Andruw Jones Joins Netherlands Staff as Ceddanne Rafaela Seeks WBC Growth

andruw jones is set to manage Team Netherlands at the World Baseball Classic, giving Boston Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela a rare chance to learn up close from a fellow Curaçaoan who was elected to the Hall of Fame in January. As of Saturday at 10: 30 a. m. ET, Rafaela said he has only been around Jones for a few days but is already looking forward to absorbing what he can.

Rafaela, 25, framed the experience in unusually direct terms, calling it “the baseball version of going to graduate school” to play for the Netherlands with Jones as manager. The opportunity also arrives as Rafaela looks to become a more complete player, balancing standout defense with continued work at the plate.

Andruw Jones and Ceddanne Rafaela link up with Team Netherlands

Rafaela said he has not “asked him too many questions” yet, but he expects the time around andruw jones to help him develop into the kind of all-around player he admires. “I want to be a complete player like he was, ” Rafaela said. “There’s a lot I can learn from talking to somebody who had the kind of career that he did. ”

Jones’ résumé is central to why the pairing has drawn attention: he was a 10-time Gold Glove winner with the Braves and is considered one of the best defensive center fielders of all time. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in January in his ninth season of eligibility.

The connection is also cultural. Jones and Rafaela are among the 17 players Curaçao has sent to the majors since Hensley Meulens became the first in 1989, a detail that underscores how closely players from the island track one another’s progress.

Curaçao’s tight-knit baseball community and Jones’ early awareness of Rafaela

Jones said he had been hearing about Rafaela for years through connections back home, including coaches who viewed Rafaela as a strong shortstop prospect. “Through guys that know the game, we knew he was coming, ” Jones said, adding that he later watched Rafaela on TV and came away impressed by what he could do.

“I’m proud of all of every single one of them who make it to the major leagues, ” Jones said. “It’s a small island and baseball is big. They love the game. ”

Still, Jones pushed back on the idea of drawing direct comparisons between them simply because they share a home and a position. He said he was flattered when people compared his defense to Willie Mays, but he also described how that kind of comparison can become a burden over time. Jones said he wants Rafaela to focus on becoming “Ceddanne Rafaela, a great center fielder, ” rather than trying to live up to someone else’s standard.

Xander Bogaerts and Andruw Jones point to WBC as a formative stretch

Jones and Netherlands team captain Xander Bogaerts both said the World Baseball Classic environment could be formative for Rafaela, who has established himself as one of the game’s best defensive outfielders while remaining a below-average hitter. Bogaerts pointed to his own early-career learning curve with Boston, saying he didn’t become a true presence in the lineup until his third full season in the majors.

Bogaerts said being around veterans and familiar names within the Netherlands group could help Rafaela settle in and grow, listing Andruw, himself, Ozzie Albies, Didi Gregorius “and everybody else” as part of the support structure. “I know I tried to do everything all at once when I first came up, ” Bogaerts said. “There’s a lot to learn. ”

Rafaela’s offensive profile remains a work in progress. He posted a career-best. 709 OPS last season and has a career. 284 on-base percentage, alongside a 24% strikeout rate. Rafaela said the next step is continuing to adjust and refining his approach. “The game is about adjustments and I have to be a more complete player, ” he said, adding that he has worked on his hitting and on swinging at better pitches.

Another thread around Rafaela’s development involves defensive consistency at the major-league level. In comments made during an interview about mentoring Rafaela, Jones praised Rafaela’s improvement and Gold Glove season, while also saying he was “kind of mad” about Boston moving Rafaela between positions, including shortstop and center field. Jones said he sees Rafaela as a great defender in center and hopes he can remain there and “let him win as many Gold Gloves as he can win. ”

For the Netherlands roster picture, Rafaela is part of an outfield group that includes Ray-Patrick Didder, a 31-year-old independent league player who did not get beyond Triple A, and Druw Jones, the manager’s 22-year-old son who is a minor leaguer with the Diamondbacks.

Rafaela is also stepping into a larger role with the Dutch after outfielder Jurickson Profar was taken off the roster following a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs. Rafaela said he is not trying to force leadership, but intends to “do the right things” and lead by example, adding, “This team is important to me. ”

The next scheduled World Baseball Classic activity for Team Netherlands was not confirmed in the available details as of Saturday at 10: 30 a. m. ET.