White Sox get Moncada, 3 others for Sale

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The White Sox rebuild began in a major way Tuesday afternoon when the team agreed to acquire infielder Yoan Moncada and right-handed pitcher Michael Kopech from Boston in a five-player trade sending Chris Sale to the Red Sox. Boston will also send outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe and right-handed pitcher Victor Diaz to the White Sox.

Moncada was rated the No. 1 overall prospect among MLBPipeline.com’s midseason Top 100, while Kopech checked in at No. 67. Kopech also was considered the best pitching prospect in the Arizona Fall League and will likely make a jump into the Top 50 with the next rankings. MLBPipeline.com ranked both Basabe (No. 8) and Diaz (No. 28) as among the Red Sox’s Top 30 Prospects.

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Moncada, the switch-hitting 21-year-old, has earned comparisons to Robinson Cano because of his high offensive ceiling. The Cuban native hit .211 in 19 at-bats for the Red Sox last season, although he might have been called up a little early.

“When you trade a pitcher of Chris Sale’s ability, it can only be because we were motivated by an impactful return of young talent, and we have more than accomplished that with Yoan Moncada, Michael …

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