Boston Red Sox prospect Tyler McDonough hit for the cycle on Saturday
Boston Red Sox prospect Tyler McDonough has had a strong year, even if his slash line heading into Saturday (.234/.321/.359) didn’t exactly give off that impression. The switch-hitting second baseman/outfielder can do it all though. He’s got good speed and surprising pop; while playing solid defense at multiple positions. You can put him anywhere in the lineup, and in plenty of different spots on the field.
On Saturday came his potential breakout game though. McDonough went 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, and a home run. He drove in two runs and scored three more. The 23-year-old completed the cycle by showing off that good speed, sprinting to third base on a line drive down the first base line.
Tyler McDonough does it!
— Hunter Noll (@Hunter_Noll) August 21, 2022
The Boston Red Sox prospect with his fourth triple of the year makes him 4-for-4 with the cycle in High-A! (I don’t know why the announcer thinks he had a triple already). pic.twitter.com/IcIc6Q4Y9O
The massive game boosted McDonough’s slash line considerably (.241/.327/.379). He’s now up to 20 doubles, four triples, and nine home runs on the season. Meanwhile, he’s driven in 46 runs, scored 57 more, and stolen 19 bases. Once again showing how much he brings to the table.
McDonough was a third-round pick in the 2021 draft out of North Carolina State. He quickly impressed in a short-stint in Low-A to end the year.
Spending 2022 in High-A, McDonough has made his mark at both the top and the bottom of the lineup. This particular game saw him batting second. However, he’s also spent time leading off, as well as every spot from six to nine. The hefty majority of the season has seen McDonough batting either first or second though.
The FCL (Florida Complex League) season ends in a few days. With that, we’ll likely see a few players move up to Low-A. That will lead to some Low-A players getting promoted to High-A, and so on.
Tyler McDonough was already a decent candidate for a promotion to High-A. He’s 23 and has been having a strong all-around year. It wasn’t 100% a guarantee though. Hitting for the cycle right now is certainly going to help his odds of getting that call-up.
The 2022 season for McDonough has been strong. But if you’re just looking at the slash line and haven’t watched him play, you might not be all that impressed. Having a signature game like hitting for the cycle helps to put him on the map a little bit more for the casual fans. And it gives you a glimpse of what he can bring to the table.
The Boston Red Sox have had a lot of great individual performances from prospects this year. Tyler McDonough can now add his name to that list.