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Chasing a Gold Glover: Ceddanne Rafaela
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Sept 10, 2022 11:00:03 GMT -5
Maybe the boldest claim made was by Double-A Portland Sea Dogs manager Chad Epperson, who watched another premier defensive star quickly adapt from the infield to the outfield.
“Mookie can be (ticked) at me, but this kid runs circles around where (Betts) was at this point in time,” Epperson told Speier. “That’s how special this kid is. You have to see it.”nesn.com/2022/09/red-sox-prospect-ceddanne-rafaela-expected-to-win-a-lot-of-gold-gloves/ The more I read about raefela the more my prospect crush on him grows. Feels like at this point something would have to go pretty wrong next year for him to not be the 2024 starting CF. He quite frankly just needs to be mediocre with his bat to have value with how good his defense sounds. Little bit of conjecture and just spit balling here but I think Casas is going to be the real deal at first and if you have raefella waiting in the wings to be the CF of the future. That's two starters for very cheap for a number of years. Makes me wonder if Bloom is looking at it the same way and comes out firing with maybe more large money deals than maybe we even expect this offseason. Look at the dodgers they give out big time deals because they know they have the cheap controlled ML talent to offset it. Now I'm not saying the Sox are even close to that Dodgers model in terms of the controlled talent yet but they could maybe get there in the next couple seasons. As pointed out earlier the Sox will defintely be getting under the cap in either 2023 or 2024.
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Post by fenwaydouble on Sept 10, 2022 11:22:08 GMT -5
Maybe the boldest claim made was by Double-A Portland Sea Dogs manager Chad Epperson, who watched another premier defensive star quickly adapt from the infield to the outfield.
“Mookie can be (ticked) at me, but this kid runs circles around where (Betts) was at this point in time,” Epperson told Speier. “That’s how special this kid is. You have to see it.”nesn.com/2022/09/red-sox-prospect-ceddanne-rafaela-expected-to-win-a-lot-of-gold-gloves/ That’s just defense though, and as good as Mookie’s defense was, most of his value came from the bat.
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Post by Chris Hatfield on Sept 10, 2022 14:41:05 GMT -5
Maybe the boldest claim made was by Double-A Portland Sea Dogs manager Chad Epperson, who watched another premier defensive star quickly adapt from the infield to the outfield.
“Mookie can be (ticked) at me, but this kid runs circles around where (Betts) was at this point in time,” Epperson told Speier. “That’s how special this kid is. You have to see it.”nesn.com/2022/09/red-sox-prospect-ceddanne-rafaela-expected-to-win-a-lot-of-gold-gloves/ This is an insane quote. Rafaela started playing the outfield in the fall of 2020. Mookie moved in May or something the year he was IN Double-A. Of course Rafalea is better. Plus what fenwaydouble said. Betts had an absolutely innate ability at that level to not chase anything outside of the zone and to barrel up anything within it. I recall meeting up with some Internet Baseball types that following offseason for drinks and saying I wouldn't trade Betts for Strasburg and being looked at like I was insane. Happy I stuck to my guns on that one.
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Post by larrycook on Sept 10, 2022 14:54:00 GMT -5
I think Rafaela’s outfield defense is second best to Bradley as far as I have seen live!
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Post by ghostofrussgibson on Sept 10, 2022 15:11:10 GMT -5
Rafaela may never become Betts at hitting, but I'd think we'd all be thrilled if he's close to another Jackie Bradley, Jr., with at least a little better than average hitting.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Sept 10, 2022 15:48:19 GMT -5
Maybe the boldest claim made was by Double-A Portland Sea Dogs manager Chad Epperson, who watched another premier defensive star quickly adapt from the infield to the outfield.
