Moncada Homers As World Snaps Futures Game Losing Streak
SAN DIEGO—Yoan Moncada very rarely disappears into the background.
Moncada has power. He has speed. He has a $31.5 million contract (that came with a $31.5 million, 100-percent overage tax penalty for the Red Sox). And he has a swagger to his game that the top prospects often have.
But in the batting practice before the game, the Red Sox second baseman did fade from view. While other World and U.S. hitters reached upper decks and hit moonshots, Moncada worked on his lefthanded and righthanded swings. He hit no long drives, did nothing that drew any attention.
But once the game began, the game’s best prospect grabbed the spotlight once again. After Astros shortstop Alex Bregman stole the show in the early innings with a triple, double and single, Moncada got the World team’s first hit in the fourth inning. After his opposite-field single, he stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error before being stranded.
No bother. Four innings later, Moncada had the hit of the game as he pulled a 405-foot, two-run home run to the second deck in left field.
“I wasn’t looking for anything in particular,” he said. “I was just looking for contact and the contact happened to be a home run.”
Moncada was named the Most Valuable Player after going 2-for-5 with a run scored, two RBIs and a stolen base. Moncada’s home run gave the World team a one-run lead it later expanded into a 11-3 win to snap a six-game U.S. winning streak in the Futures Game.
“I didn’t know it had been that long, but it’s pretty cool,” said Marlins first baseman and Canadian representative Josh Naylor who had just turned 12 the last time the World team won. “It’s definitely an all-around team win today we can be proud of.”
Moncada’s Future Game stardom is what is very possibly his last chance to appear in the game. A year ago Moncada was struggling in the first half of the season in the South Atlantic League and was not named to the Futures Game. A year from now it’s unlikely that he’ll be still in the minors.
Since July 1, 2015—essentially the span of one season (and 492 at-bats)—Moncada has hit .309/.415/.520 with 42 doubles, 7 triples, 16 home runs, 76 RBIs, 81 walks, 129 strikeouts and 80 steals in 91 attempts. He’s jumped from low Class A Greenville to high Class A Salem to Double-A Portland during that time.
While Moncada reminded everyone of his potential during the game, young Cubs right fielder Eloy Jimenez was a star of both batting practice and the game. Baseball America’s No. 1 international amateur prospect in 2013 showed massive raw power during a BP show that included balls that reached the second deck.
Jimenez didn’t enter the game until the fifth but he then doubled and later made a dramatic diving catch down the right field line where he threw his body into the right field fence to snag a foul ball.
And Jimenez then put the game away in the ninth inning with a massive three-run home run that reached the third deck in left field.
Moncada’s home run swiped the game’s MVP award from Bregman, and then Jimenez nearly stole it from Moncada with his massive home run, on the heels of a catch that will be replayed on Futures Game broadcasts for years to come.
The game ended up having more highlights than most Futures Games.
There was plenty of defense, led by Padres center fielder Manuel Margot’s leaping catch to steal a home run from Cardinals catcher Carson Kelly.
“I missed it by that much,” Kelly said while holding his fingers an inch apart. “Two guys have to be in the highlight. The guy who hit it and the guy who caught it. So at least I make SportsCenter.”
Jimenez had his leaping grab, and Mets shortstop Amed Rosario finished things off with a great play deep in the hole to his right followed by an equally solid throw.
And there was power, even in the unfriendly environs of Petco Park. In addition to Moncada and Jimenez’s home runs, Orioles catcher Chance Sisco hit an opposite-field, line-drive home run to left center field for the U.S. team. Kelly had his potential home run stolen by Margot.
There was also plenty of velocity. Cardinals righthander Alex Reyes had several 100 mph pitches and a couple of 101 mph offerings. Nationals righthander Reynaldo Lopez also reached triple digits. And Rays righthander Ryne Stanek finished off the game for the U.S. team by reaching 100 mph multiple times, although he allowed four runs in the ninth as the World team put the game away.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| World Futures | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 14 | 1 |
| U.S. Futures | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
| World | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | U.S. | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO |
| Margot, CF | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Benintendi, CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tapia, R, LF | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Dahl, CF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Moncada, 2B | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Bregman, 3B-SS | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| O’Neill, RF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Frazier, LF | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jimenez, RF | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Stewart, LF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Guzman, R, 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Renfroe, RF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Naylor, J, 1B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Cozens, RF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Diaz, Y, 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Healy, R, DH | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Asuaje, 3B | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Smith, D, 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sanchez, G, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Swanson, SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Mejia, F, C | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Dozier, 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bonifacio, J, DH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Demeritte, 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| a-Herrera, D, PH-DH | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Calhoun, 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Adames, SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Sisco, C | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Rosario, SS | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Kelly, C, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reyes, Al, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Musgrove, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jimenez, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Garrett, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Perdomo, A, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Hoffman, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rios, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Bickford, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hu, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Smith, N, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pinto, R, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Fulmer, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lopez, R, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Banda, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cotton, J, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Hader, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Neverauskas, P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Chargois, p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mejia, p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Stanek, p | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 38 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 8 | Totals | 35 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
a-Struck out for Bonifacio, J in the 7th.
