Bogaerts to Play WBC with Protégé Rafaela, Reflects on Mentor Role

San Diego Padres star Xander Bogaerts will team up with Ceddanne Rafaela for the Netherlands in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Bogaerts, who played over a decade with the Red Sox before joining the Padres in 2023, is a significant role model for Rafaela and other young players from Curacao and Aruba. He kept tabs on Rafaela during his minor league career, offering advice. Rafaela expressed that playing with Bogaerts was his main reason for joining the WBC squad, highlighting their strong mentor-mentee relationship.