“Mookie can be (ticked) at me, but this kid runs circles around where (Betts) was at this point in time,” Epperson told Speier. “That’s how special this kid is. You have to see it.”nesn.com/2022/09/red-sox-prospect-ceddanne-rafaela-expected-to-win-a-lot-of-gold-gloves/ This is an insane quote. Rafaela started playing the outfield in the fall of 2020. Mookie moved in May or something the year he was IN Double-A. Of course Rafalea is better. Plus what fenwaydouble said. Betts had an absolutely innate ability at that level to not chase anything outside of the zone and to barrel up anything within it. I recall meeting up with some Internet Baseball types that following offseason for drinks and saying I wouldn't trade Betts for Strasburg and being looked at like I was insane. Happy I stuck to my guns on that one. I interpreted "this point in time" differently. I assumed age 21 season, Mookie was essentially one year ahead of Raffi. Iirc, Epperson was Mookie's A+ manager not AA. That would have been Mookie's Portland/Pawtuckett/Boston year and yes Rafaela is significantly better. Yes they are talking defence.
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radiohix
Veteran
'At the end of the day, we bang. We bang. We're going to swing.' Alex Verdugo
Posts: 6,583
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Post by radiohix on Sept 15, 2022 13:48:48 GMT -5
In the Top 10 highest IsoP in the Eastern League, Rafaela (6th) owns the 3rd lowest K%.
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Post by sittingstill on Sept 16, 2022 12:24:56 GMT -5
Belatedly--thanks! And I was dying to get a diving shot but never had the opportunity--he keeps running balls down. If they happen, they aren't too hard to shoot--easier than a rocket at an infielder. But it's harder if you're positioned where someone on the field can run in front of you (umpire, baserunner or fielder--especially if it's an inning where I went to the plate to get the pitcher) or the ball is falling between two outfielders and you're tracking the wrong one through the lens (relatively unlikely for him because if he's in the OF and the ball's even close to him I'm following him). I have to revisit his ability to complete all these plays at any stage of the bubble-blowing process.
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jimoh
Veteran
Posts: 4,123
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Post by jimoh on Sept 16, 2022 16:15:30 GMT -5
Belatedly--thanks! And I was dying to get a diving shot but never had the opportunity--he keeps running balls down. If they happen, they aren't too hard to shoot--easier than a rocket at an infielder. But it's harder if you're positioned where someone on the field can run in front of you (umpire, baserunner or fielder--especially if it's an inning where I went to the plate to get the pitcher) or the ball is falling between two outfielders and you're tracking the wrong one through the lens (relatively unlikely for him because if he's in the OF and the ball's even close to him I'm following him). I have to revisit his ability to complete all these plays at any stage of the bubble-blowing process. Thanks, that looks great!
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Post by xdmo on Sept 16, 2022 20:15:57 GMT -5
Rafaela reminds me a lot of Margot in the system. Rafaela has better versatility and defense, but same kind of hitting profile.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Sept 17, 2022 21:02:42 GMT -5
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Post by vermontsox1 on Sept 20, 2022 11:15:27 GMT -5
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Sept 21, 2022 4:43:43 GMT -5
Impressive. Along the way, he beat out Pedro, Seager and Acuna.
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Post by Chris Hatfield on Sept 21, 2022 12:59:12 GMT -5
Impressive. Along the way, he beat out Pedro, Seager and Acuna. Huh? I'm definitely missing something.
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Sept 21, 2022 13:03:53 GMT -5
Impressive. Along the way, he beat out Pedro, Seager and Acuna. Huh? I'm definitely missing something. Past comps for Bello, Mayer & Bleis.
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Post by Soxfansince1971 on Sept 22, 2022 15:58:27 GMT -5
Does Rafaela start the 2023 season in AAA? Is there a loose general rule of how many ABs the team like a player to get in ideal circumstances (like the pitchers getting 100 innings at each level)?
How long the Red Sox see Rafaela staying in AAA may affect who they target in the 2022-2023 offseason for the outfield….
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Post by keninten on Sept 22, 2022 16:43:01 GMT -5
I hope they go the Braves way with Rafaela. Michael Harris had no AAA but 196 PA in AA. Vaughn Grissom no AAA 98 PA in AA. Spencer Strider 1 game AAA 14 games AA. Acuna also had only 101 PA in AAA.
