Instant offense. pic.twitter.com/Id6TAMhynq
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 25, 2018
April 25 (UPI) -- Chicago White Sox star prospect-turned-starting second baseman Yoan Moncada hit the first leadoff home run of his career Wednesday in Chicago.
Moncada completed the task while facing Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez in the bottom of the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Starting pitcher James Shields pitched a scoreless top of the first inning before handing it over to the White Sox's bats.
It didn't take long for the lumber-wielders to make an impact. Moncada stepped in first against the former Cy Young Award winner. "King Felix" tossed in an 87.1-mph changeup. Moncada immediately turned on the offering, belting it 394-feet to right field. The ball left the yard at 108.5 mph, according to Statcast.
The solo bomb was also the first leadoff homer this season for the White Sox. Chicago led 3-2 after four innings. Hernandez struck out Moncada looking in the second inning and fanned him swinging in the fourth frame.
Moncada, 22, is hitting .247 on the season, with five home runs and 11 RBIs. He led the American League in strikeouts entering Wednesday's bout against the Mariners. The infielder was originally signed by the Boston Red Sox in 2015 as an amateur free agent. Boston traded the young star to the White Sox in 2016 as part of the five-player deal for pitcher Chris Sale.
