Ceddanne Rafaela Highlights 2023 Sea Dogs Roster

Portland, Maine – The Portland Sea Dogs, in conjunction with the Boston Red Sox, announce the roster for the 2023 season. This season’s roster includes four of the top 30 prospects in the Red Sox system and 25 returning players from 2022. Opening Day is Thursday, April 6^th against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Hadlock Field.

Infielder/outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela enters 2023 ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox No. 3 prospect and No. 71 prospect in baseball and ranked by MLB.com as baseball’s No. 86 prospect and as the Red Sox’ No. 3 prospect. With his incredible diving catches and home run-robbing grabs in the outfield, Rafaela was rated by Baseball America as the best defensive outfielder in the Red Sox system in 2021, ‘22, and ’23. Through 71 games with the Sea Dogs last season, he hit .278 with 15 doubles, six triples and 12 home runs.

Red Sox No. 7 prospect Nick Yorke will make his Double-A debut with the Sea Dogs this season. He is ranked by Baseball America as the Red Sox best hitter for average entering 2022 and 2023, and as having the best strike-zone discipline in the system in 2022. Yorke spent the entire 2022 season with High-A Greenville last season and made 68 starts at second base and 12 as the designated hitter. He posted a .997 fielding % at second base, committing just one error in 297 total chances. At the plate, he hit .231 with 10 doubles and 11 home runs. Yorke was Boston’s first pick (17^th overall) in the 2020 MLB Draft.

Infielder Matthew Lugo enters 2023 ranked as a top Red Sox prospect by Baseball America (No. 18) and MLB.com (No. 14). Last season, he led Greenville in RBI (78), hits (134), total bases (233), doubles (25), triples (10), extra-base hits (53), and games (tied, 114). Lugo also led High-A in hits, total bases, extra-base hits (tied), and triples. He appeared in three games with Portland last season. Lugo was selected in the second round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Red Sox.

Infielder Niko Kavadas was named Red Sox Minor League Offensive Player of the Year following the 2022 season after he hit .280 (110-for-393) with a .990 OPS, 25 doubles, 26 home runs, and 86 RBI in 120 games between Single-A Salem, High-A Greenville, and Portland. Kavadas is currently ranked as a top Red Sox prospect by Baseball America (No. 23) and MLB.com (No. 20).

Tyler Dearden and Rafaela both return to patrol the outfield this season with new additions Tyler McDonough, Corey Rosier and Phillip Sikes.

25 players return to Portland from past seasons: Pitchers Zach Bryant, Brendan Cellucci, Shane Drohan, Ryan Fernandez, Michael Gettys, Rio Gomez, Dominic LoBrutto, Chih-Jung Liu, Brendan Nail, Wyatt Olds, Yusniel Padron-Artiles, Cody Scroggins, Sterling Sharp, Dylan Spacke, Brian Van Belle, Jacob Webb, Ryan Zeferjahn, catchers Elih Marrero and Stephen Scott. Infielders Alex Binelas, Niko Kavadas, Christian Koss, Matthew Lugo and Tyreque Reed and outfielders Tyler Dearden and Ceddanne Rafaela.

Breakdown by how acquired: 20 players drafted by the Red Sox, nine signed as free agents, five acquired in trades, and one taken in the Rule Five Draft.

Pitchers: Skylar Arias, Zach Bryant, Brendan Cellucci, Theo Denlinger, Shane Drohan, Ryan Fernandez, Michael Gettys, Rio Gomez, Luis Guerrero, Dominic LoBrutto, Chih-Jung Liu, Ryan Miller, Brendan Nail, Wyatt Olds, Yusniel Padron-Artiles, Cody Scroggins, Sterling Sharp, Dylan Spacke, Brian Van Belle, Jacob Webb, Ryan Zeferjahn

Catchers: Matthew Donlan, Elih Marrero, Stephen Scott

Infielders: Alex Binelas, Edwin Diaz, Niko Kavadas, Christian Koss, Matthew Lugo, Nick Yorke

Outfielders: Tyler Dearden, Tyler McDonough, Ceddanne Rafaela, Corey Rosier, Phillip Sikes

The complete roster can be found here.

Manager Chad Epperson returns for his second season as Portland’s Manager after leading the Sea Dogs to their first playoff berth since 2014. Epperson is joined by Pitching Coach Sean Isaac (1^st year), Hitting Coach Doug Clark (2^nd year), Development Coach Justin Frometa (1^st year), Coach Mickey Jiang (3^rd year), Coach Pablo Cabrera (1^st year), Athletic Trainer Bobby Stachura (1^st year) and Strength Coach Joe Hudson (2^nd year).

The Sea Dogs open the 2023 season on Thursday, April 6^th at 6:00pm against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Hadlock Field. Tickets for Sea Dogs’ games are available and can be purchased online at seadogs.com or by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at 207-879-9500.