Red Sox prospect Yoeilin Cespedes named Florida Complex League Player of the Week
Since the calendar flipped to June Red Sox prospect Yoeilin Cespedes has been on fire at the plate. On Monday, he was rewarded for his efforts when he was named the Florida Complex League Player of the Week for the week of June 3-9. While Cespedes is still a few years away from making his MLB debut, he has shown why his future is bright this month.
In his last five games, Cespedes has posted a .381 batting average and hit two home runs. He has also been an extra-base machine with two doubles and one triple. Regardless of who has been on the mound, the talented 18-year-old has made hard contact and terrorized FCL pitching.
Due to his recent hot streak, Cespedes is hitting .315 this season. He only needs two more home runs to match his total from last season and has made an impact with his speed, stealing a career-high three bases. Part of what makes him such an intriguing prospect is his ability to make a difference in various ways.
Although Cespedes has only played in 20 games this year, his advanced approach has been on full display. That is partly why Cespedes was given a $1.4 million signing bonus last January. That was the most the Red Sox gave to any player in the 2023 class. Due to his hitting ability, some scouts have compared him to Howie Kendrick.
Over the next few months, Cespedes will be a player to watch. He is one of the Red Sox's most intriguing prospects due to his ability to get on base and make hard contact with ease. Those traits will be valuable as he moves closer to the majors and faces more advanced competition.
Monday's award should only be the first of many for the talented shortstop, who is currently ranked as the Red Sox's sixth-best prospect by MLB.com and making headlines with his bat.