This story comes courtesy of Cameron Emamian, Prospects Live’s newest contributor.
On February 4th, 2020, The Boston Red Sox new President of Baseball Operations, Chaim Bloom made his first major move, sending star outfielder Mookie Betts to the Dodgers. This generated immediate backlash and raised concerns about lack of willingness to pay what could be the Red Sox best outfielder since Ted Williams. While a bold assertion, only Mike Trout amassed more Wins Above Replacement (WAR) from 2014-2019 than Betts in all of baseball. So the trade was a blockbuster to say the least. It would be crazy to say before Betts was even traded, the Red Sox may have already had the second coming of Mookie Betts in the farm system, right?
The name is Ceddanne Rafaela, and if you are unfamiliar with the 21-year-old Red Sox utility prospect, you are likely not alone. Much like Betts, who was a 5th rounder and signed for $750,000 out of the draft, Raffaela garnered even less fanfare, signing for just $10,000 as a Shortstop out of Curaçao in 2017. The two continue their similarities with stature. Betts punches well above his 5’9”, 180-pound size, as Raffaela does the same being 5-foot-8 and just 152-pounds. Raffaela displays very twitchy actions which allows for great first step quickness on defense. Despite being listed as a 3B, Rafaela was signed as a SS, and demonstrated his versatility by playing everywhere besides pitcher, catcher, and first base. Raffaela is considered a standout defender at almost any position, but has found a home in centerfield, making him an infielder turned star defensive outfielder. In the outfield he has good instincts which help him take efficient routes. He couples his instincts and quick reactions with 60-grade speed which allow him to get to balls most outfielders can’t. He uses his speed in both the outfield and on the bases, and although his base running instincts need to mature, it isn’t hard to see a world where he could use it in a similar way to Betts, who had four consecutive 20+ stolen base seasons from 2015-2018. While the two players to this point have a certain resemblance, not all players who have similar tools can be comps for each other, so just how alike are they?
In 2013, Betts spent time at High-A, although his time there was very short, and for obvious reasons. Across 211 PA, Betts posted a slash line of .341/.414/.551 with his wOBA sitting at .433, and a wRC+ of 166 respectively. Raffaela followed suit in 2022, during his time at High A, he totaled 209 PA, during which slashed .330/.368/.594 with a wOBA of .420 and 153 wRC+ in 45 games. It would be extremely difficult to not acknowledge the similarities between the two players’ time at the same level of the minors. Would you believe me if I said the comparisons aren’t over yet? How about the actual swing? The quick twitch muscles that allow both of these players to be strong defenders and runners, come into play once again as their quick hands generate sneaky power for their size. Although Raffaela starts with his hands above his head, the two quickly look very similar as they bring their hands down in their load. The swing stays in the hitting zone a long time and Raffaela can display raw power to all fields, although most of his in game power remains to the pull side.
Mookie Betts:
Ceddanne Rafaela:
The biggest thing holding back Raffaela from maybe being considered one of the game's elite prospects at this point is his approach and pitch recognition. He recorded a 24.4% K rate at High-A, and while he’s cut it down to 20.9-percent in 44 games at Double-A, it seems to be the biggest difference in success. Raffaela has a very aggressive approach at the plate, and there is a chance the strikeout drop while advancing levels is actually from seeing more strikes at the higher level rather than some massive in-season adjustment. That said, an aggressive approach is not the issue, as hitters like Austin Riley and Rafael Devers deliver incredible damage while also not walking a lot thanks to pitch recognition and selection. This is the biggest area of growth that Raffaela will need to prove he can make adjustments and advance his pitch recognition if he wants to avoid being exposed as an aggressive hitter. Regardless, the young utility prospect will find his way to the big leagues sooner rather than later, and his defense could possibly write headlines for him already. If he can continue to hit like this, the Red Sox might just have their next Mookie Betts. For now, enjoy this highlight reel snag that could be coming to Fenway park in the near future: