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Moncada leads speedy Carolina All-Stars

Top Red Sox prospect one of several base-stealing threats on roster
June 8, 2016

The California League is bringing the power to Lake Elsinore on June 21, but the Carolina League is ready to run.

No. 1 Red Sox prospect Yoan Moncada, who is also ranked No. 5 overall by MLB.com, will lead the Carolina All-Stars against their California counterparts. The 21-year-old second baseman is first in the Minor Leagues with 34 steals and tied for first with 51 runs scored as the catalyst of Salem's potent lineup, getting on base at a .421 clip -- also tops on the circuit.

Moncada isn't the only speedster on the Carolina roster as Indians' No. 23 prospect Greg Allen -- who is tied for fourth in the Minors with 29 steals -- is one of six Lynchburg representatives on the roster. Winston-Salem outfielder Hunter Jones brings 25 stolen bases of his own to the squad, a total that is tied for ninth in the Minors.

Potomac's Andrew Stevenson and Alec Keller round out the Carolina outfield, and Stevenson's 20 stolen bases rank fifth in the league.

Bobby Bradley, Cleveland's No. 3 prospect, provides pop in the middle of the lineup with his Carolina League-leading 14 home runs, while his 53 RBIs are tied for first in the Minors. His .515 slugging percentage trails only Potomac's Drew Ward -- also an All-Star -- on the circuit.

Moncada's middle-infield mate, Mauricio Dubon, is one of three shortstops on the roster, along with Wilmington's Humberto Arteaga and Lynchburg's Yu-Cheng Chang. Frederick's Aderlin Rodriguez, whose 10 homers trail only Bradley on the circuit, rounds out the infield.

Keys teammate Jonah Heim joins Lynchburg's Daniel Salters behind the plate, while Carolina League ERA leaders Julian Merryweather (0.92) and Matthew Grimes (1.08) represent Lynchburg and Frederick, respectively, on the pitching staff. Winston-Salem's Matt Cooper, who leads the Minors with 92 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings, also made the team.

Potomac's Ryan Brinley leads the bullpen with nine saves, and Carolina's Evan Phillips brings six to the table to fortify the league's back end.


View the full Carolina League All-Star roster »


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Chris Tripodi is an editor for MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @christripodi.