Infielder Nate Mondou thriving for Snappers
After an underwhelming season at the plate in 2016, the Snappers' lineup has been surprisingly productive in the early months of 2017. At the center of that success is Nate Mondou, an infielder whose breakout campaign has been one of Beloit's most interesting stories in 2017. Mondou isn't a speed
After an underwhelming season at the plate in 2016, the Snappers' lineup has been surprisingly productive in the early months of 2017. At the center of that success is Nate Mondou, an infielder whose breakout campaign has been one of Beloit's most interesting stories in 2017. Mondou isn't a speed demon, nor does he hit for the power of a player like his teammate Miguel Mercedes. However, the 5-foot-10 infielder does a little bit of everything, and has been a model of consistency atop Beloit's lineup.
None of the Athletics' top 30 prospects are currently playing with the Snappers, but Mondou is one of a few players on the squad who has a chance at cracking MLB Pipeline's midseason prospect rankings. Oakland selected Mondou in the 13th round of the 2016 MLB Draft at 382nd overall following his junior year at Wake Forest University. Mondou, who bats left-handed, hit .308 with 21 home runs and 114 RBIs over the course of his three-year collegiate career for the Demon Deacons.
That success has certainly translated to his first taste of professional baseball. In 53 games for the Snappers in 2017, Mondou is batting .321 accompanied by an impressive .393 on-base percentage. He's yet to hit a home run in his professional career, but he does have 13 doubles and three triples in 2017.
Despite the immediate success, Mondou noted that the transition to pro ball is definitely an adjustment.
"Especially at the plate, patience was one of the things [I needed to work on]," he said. "In college I was a very aggressive hitter and probably swung at some pitches I shouldn't have and got away with it some. But I think especially in professional baseball with the wood bat you have to be more selective. So for me it's been patience, being more selective, but still maintaining the aggressive hitter that I am."
Based on Mondou's performance, one wouldn't guess that he's in the process of making changes to his game. Mondou was recently named a Midwest League All-Star, and will start at second base for the Western squad. He was also a New York-Penn League All-Star in 2016 while playing for Short-Season A Vermont, where he hit .298 in 60 games. Although he's barely into his professional career, Mondou isn't surprised at the accolades he has racked up so far.
"I knew I was prepared," he said. "The coaches back at Wake Forest really prepared me well and the coaches before that, including my dad as well, really prepared me for college, so I think the preparation I knew was there and I just needed to trust that preparation in order to succeed. I think the success was expected, but it's nice to see the results on the field."
Mondou rattled off several names that have helped him with that preparation.
"I can really look back to my hitting coach in high school that I still work with back home during the offseason, Mike Brooks," Mondou said. "My dad has been a huge influence, and my mom too, with the support they show, as well as the coaches at Wake Forest. Everyone [in Beloit] has been great so far; [hitting coach Juan Dilone] this year has been fantastic, he's never afraid to work, so you can get in the cage whenever you want."
Mondou emphasized that, despite his great hitting season to this point, he arguably worked even more on defense this past offseason.
"There was a lot of defensive work in the offseason and to come away with a really good defensive season, that was probably one of my biggest goals for this year," he said. "Just trying to be more consistent, and that's kind of the name of the game, especially playing up the middle."
The Snappers have used Mondou, primarily a second baseman, at a few different infield positions in 2017, including third base.
"I think second base definitely is where I project and feel most comfortable at, but I think I can play all over the infield," he said. "I think that's very valuable to have, being able to move around keep my bat in the lineup."
Mondou has enjoyed his time with the A's organization thus far and hopes to continue progressing in the right direction.
"Being able to truly just dive into baseball, spend the maximum amount of time doing that has been huge in developing my game. It's been very fun and rewarding for me."
Border Brouhaha Softball Slam Featuring Football Legend Mason Crosby
BELOIT, WI– The Sky Carp, in collaboration with Green Bay Packers legend Mason Crosby and TEAM LAMMI, are thrilled to announce the highly anticipated Border Brouhaha Softball Slam, a spirited charity softball game set to take place on July 27 at the picturesque ABC Supply Stadium. This exciting event will
Songs Over the Stateline: A Live Concert Adventure for Beloit Sky Carp Fans
Curtain Call & Laughter: A Unique Theatre & Comedy Guide for Beloit Sky Carp Fans Nestled along the Rock River in southern Wisconsin, the city of Beloit is more than just home to the Beloit Sky Carp—it’s also a community filled with artistic appreciation, theatrical gems, and great comedy. Whether
Sky Carp comeback falls just short
BELOIT – The Sky Carp came up just short of their third straight series victory Sunday afternoon, falling 6-5 to the Cedar Rapids Kernels. A fantastic Mother’s Day crowd at sun-splashed ABC Supply Stadium watched the Carp nearly rally from a 5-1 deficit to defeat the Kernels. Cedar Rapids plated
15-hit attack paces Sky Carp win
BELOIT – The Sky Carp won their third game in a row in front of another outstanding crowd at ABC Supply Stadium, winning 8-5 over the Cedar Rapids Kernels. The Carp trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth when they parlayed four hits into three runs to take
White dominates in front of huge crowd
BELOIT – It was a festive evening at ABC Supply Stadium, and the Sky Carp lived up to exciting atmosphere with an 8-4 win Friday night. With new member of the ownership group Lance Leipold looking on, the Carp scored five runs in the first inning to take immediate control
Ignoffo hits two grand slams in 14-5 victory
