(through 2024 season)
Ceddanne Chipper Nicasio Marte Rafaela (born September 18,2000) is a Curaçaoan professional baseball utility player for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Rafaela participated in the 2012 Little League World Series as a member of the Willemstad team representing the Caribbean Region. [1] He signed with the Boston Red Sox as an international free agent in July 2017. [2] Rafaela made his professional debut in 2018 with the Dominican Summer League Red Sox. In 2019,he played for the Gulf Coast Red Sox batting .248/.330/.425 and Lowell Spinners batting .182/.167/.182.
Rafaela did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [3] In 2021,he played for the Salem Red Sox,batting .251/.305/.424. [4] He started 2022 with the Greenville Drive before being promoted to the Portland Sea Dogs. [5] [6] Rafaela was selected to the 2022 All-Star Futures Game. [7] For the season,Rafaela was named minor-league Defensive Player of the Year by the Red Sox organization. [8] On November 15,Rafaela was added to Boston's 40-man roster. [9]
In January 2023,Rafaela was ranked the 71st best prospect by Baseball America list and the 53rd best prospect by Fangraphs. [10] [11] Rafaela was initially optioned to the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox to begin the 2023 season. [12] However,on March 28,the Red Sox announced that Rafaela would begin back in Double-A Portland so he could work on his approach at the plate without having to adjust to the higher level. [13] On May 13,Rafaela set a franchise record after stealing six bases in a game against the Somerset Patriots—he was initially credited with seven steals but had one taken away due to defensive indifference. [14] Rafaela was promoted to Worcester on June 28. [15] On August 28,he was added to Boston's major-league roster. [16] He made his MLB debut that evening,hitting a single in his first at bat. [17] On September 12,in the second game of the doubleheader against the New York Yankees,Rafaela hit his first major-league home run,estimated at 400 feet,off Carlos Rodón. [18] In September,Rafaela was recognized as the Red Sox' minor-league baserunner of the year for 2023. [19] In 2023 with the Red Sox,he had a slash line of .241/.281/.386. [20]
Rafaela was on Boston's Opening Day roster to begin the 2024 season. [21] On April 8,2024,Rafaela signed an eight-year,$50 million contract extension with the Red Sox,locking him up through the 2031 season. [22] On July 5,2024,Rafaela hit a two-run home run in the top of the tenth inning to help secure a 5-3 win for the Red Sox against the New York Yankees in his first game at Yankee Stadium. [23]
In 2024,he batted .246/.274/.390 with 15 home runs and 75 RBIs. He walked 2.6% of the time,the lowest percentage in Major League Baseball. [24]
Rafaela's middle name of "Chipper" comes from Chipper Jones,due to his mother being a fan of the Atlanta Braves. [25] He speaks English,Dutch,Spanish,and Papiamento. [26]
Below is a partial list of players in the Boston Red Sox minor league organization. Players individually listed here have not yet played in Major League Baseball (MLB),but have reached an advanced level of achievement or notoriety. Some notable players in the minor leagues may have their own profile pages,such as first-round draft picks. Note that anyone with a past MLB appearance has their own profile page,even if they are currently playing in the minor leagues.
Below is a partial list of minor league baseball players in the Chicago White Sox organizations and rosters of their affiliates:
Robert Daniel Refsnyder is a Korean American professional baseball outfielder for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Michael Scott Chavis is an American professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) the Boston Red Sox,Pittsburgh Pirates,and Washington Nationals. Listed at 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) and 210 pounds (95 kg),Chavis bats and throws right-handed.
Christian Israel Arroyo is an American professional baseball infielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants,Tampa Bay Rays,Cleveland Indians,and Boston Red Sox. Listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 220 pounds (100 kg),he bats and throws right-handed.
Robert Vernon Dalbec is an American professional baseball corner infielder in the Chicago White Sox organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox. He made his MLB debut in 2020. He played college baseball for the Arizona Wildcats of the University of Arizona. Listed at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and 227 pounds (103 kg),he bats and throws right-handed.
Greg Lomack Allen is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians,San Diego Padres,New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates.
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Triston Ray Casas is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Red Sox selected him in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft and he made his MLB debut in 2022. Casas was a member of the United States national baseball team at the 2020 Summer Olympics,which won the silver medal.
Garrett Getts Whitlock is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Listed at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and 190 pounds (86 kg),he throws and bats right-handed.
Jarren William Duran is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Listed at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and 205 pounds (93 kg),he bats left-handed and throws right-handed. He has played for the Mexico national baseball team. Duran was named the MVP of the 2024 MLB All-Star Game.
Connor Sun-Han Wong is an American professional baseball catcher and infielder for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 181 pounds (82 kg),he bats and throws right-handed. He made his MLB debut in June 2021,prior to which he played every position except pitcher in the minor leagues.
Nicholas Anthony Yorke is an American professional baseball infielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was selected 17th overall by the Boston Red Sox in the 2020 MLB draft and was traded to the Pirates in 2024,making his debut the same year.
Marcelo Mayer is an American professional baseball shortstop in the Boston Red Sox organization. He was selected by the Red Sox fourth overall in the first round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.
Kaleb James Ort is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox. Listed at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and 240 pounds (110 kg),he throws and bats right-handed.
The 2022 Boston Red Sox season was the 122nd season in Boston Red Sox franchise history,and their 111th season at Fenway Park. The team was led by Alex Cora,in the second season of his second stint as the team's manager. The team finished with a record of 78–84,in fifth and last place of the American League East division. Total attendance was 2,625,089,an average of 32,409 per game.
David Lewis Hamilton is an American professional baseball shortstop and second baseman for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Roman Joseph Anthony is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Boston Red Sox organization.
The 2023 Boston Red Sox season was the 123rd season in Boston Red Sox franchise history,and their 112th season at Fenway Park. The team was led by Alex Cora,in the third season of his second stint as the team's manager.
Michael "Mickey" Gasper is an American professional baseball catcher and first baseman for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox.