Boston Red Sox rookie center fielder/shortstop Ceddanne Rafaela has been one of the team's most electric players to watch this season.
The 23-year-old hat raised his batting average .262 on the year with a .699 OPS, 13 home runs, 59 RBIs and 17 stolen bases.
Between his mammoth home runs and the incredible plays he's made in the field, it's no surprise that he's become a fan favorite so early in his career.
However, manager Alex Cora knows what Rafaela needs to work on if he wants to reach the next level.
“He’s still chasing pitches,” Cora said (via. MassLive). “We know that.”
Through his 465 plate appearances in 122 games this season, Rafaela has swung at 43.6% of pitches outside the strike zone (via. Baseball Savant). That's the second-worst percentage in the league behind only Colorado Rockies Ezequiel Tovar, who is swinging at 44.1% of pitches outside the strike zone.
If Rafaela could lay off of those pitches, he would get better ones to hit or draw more walks. Either would be beneficial for both the player and the team.
“So it’s just the experience, getting more at-bats, understanding what the opposition is trying to do with him,” Cora said. “In the beginning, I was hesitant. With the at-bats, I was like, ‘Man, he’s going to chase a lot throughout.’ Little by little, he’s getting better.
“The other thing with him, he’s still 23 and he’s going to get stronger,” Cora added. “And when that happens, it should be fun. The warning track fly balls are going to be homers. The line drives in the gaps are going to be doubles. So I’m excited. I’m excited about him nor only for this year to finish the year but in the future. This kid, he’s going to be an impactful player. And I’m glad that he’s with us.”
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