White Sox Minor League Update: June 23, 2017

Not to jinx anything, but Yoan Moncada seems to be back. Whether it coincided with the thumb injury or was just a slump, Moncada had opened June by going 6-for-45 with 19 strikeouts over 54 plate appearances, good for a .133/.259/.222 line.

After a big night against Durham, it looks like he’s successfully reversed the flow. He fell a double short of the cycle during a 3-for-5 night, and the homer was a resounding one.

He’s hitting .378/.500/.622 over his last nine games (48 PA), which has boosted his OPS back to .847. It had dropped below .800 during the worst of his slump. Just as importantly, he’s struck out just seven times to 10 walks over these nine games.

Top prospects at a glance

• Yoan Moncada: 3-for-5, HR, 3B, 2B, K
• Zack Burdi: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
• Michael Kopech: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K
• Luis Alexander Basabe: 0-for-3, HBP, K
• Zack Collins: 0-for-4, 3 K
• Dane Dunning: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
• Luis Robert: 2-for-4, 2B, BB, K

Durham 9, Charlotte 4

• Yoan Moncada enjoyed himself: 3-for-5 with a homer, a triple, a stolen base and a strikeout.
• Jacob May was 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
• Nicky Delmonico, 1-for-4.
• Danny Hayes was 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.
• Rymer Liriano went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
• Carlos Rodon: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 54 of 91 pitches for strikes, poor defense behind him during a seven-run fourth.
• Zack Burdi: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Montgomery 3, Birmingham 2

• Jake Peter went 2-for-4 with a strikeout.
• Trey Michalczewski was 1-for-5 with a homer and two strikeouts.
• Alfredo Gonzalez went 1-for-4 with a K, and was picked off/caught stealing.
• Michael Kopech: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 8 K

More:

*Courtney Hawkins returned to the disabled list, which interrupts what had been an encouraging rehab period from what’s been described as a thyroid issue. Over his previous eight games -- two with Kannapolis, five with Winston-Salem, one with the Barons — he’d hit .379/.438/.655 with just five strikeouts over 32 plate appearances including a zero-strikeout, two-walk night in his return to Double-A.

Buies Creek 3, Winston-Salem 0

• Joel Booker went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.
• Luis Alexander Basabe was 0-for-3 with a strikeout and an HBP.
• Zack Collins wore the collar and silver sombrero.
• Jameson Fisher had the Dash’s other hits by going 2-for-4 with a double.
• Johan Cruz went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
• Dane Dunning: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HR
• Zach Thompson pitched in relief: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Kannapolis 5, Columbia 4

• Aaron Schnurbusch went 1-for-4 with a triple, walk and strikeout.
• Micker Adolfo keeps hitting for power: 2-for-5, homer, strikeout.
• Bernardo Flores: 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

More:

*Third-round pick Luis Gonzalez will be joining the Intimidators from Great Falls, in what might be a preview assignment for the other college bats.

Missoula 19, Great Falls 16

• Craig Dedelow went 1-for-6 with a homer and three strikeouts.
• Franklin Reyes, 2-for-6 with two strikeouts.
• Justin Yurchak was 3-for-5.
• Felix Mercedes, 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.

DSL White Sox 5, DSL Orioles 2

• Luis Robert went 2-for-4 with a double, walk and strikeout.
• Luis Mieses was 1-for-3 with a triple and a walk.
• Harvin Mendoza went 2-for-4.
• Josue Guerrero was 1-for-5 with a strikeout.
• Kleyder Sanchez, 2-for-4 with a strikeout.
• Santo Vaquez went 1-for-4 with a strikeout, and was caught stealing.
• Brayant Nova went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts, and was successful in his stolen base attempt.