BELOIT – Ryan Ignoffo put on a historic performance Thursday night at ABC Supply Stadium. The Sky Carp catcher hit grand slams in back-to-back at bats late in the Carp’s 14-5 victory over the Kernels, finishing the contest with eight runs batted in and giving the home fans a memory
Sky Carp fall 6-5 on Education Day
BELOIT – A jubilant Education Day crowd of 2,090 saw the Sky Carp come up just short Wednesday afternoon as they fell 6-5 to Cedar Rapids. It looked to be a long afternoon when the Carp fell behind 5-2, but the home team made a spirited comeback. Jay Beshears hit
Sky Carp drop series opener 8-0
BELOIT – The Sky Carp picked up plenty of hits on a picture perfect Tuesday evening at ABC Supply Stadium. Their issue in an 8-0 defeat to Cedar Rapids was what to do with them. The Carp and the visiting Kernels each finished with nine hits, but four Sky Carp
Sky Carp take series with 11-7 victory
PEORIA, Ill. – The Sky Carp capped off a terrific series and an outstanding road trip with a 11-7 victory Sunday afternoon over the Peoria Chiefs. The win gave them a 4-2 series win over the Chiefs, and ended the longest road trip of the season for the team with
Sky Carp drop second straight to Chiefs
PEORIA, Ill. – The Sky Carp dropped their second straight game Saturday evening in Peoria, falling 6-2 to the Chiefs. The Chiefs got off to a quick start against Sky Carp starting pitcher Jake Brooks, plating three first-inning runs. As they have this entire road trip, the Carp again fought
Sky Carp-Chiefs postponed
PEORIA, Ill. – The Sky Carp’s bid for their seventh straight victory will have to wait another day. The Sky Carp and the Peoria Chiefs were postponed due to rain Thursday night. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Friday. The first of two seven-inning
Late surge makes it 5 in a row for the Carp
PEORIA, Ill. – The Sky Carp didn’t let a change of venue or an early start get in the way of their fifth consecutive victory Tuesday afternoon. The Carp rallied from a 9-4 deficit to record a wild 13-9 win over Peoria to extend their winning streak and move to
Carp pitching shines again in 5-2 win
Carp pitching shines again in 5-2 win Written by Josh Flickinger SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Sky Carp recorded their second straight victory Friday night, taking down the South Bend Cubs 5-2. For the second straight night, it was the Carp pitching staff that stood out the most. A trio
Sky Carp hold Cubs to one hit
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – One infield single. That’s all the South Bend Cubs could muster in the Sky Carp’s 3-0 victory Thursday night in South Bend. The Cubs were held hitless by a trio of Carp hurlers before Cristian Hernandez, working against new pitcher Will Kempner, led off the ninth
Carp fall 8-5 for 2nd straight night
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Sky Carp couldn’t overcome a disastrous start Wednesday night. Despite a spirited rally, the Carp fell to South Bend 8-5 for the second straight night. The Cubs plated six runs (five earned) in the bottom of the first against Sky Carp starter Noble Meyer. They
Sky Carp drop opener to Cubs
BELOIT WI– The Sky Carp got a boost from its struggling offense, but had a tough night on the mound in an 8-5 loss to South Bend Tuesday night. The Carp scored all five of its runs via the longball. Ryan Ignoffo staked the team to a 3-0 lead with
Sky Carp, Bandits suspended in 4th
BELOIT, Wis. – Sunday’s game between the Sky Carp and the River Bandits was suspended with the River Bandits leading 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning. The game will be picked up from the point it left off on Tuesday, May 20 at 6:05 p.m. The game will
River Bandits stay hot, beat Carp 7-1
BELOIT, Wis. – The Sky Carp’s offensive malaise continued Saturday afternoon in a 7-1 loss to Quad Cities. The River Bandits scored a run in the first inning, then took control of the contest with four runs in the fourth inning to break open a 2-1 game. It was the
Late runs fuel River Bandits win
BELOIT, Wis. – The Supper Clubbers have one significant thing in common with their Sky Carp brethren: They sure can strike out the opposition. The Sky Carp, taking over their Friday night identity as the Supper Clubbers, struck out 17 River Bandits in an 8-0 loss at ABC Supply Stadium.
Sky Carp fan 20 in 3-0 loss
Sky Carp fan 20 in 3-0 loss Written by Josh Flickinger BELOIT, Wis. – The Sky Carp didn’t come away with the victory Thursday night, but they did come away with a rather remarkable performance. While falling 3-0 to the visiting Quad Cities River Bandits, the Sky Carp pitching staff
Strong pitching leads Carp to win
BELOIT, Wis. – An outstanding pitching performance on a sunny Wednesday afternoon marked Education Day a grand success at ABC Supply Stadium. The Sky Carp allowed just three hits in a 5-1 victory before an active crowd of students. The Carp took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when
Late inning runs send Carp to defeat
BELOIT, Wis. – The Quad Cities River Bandits broke open a pitcher’s duel on Tuesday afternoon, scoring a run in the eighth inning and three more in the ninth to capture the series opener 4-0. The game, played before an enthusiastic crowd of high school students on hand for Business
Spirited Sky Carp rally falls short
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Sky Carp dug themselves a deep hole Sunday afternoon, and nearly rallied for an improbable victory before falling 10-7 to Cedar Rapids in the series finale. Sky Carp starter Jake Brooks recorded just two outs while allowing seven runs to get the game off to
Sky Carp drop second straight to Kernels
Carp drop second straight to Kernels Written by Josh Flickinger CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Cedar Rapids Kernels rallied from an early 3-1 deficit to defeat the Sky Carp 7-4 Saturday afternoon. The Carp trailed 1-0 in the second inning when Eric Rataczak cracked a three-run homer, his first of
Late runs lead Kernels over Carp
Kernels plate two late runs to beat Carp Written by Josh Flickinger CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Despite a valiant mid-game rally, the Sky Carp fell 6-4 to the Cedar Rapids Kernels Friday night. The loss evened the series at two games each, with a pair of matinees to decide the