The Boston Red Sox will promote top prospect Yoan Moncada to the major leagues for Friday’s game at Oakland, the team announced Wednesday night.
Moncada, 24, was among the most sought-after international free agents last year when he left Cuba and the Red Sox agreed to a $31.5 million bonus to get him.
This season, he had 486 plate appearances between Class A Salem and Double-A Portland. With Portland, he batted .285 with 11 home runs and 27 RBIs in 44 games.
Overall between the two levels, Moncada totaled 15 home runs, 31 doubles, six triples and 45 stolen bases out of 57 tries.
Moncada has spent most of the season playing second base but has seen time at third base in recent weeks. Once called up, he is expected to play third base for the Red Sox, who have used seven players at the position this season.
Boston’s third basemen are batting .248, which is among the lowest in the American League. Travis Shaw was the team’s regular third baseman but is batting .189 with 36 strikeouts since the All-Star break and .248 overall with 14 home runs and 61 RBIs.
Shaw recently was platooning with Aaron Hill, whose tiebreaking RBI single Wednesday in an 8-6 win over the Tampa Bay Rays snapped an 0-for-20 skid.
“We’ve talked about Yoan, and not just as a pinch runner,” Boston manager John Farrell said Wednesday. “So that’s an exciting young player, extremely talented guy. There’s all positive reviews and evaluations of him.”