Red Sox closing in on extension for key young outfielder

The Boston Red Sox and outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela have reportedly agreed on a contract extension, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.

Rafaela’s extension with the Red Sox is for eight years and is worth $50 million, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com.

The Red Sox continue the trend of signing young players they expect to be staples of the team to long-term deals, buying out many years in arbitration. It started with Brayan Bello, who signed an extension weeks ago. Now, Craig Breslow has locked in Ceddanne Rafaela to an extension. He was previously not set to hit free agency until the 2029 season, and the deal likely gives the Red Sox control through either 2030 or 2031.

The benefit of this deal for the Red Sox is that it buys out Rafaela’s arbitration years, so it eliminates the possibility of going to a hearing down the line, while also giving them more years of control. If Rafaela proves to be a very good player, then this could end up being a bargain for the Red Sox.

For Rafaela, this gives him long-term security with the Red Sox, giving him guaranteed money if things do not work out.

The concern for Rafaela comes on the offensive side of the ball, where he is known to swing and miss a lot. He will have to cut that out to become a productive hitter. Luckily, there is little doubt regarding Rafaela’s ability defensively. He has flashed that in the early going this season. Rafaela’s defensive ability gives him a high floor when it comes to the total value of what he could bring to the field for the Red Sox.

What is the Red Sox’s long-term vision?

In recent years, the Red Sox and specifically the ownership group has been criticized by fans for not spending in free agency. However, the plan seems to build a foundation with young talent before going big-fish hunting in free agency.

With the decisions Boston has made over the last couple of years, they should have the playroll flexibility to make some big additions in the next year or two, especially with some of the big-name free agents who are expected to be on the market. There are many top of the line starting pitcher free agents next fall, and there are other players like Alex Bregman who could make sense on the offensive side of the ball.

It is unclear as to whether or not the Red Sox will be in the running for top of the market free agents like Juan Soto, but he would be an addition that Boston fans have been begging for over the last couple of years.

It will be interesting to see if young players like Rafaela and Brayan Bello can become staples for the Red Sox over the next few years so they can have a young foundation of players.