Red Sox to promote Moncada on Friday
Baseball's top prospect is on his way to the big leagues.
The Boston Red Sox officially announced Wednesday Yoan Moncada will be promoted to the show on Friday.
With MLB rosters expanding Sept. 1, the infielder is set to join the Red Sox after the youngster hit .298/.411/.518 with 15 home runs, 31 doubles, 61 RBIs, and 45 stolen bases across two levels in the minor leagues.
Red Sox manager John Farrell has hinted throughout the week Moncada could be promoted to act as a pinch-runner for the club, and now the skipper's words have become a reality.
"Yeah, and we’ve been on the look out for that," Farrell told Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com on Sunday, when discussing the need for a base-stealing option. "Whether it’s external or someone internally that would serve that role that remains to be seen, but yeah, we’ve had discussions about that particular and specific role."
The 21-year-old Moncada, who received a $31.5 million signing bonus in 2015, has been learning third base in the minors and could provide a boost to the Red Sox, who sit two games back of the Toronto Blue Jays for first in the AL East.
"I would say the talk around Yoan has been about moving obviously to third base," Farrell said. "He’s just getting some reps at that position. Whether or not he comes up in a role that would be either mixed in, he’s obviously been much better as a left-handed hitter this year, if he’s mixed in that capacity. Does he give you a base stealing threat coming off the bench is a possibility. Those are the types of things we’ve talked about ...
"We know he’s an exciting young player with tremendous talents."
Moncada was signed out of Cuba in February 2015.
(Video courtesy: MLB.com)