Red Sox prospect Moncada shines in Fall League debut

SURPRISE, Ariz. — After getting his first taste of the Major Leagues, No. 1 overall prospect Yoan Moncada is already making his presence felt in the Arizona Fall League.

Moncada helped the Surprise Saguaros kick off the Fall League with an 11-2 victory over Mesa on Tuesday afternoon, as he went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and a double en route to finishing a triple shy of the cycle. The Red Sox’s top-ranked prospect also scored three runs and tallied a pair of RBIs out of the leadoff spot in what was first game action since he struck out as a pinch-hitter with the Red Sox on Sept. 12.

“I’ve been doing the same stuff as I was in the big leagues, just trying to stick to the same routine and not change everything, and it paid off today,” Moncada said following his impressive Fall League debut.

The Red Sox selected Moncada’s contract from Double-A Portland on Sept. 2, after the 21-year-old switch-hitter had batted a combined .294/.407/.511 with 52 extra-base hits and 45 steals over 106 games between the Class A Advanced and Double-A levels. Though he made an immediate impact by collecting multiple hits in his first two Major League starts, Moncada struggled at the plate from there forward, striking out in each of his final nine regular-season at-bats. On Sept. 29, the Red Sox decided to send Moncada to the team’s Spring Training facility in Florida to allow him to prepare for the Fall League.

“I only played in a couple games [in Florida] but still got to see a lot of live pitching,” Moncada said. “It helped to keep my swing consistent and kept me focused before coming here.”

Now playing in the Fall League, Moncada, who has played in 114 games this year between the Minor and Major Leagues, is working …

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