After opening the season with a 1-4 record, the Chicago White Sox have won six games in a row. The White Sox are currently in second place in the American League Central division. Part of their early success can be attributed to three of their youngest players. White Sox young stars Luis Robert, Eloy Jimenez, and Yoan Moncada have all been instrumental to the team’s strong offense. The White Sox have the highest team batting average in the MLB through twelve games.
In 2019, the White Sox finished 72-89. Last year marked the team’s seventh consecutive losing season. Then, the Sox made headlines over the winter, signing catcher Yasmani Grandal, veteran pitcher Dallas Keuchel, and three-time All-Star Edwin Encarnacion. Even so, the White Sox younger players have been the standouts of the 2020 season so far. Robert, Jimenez, and Moncada have all made extremely valuable contributions to the White Sox offense.
Luis Robert
Luis Robert made his major league debut on Friday, July 24. Since then, the centerfielder has batted .354 with two home runs over 48 at-bats. Robert has also stolen four bases. He leads his team in OBP. Before the 2020 season, Robert was ranked as the number three prospect by MLB Pipeline. He was named the Minor League Player of the Year by USA Today in 2019. Through his MiLB career, Robert slashed .312/.381/.551. Robert was signed to a six-year, $50 million dollar contract extension in January. The White Sox are hoping that the 23-year-old will continue on his track to stardom over the next few years.
Eloy Jimenez
Eloy Jimenez debuted in 2019. During his rookie season, he batted .267/.315/.513. Jimenez led American League rookies in home runs with 32. His performance was especially impressive last September when he boasted a .340/.383/.710 slash line. In 2020, Jimenez has hit three home runs with a .297 batting average. Jimenez signed a six-year, $43 million dollar contract in 2019. At age 22, Jimenez has the potential to develop into an elite baseball player.
Yoan Moncada
Yoan Moncada is the current third baseman for the White Sox. 2020 marks the start of Moncada’s fourth season with the Sox. The 25-year-old showed significant improvement during the 2019 season. In 2018, Moncada led the MLB in strikeouts with 217. His batting average was .235, well under the MLB average. The following year, he slashed .315/.367/.548. His defense greatly improved after transitioning from second base to third base in 2019. Moncada has started 11 out of 12 games for the White Sox this season. He is batting .326 with 15 hits and two home runs. Moncada signed a five-year, $70 million dollar contract extension during the offseason.
Overall
The White Sox are off to a promising start in 2020, thanks to their young stars. The White Sox rotation has been hindered with injuries and the bullpen has been limited in depth. Yet, the team has been able to stay afloat by depending on offensive production from the youngest players. The new postseason schedule and shortened season could certainly help the Sox to reach their first postseason since 2008. If Robert, Jimenez, and Moncada can continue to contribute to the offense, the White Sox could have a very successful season.
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