White Sox prospect Yoan Moncada named International League Batter of the Week

Does anybody feel like breaking down the three-game series sweep the White Sox suffered in Baltimore over the weekend?

Me neither. That was a pitiful performance by a below-average team at the end of a 10-game road trip. So why make a Monday even gloomier by reliving it?

Instead, let's talk about White Sox prospect Yoan Moncada, who finished a triple short of the cycle Sunday in Charlotte's 7-1 victory over Gwinnett.

Moncada went 3 for 4 with a home run, a double, a walk and a stolen base. For the week of May 1 to 7, the second baseman hit .500 with two home runs and four RBIs. For his efforts, he has been named International League Batter of the Week.

That performance is an extension of a longer-term tear that Moncada has been on. Over his past 15 games, he is hitting .400/.464/.617 with 16 runs scored, three homers and seven RBIs in 69 plate appearances.

For those concerned about Moncada's strikeout rate, yes, he has struck out 26.7 percent of the time in his 124 plate appearances this season. But, that number is starting to come down. His K rate over the past 15 games? It's 21.7 percent. Still a little high, but a clear improvement. For the season, he's hitting .352 with six home runs and 11 RBIs.

When you're watching the Sox get shut out and go 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position -- as they did Sunday -- it's hard not to look forward to the day when Moncada gets called up. It won't happen until at least May 15. If the Sox want to keep Moncada for a seventh year of control -- and they do -- they can't call him up until then.

I'm not going to be the guy who calls for Moncada to be promoted as quickly as possible. He's ready whenever he's ready, and I can be patient. At the same time, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to see what he can do against major league pitching.

And, also, Carson Fulmer is progressing at Triple-A Charlotte. He got the win in the aforementioned game against Gwinnett. He went six innings and allowed only four base runners (three hits, one walk) and one run. His season ERA is down to 2.88. He has held the opposition to two runs or less in five of his first six starts.

Amid all the hype about prospects who were acquired over the offseason, the best pitcher at Triple-A has been a guy who was in the organization last year -- that's Fulmer.