DENVER -- Yoan Moncada's seven-game hitting streak for Triple-A Charlotte came to an end Thursday night with an 0-for-4 showing at Durham.
That level of consistency, followed by two hits from Moncada on Friday, stands as a good sign for the No. 1 prospect in baseball, per MLBPipeline.com, after posting a .236 average in June on the heels of missing May 16-25 with a left thumb bruise. But the second baseman's overall 2017 body of work in the International League impresses the White Sox beyond the raw statistics.
"What I love about him is he's such a good teammate. He mixes in well with the guys," White Sox director of player development Chris Getz said. "But the thing that has stood out the most is his defensive development.
"From Day 1 to now, he's been hungry to improve his game defensively, and he has. He's becoming a solid defender there. He has a strong arm, he's turning the double play well. It's been really impressive to see what he has been able to accomplish at second base."
Moncada will take part in his second straight SiriusXM Futures Game today at 3 p.m. CT at Marlins Park in Miami, which can be viewed live on MLB Network and MLB.com, following up his Most Valuable Player effort in the '16 event. The switch-hitter's next big step seems to be with the White Sox, maybe even in July, with Moncada consistently having shown his full array of ability, despite the recent offensive struggles.
"That layoff affected him a little bit," Getz said. "Obviously the thumb needed to heal, and then on top of that the reps, but once he got back out there and started playing, he was back to being kind of who he is.
"He's had a very good year, and he's been fun to watch. He's kind of shown everything he was going to show and we think that there's certainly more in there."
Garcia getting better
Avisail Garcia, the team's lone All-Star representative going to Miami, will be available Sunday after missing the first two games of the Colorado series due to a sprained middle finger on his right hand.
"He's doing very, very well, actually," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said before Saturday's game. "Might even be available to me tonight to pinch-hit if I need to, but he's continuing to get treatment right now and we expect him to be back."
Overkash takes new job
Oklahoma University baseball will hire Clay Overkash, a full-time area scout for the White Sox, as part of its staff. Overkash covered Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma for the White Sox.
"We are happy for Clay and his family to have this opportunity," White Sox director of amateur scouting Nick Hostetler said. "We are very appreciative of Clay's efforts for the White Sox."