The top prospect in the Boston Red Sox minor league system is coming to Portland.

Yoan Moncada, 21, the Cuban infielder who the Boston Red Sox spent $63-million to sign last year, has been promoted to the Double-A level Sea Dogs, the Salem Red Sox announced late Sunday night.

Salem, the advanced Class A affiliate of Boston, also announced that starting pitcher Jalen Beeks and reliever Ben Taylor have also been promoted to Portland.

Moncada could be in uniform by Tuesday, when the Sea Dogs begin a six-game home stand at Hadlock Field. Portland, which is off Monday, plays Harrisburg Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The Red Sox first noticed Moncada when he was 15-years-old, playing for a Cuban youth national team. He left Cuba and became a free agent in early 2015. Boston was the highest bidder for Moncada, signing him with a $31.5-million bonus. Because the Red Sox had already exceeded the Major League Baseball limit on bonuses for international free agent, the team had to pay a $31.5-million fine as well.

Moncada began playing in low Class A Greenville last year. After a slow start, he batted .310 in the second half of the season, with a .915 OPS (combined on base percentage and slugging average).

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In Salem this year, Moncada was batting .307/.923. He leads all minor league players with 36 stolen bases (in 44 attempts).

Moncada, 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, has only played second base so far, but he is expected to eventually play other positions – especially with Boston set with Dustin Pedroia at second base in the majors.

Beeks, 22, was a 12-round draft pick out of the University of Arkansas in 2014. He was 4-4 in Salem, with a 3.07 ERA.

Taylor, 23, was a seventh-round draft pick last year out of the University of South Alabama. He had three saves with Salem, with a 2.60 ERA and 1.00 WHIP (walks/hits per inning).


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