rafaela has hit .233 with seven doubles, two triples, two home runs, and four stolen bases while making 20 starts in center field, five at shortstop, and one at second base.
When making his Major League debut in 2023 he became the 17th player born in Curaçao, joining Kenley Jansen as the only players from the island to play for the Red Sox.
He made his debut at 22 years old on August 28, 2023 when the Red Soxs faced the Houston Astros.
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