WORLD BATTING
2B: Jimenez (1, Smith, N); Tapia, R (1, Stanek).
HR: Moncada (1, 8th inning off Banda, 1 on, 1 out); Jimenez (1, 9th inning off Stanek, 2 on, 1 out).
RBI: Jimenez 4 (4); Naylor, J (1); Moncada 2 (2); Herrera, D (1); Margot (1); Tapia, R 2 (2).
GIDP: Diaz, Y; Adames; Mejia, F.
Team RISP: 6-for-10.
Team LOB: 5.
BASERUNNING
SB: Moncada (1, 2nd base off Hoffman/Sisco).
FIELDING
E: Moncada (1).
U.S. BATTING
2B: Healy, R (1, Reyes, Al); Bregman (1, Perdomo, A); Frazier (1, Perdomo, A).
3B: Bregman (1, Reyes, Al).
HR: Sisco (1, 4th inning off Rios, 0 on, 1 out).
RBI: Frazier (1); Smith, D (1); Sisco (1).
Team RISP: 1-for-10.
Team LOB: 8.
BASERUNNING
SB: Frazier (1, 2nd base off Rios/Sanchez, G); Dozier (1, 2nd base off Neverauskas/Mejia, F).
FIELDING
E: Sisco (1); Bregman (1).
Outfield assists: Dahl (Naylor, J at home).
DP: 3 (Demeritte-Smith, D; Bregman-Demeritte-Smith, D; Bregman-Smith, D).
| World Futures | ERA | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Reyes, Al | 0.00 | 1.2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Jimenez | 0.00 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Perdomo, A | 27.00 | 0.2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Rios | 6.75 | 1.1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Hu | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Pinto, R | 0.00 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lopez, R | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cotton, J | 0.00 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Neverauskas | 0.00 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mejia | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Totals | 3.00 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| U.S. Futures | ERA | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| Musgrove | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Garrett | 0.00 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Hoffman | 0.00 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bickford | 0.00 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Smith, N | 18.00 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Fulmer | 0.00 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Banda | 13.50 | 0.2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Hader | 0.00 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Chargois | — | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Stanek | 36.00 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 10.00 | 9 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 8 |
Chargois pitched to 3 batters in the 9th.
Team ER: off World Futures 3, off U.S. Futures 10.
BB: off Reyes, Al (Demeritte); Perdomo, A 2 (Renfroe, Healy, R); off Garrett 2 (Guzman, R, Bonifacio, J); Bickford (Bonifacio, J); Chargois (Asuaje); Stanek (Margot).
SO: by Reyes, Al 4 (Benintendi, Frazier, Renfroe, Swanson); Hu 2 (Healy, R, Smith, D); Mejia (Bregman); by Hoffman (Margot); Bickford 2 (Sanchez, G, Adames); Smith, N (Moncada); Fulmer 2 (Mejia, F, Herrera, D); Hader (Naylor, J); Stanek (Moncada).
WP: Jimenez.
Pitches-strikes: Reyes, Al 38-23; Jimenez 3-2; Perdomo, A 23-10; Rios 25-16; Hu 8-7; Pinto, R 7-2; Lopez, R 11-7; Cotton, J 3-1; Neverauskas 16-11; Mejia 12-9; Musgrove 11-8; Garrett 31-19; Hoffman 12-9; Bickford 20-12; Smith, N 15-10; Fulmer 11-9; Banda 17-9; Hader 5-3; Chargois 14-7; Stanek 31-22.
Inherited runners-scored: Jimenez 2-0; Rios 2-0; Stanek 2-2.
Umpires: HP: Nestor Ceja. 1B: Adam Beck. 2B: Brennan Miller. 3B: Charlie Ramos.
Official Scorer: Jack Murray.
Weather: 75 degrees, sunny.
Wind: 9 mph, L to R.
First pitch: 4:09 PM.
Venue: Petco Park.
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