Meet one of the top Red Sox prospects, who recently earned a promotion to Triple-A Worcester

WORCESTER — Ceddanne Rafaela is finally settled into his new digs at Polar Park.

Following a promotion from Portland to Worcester on June 28, and a road trip to Buffalo, the highly touted Red Sox prospect moved into his locker inside the WooSox clubhouse on Tuesday prior to his team’s six-game homestand with the Syracuse Mets.

And as Rafaela ate food catered by Outback Steakhouse with some of his new teammates before their 8-5 win on America's birthday, the 22-year-old donned a blue headband with three words printed in white lettering: Trust the process.

That’s a mantra the speedy outfielder/infielder has taken to heart over the past five years during his rise through the Red Sox organization — and it’s a motto Rafaela wants to continue to abide by after his recent call-up to Triple-A Worcester.

And Wednesday night, Rafaela led off the first inning with a home run to left, on the very first pitch for his second WooSox round-tripper.

“It’s been fun to play here (with the WooSox) finally. Excited to be here and (looking) forward to every chance I get to play hard and do my thing,” said Rafaela, who speaks Dutch, English, Papiamento and Spanish. “... It's another step, it's another process I have to go through. Just try to have fun.”

Rafaela on the rise in Red Sox organization

Born in Curaçao, Rafaela grew up rooting for the Boston Red Sox.

On July 2, 2017, he signed a $10,000 contract with the Red Sox as a 16-year-old international amateur free agent. Since then, Rafaela’s climbed the minor league ladder and is currently ranked the No. 2 prospect in the Red Sox organization, according to MLB.com.

Across 481 at-bats between Class-A Salem and Double-A Portland last season, Rafaela hit .299 with 21 home runs, 86 RBIs and 28 stolen bases. Prior to his promotion to the WooSox last week, Rafaela hit .294 (ninth best in the Eastern League) with 18 doubles (tied for third in the league), 6 homers, 37 RBIs and a league-leading 30 stolen bases for the Sea Dogs.

“He’s worked on his craft, gotten better every year and worked really hard off the field,” said Brian Abraham, director of player development for the Boston Red Sox. “He is really intellectual.”

“We’re excited about the progress he’s made and the work he’s been willing to put in and the challenges it takes,” Abraham said. “He’s been willing to take (things) head on, and I think it bodes well for his success in the short term and in the future.”

Sox prospect Rafaela settles in with Triple-A Worcester

Through his first seven games with the WooSox, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound Rafaela was hitting .200 with a two home run and four runs scored in 30 at-bats while making starts defensively at both center field and shortstop.

“You guys are going to enjoy watching this kid play defense, I can tell you that,” WooSox manager Chad Tracy said in his pregame meeting with the media Tuesday. “He’s a little guy, you see him, and he’s just not a big-stature guy, but he’s got power to all fields. He can go from right field to left field. So getting him to pick out pitches that he likes to hit so he can utilize that tool often (makes him) an exciting player for sure.”

A plus player on defense and on the basepaths, Rafaela is a bit of a “free swinger” according to Abraham as the organization wants Rafaela to develop more discipline at the plate to help round out his game.

“Tons of athleticism, tons of strengths and still room to grow and improve,” Abraham said. “His versatility, his athleticism, are all things we’re excited about with him. Anytime you can get a player who shows those five tools and can impact the game in various ways, you're very excited about it.

“He’s just dynamic and does a lot of things really well, and we want Ceddanne to be the best Ceddanne that he can be.”

And that’s just fine with Rafaela.

The Sox prospect is having fun settling in with his new teammates in Worcester while continuing to trust the process that now has him one step away from a call up to the major leagues.

“That's the main goal,” Rafaela said. “But just sticking to where I’m at right now, try to do my best here and just wait for the other step.”

— Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @tommycassell44. 

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Ceddanne Rafaela makes Polar Park debut after promotion to WooSox