Kenley Jansen Plans To Mentor Ceddanne Rafaela
There aren’t many MLB players that hail from Curaçao, but the Red Sox somehow have two on their 40 man roster. Kenley Jansen was signed to become the Red Sox new closer and plans on mentoring fellow countryman, Ceddanne Rafaela during his time with Boston.
Jansen talked about how he plans to take Rafaela under his wing in a recent interview.
“I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about him for a couple of years now,” Jansen told reporters at spring training, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. “For me, anything I can do to help him be better, not just on the field, but off the field, I’m here for him. I’m gonna make sure I’ll be his big brother. I’m slowly starting to get to know him right now. … I see him come early to the ballpark and get his things right and do things. That’s what I like and what I’ve so far seen from him.”
For Jansen, he’s going to have his own adjustment to worry about heading into 2023 with the Red Sox. Jansen was the slowest reliever in baseball last year and will have to adjust to the new pitch clock rules. Something every Red Sox fan should be dubious of given his prior history.
Rafaela will likely start the 2023 season in AAA but he’s someone the organization should be very excited about. Scouts in the past have given Rafaela serious praise in the past and is viewed as someone who has gold glove potential. He’s a future potential star in the making.
“Obviously, it’s a privilege to have him here,” Rafaela said, per Speier. “He’s having a very successful career, and I’m starting mine. It’s a good moment where he can help show me the right things on and off the field.”
Side note: Jurickson Profar is still a free agent who also hails from Curaçao. Just saying… Given what’s happened this offseason, he’s worth a look, not?
