Rafeala was written about by David Laurila of Fangraphs. Mentioned he speaks the same 4 languages as Xander!
I would love for those two to play on the same team.
Currently, Rafeala is slugging .788 with a .269 BABIP
Right now, I have him sixth in the system. Love to hear where others have Ceddanne the Man right now. And, actually, love to hear everyone's top 10, too. (Anybody have Matthew "Luigi" Lugo cracking the list?) Here's mine:
1 Mayer
Couldn't be happier with this kid. Difficult not to get ahead of myself when thinking about his future. I think he'll be in Portland at some point next year.
2 Casas
His age, power, and overall approach make him secure in this spot for the moment. But...I know I've posted this before, but last season Alex Speier pointed out that even though you can see Casas' potential, he's never really dominated a level for a full season the way sure-fire prospects usually do. As a first baseman, he's gonna have to really hit to be able to make an impact. Even before he got hurt, this season had started out as a mild disappointment, and I can definitely see the guy in third place in my personal (bullshit) rankings passing him before long.
3 Bello
The most exciting pitching prospect to come along for the Sox in a while. I expect him to have a role in the Sox bullpen by the end of the season, and overtake Casas.
4 Yorke
Disappointing season, but in some ways it's comforting to know that injuries--as opposed to talent or approach getting exposed--appear to be the cause. Here's hoping he gets healthy in the second half and resumes raking. For now, he drops to fourth for me.
5 Duran
Has continued to refine his approach and has had a terrific offensive season so far at the plate. Defense is still a big question mark, as is whether he'll be able to hit in the big leagues.
6 Rafaela
Glove, arm, speed, and plus in-game power. K/BB raises questions about how his approach will translate as he rises through the system, but there's just so much to love here.
7 Mata
I've long had a big prospect crush on this guy, and his raw stuff reportedly continues to be overwhelming coming off of TJ. Said to have some control/command issues.
8 Walter
If you want to make the case that Walter should rank above Mata, I can see it. A K/BB savant with above-average stuff and a funky delivery, I see him potentially pitching out of the Sox bullpen at some point this year.
9 Seabold
Had injuries last year, and his stuff was reportedly diminished, but he's continued to have success in Worcester this season, while striking out a batter an inning.
10 Bleis
I'm totally just parroting SoxProspects with this one, as the only thing I know about his comes from the raves they have thrown his way. Said to be an exciting power-hitting CF with an advanced approach and above-average speed.
Love to see how others rank the top ten.