Watch Red Sox Prospect Ceddanne Rafaela Blast Playoff-Clinching Grand Slam
The Portland Sea Dogs clinched a playoff berth in dramatic fashion, thanks in part to the Boston Red Sox's fastest-rising prospect.
Versatile budding star Ceddanne Rafaela secured a win for the Sea Dogs on Wednesday night when he blasted a grand slam into orbit, stretching an 8-4 lead over the Somerset Patriots into an insurmountable 12-4 lead in the seventh inning.
The Sea Dogs entered the game needing to win just one of their last five games to clinch the playoffs, but Rafaela and company were not going to let it come down to the wire.
Rafaela is approaching the "five-tool player" tag as he's put together a breakout season for the ages, and in an all-important game was slated as the No. 3 hitter in the lineup despite his 5-foot-8, 152-pound frame.
He finished the night going 2-for-6 with a home run, single, four RBIs, two runs and two strikeouts.
His season tallies are remarkable and he has four more games left to pad his stats.
Rafaela is hitting .303 with 32 doubles, 10 triples, 21 home runs, 86 RBIs, 27 steals (on 34 attempts) and a .895 OPS in 113 games between High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland.
The 21-year-old is also a premier defender at both center field and shortstop. He's so strong defensively that many in the industry believe he could've won a Gold Glove at the Major League Baseball level this season had he made his debut this season.
It's been a long time since a Red Sox prospect has ascended as fast as Rafaela, with the last candidate likely being Mookie Betts. Red Sox fans will be hoping for more of the same.
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