Yolbert Sánchez didn’t play during the Charlotte Knights’ 12-2 victory over the Gwinnett Stripers on Friday, but that gave him some time to soak up some adulation from MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis and Sam Dykstra.
In an article covering the best pure hitting prospect for each organization — aka the hit tool, so power is a secondary concern — Sánchez received the nod for the White Sox, even if it doesn’t acknowledge his promotion to Triple-A.
A teammate of Luis Robert on a Cuban 18-and-under squad before he defected, Sanchez has exceeded offensive expectations since signing for $2.5 million in July 2019. His compact right-handed swing and contact-oriented approach yielded a .308 average in 2021, including a .342 mark following a late-July promotion to Double-A, and he’s presently pacing the Double-A Southern League in hitting (.353) and on-base percentage (.507).
Charlotte 12, Gwinnett 2
- Adam Haseley went 2-for-5.
- Yoán Moncada returned to the lineup as a third baseman and went 3-for-3 with a homer, double and a walk.
- Yemrín Mercedes was 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
- Carlos Pérez, 1-for-4.
- Davis Martin logged a successful Triple-A debut: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 HR.
- Joe Kelly: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
Notes:
*Martin threw a fastball (91-96), curve, slider and changeup. He threw seven straight out of the zone in the first inning, but then he settled down to retire 11 in a row. The first homer came on a changeup, the other a slider.
Tennessee 9, Birmingham 5
- Lenyn Sosa went 3-for-5.
- José Rodríguez needed this: 3-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base.
Notes:
*Yoelqui Céspedes hasn’t played in either of the last two games after exiting on a popout after which he didn’t run, so maybe he was lifted for other reasons.
Kannapolis vs. Down East, suspended
Winston-Salem vs. Hickory, suspended
Nice to see Moncada hit well after he struggled in spring training.
Moncada is probably hitting better than 2/3 of their regulars right now. Seems like they are wasting his at bats at AAA for the next couple days when he could be getting them against Boston.
I half wonder if Yolbert will wind up being better than or at least just as good as Madrigal. Very similar profile.
Naw…Guys are prone to relapsing with oblique injuries they are going to stick to their rehab plan no matter how well he is hitting in triple AAA.
AAAAAAAAA
A bold plan, considering MLB recently contracted their minor leagues, but sure, we could use some minor league levels above AAA.
Has there been much analysis of Yolbert’s plate coverage? Fangraphs was mixed, but haven’t seen much else. Though continuing to hit in AAA would seem a positive indicator
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/chicago-white-sox-top-28-prospects-2022/