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Post by Soxfansince1971 on Sept 22, 2022 17:19:58 GMT -5
I hope they go the Braves way with Rafaela. Michael Harris had no AAA but 196 PA in AA. Vaughn Grissom no AAA 98 PA in AA. Spencer Strider 1 game AAA 14 games AA. Acuna also had only 101 PA in AAA. Rafaela’s defense is ready, but his strike out percentage still looked a little high. I would prefer he get enough experience in AAA, so that he doesn’t end up like Dalbec or Duran. He is obviously a different player with different abilities than those two, but I hope he hits well enough to stick as a regular.
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Post by RedSoxStats on Sept 22, 2022 17:36:45 GMT -5
Does anyone feel the Rafaela expectations are kind of a runaway train right now that should probably be reined in a bit?
Maybe I am way off base, but it feels like people are now expecting him to be Starling Marte, when Kevin Pillar is more likely, and a Víctor Robles outcome is equally likely as him being star.
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Post by iakovos11 on Sept 22, 2022 18:02:41 GMT -5
But he's sexy right now
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Post by bosox904 on Sept 23, 2022 0:23:50 GMT -5
I hope they go the Braves way with Rafaela. Michael Harris had no AAA but 196 PA in AA. Vaughn Grissom no AAA 98 PA in AA. Spencer Strider 1 game AAA 14 games AA. Acuna also had only 101 PA in AAA. Rafaela’s defense is ready, but his strike out percentage still looked a little high. I would prefer he get enough experience in AAA, so that he doesn’t end up like Dalbec or Duran. He is obviously a different player with different abilities than those two, but I hope he hits well enough to stick as a regular. I don't think the K% is really all that bad. Only 13 players 21 or younger had 200 PA in the eastern league, Rafaela had the 5th lowest K% of those players. Hos K% was better than other known prospects Ezequiel Tovar, Ronny Mauricio, George Valera, Liover Peguero, Francisco Alvarez and Orelvis Martinez. The bigger problem is probably the BB% and BB/K which are both 11th out 13th.
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Post by bosox904 on Sept 23, 2022 0:27:18 GMT -5
Also, even if you include all players in the eastern league with 200 PA or more, his K% ranks 28th out of 135.
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Sept 23, 2022 6:25:08 GMT -5
Does anyone feel the Rafaela expectations are kind of a runaway train right now that should probably be reined in a bit? Maybe I am way off base, but it feels like people are now expecting him to be Starling Marte, when Kevin Pillar is more likely, and a Víctor Robles outcome is equally likely as him being star. At this point my expectations of Ceddanne is that of a young JBJ, spectacular defensively in CF, where I anticipate he'll wind up rather than SS. I think at this point his offensive output will be similar to JBJ's first tour of duty with the Sox. I anticipate a bottom of the order hitter who has a better hit tool than Bradley, and can hit .250 plus, but won't walk enough like Bradley did. JBJ used the walks to keep his OBP respectable even when hitting .235. Rafaela won't be able to do that but will have just enough average to keep the OBP respectable enough, an OBP that will land near where Bradley's did, which was a bit below average but not terribly so. And I expect him to have 15 to 20 HR per season clout like Bradley did, so I see a similar player. The next Freddy Lynn? No, but the next JBJ, sure I can see that. It would sure beat being the next Jarren Duran.
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Post by julyanmorley on Sept 23, 2022 8:23:55 GMT -5
After Chavis, Dalbec and Duran, I'd be pretty excited to develop the next Kevin Pillar.
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Post by ematz1423 on Sept 23, 2022 8:36:45 GMT -5
I think perhaps a good pro comp for Ceddanne might be our own Enrique Hernandez? Hernandez is a career .240/.315/.420 slash line, plays good defense at multiple positions up the middle. Ceddanne has a higher ceiling I would say as he seems to have a bit more pop and sounds to be a better defender at SS than Hernandez but just a thought. It would be rather nice to have a guy similar to a prime Hernandez controlled for 6 years once Hernandez is gone.
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