August Players of the Month: Nick Sogard and Yhoiker Fajardo

With the fifth full month of the minor league season behind us, it is time to present the SoxProspects.com Players of the Month Awards for August to utility man Nick Sogard (pictured, left) and right-hander Yhoiker Fajardo (pictured, bottom right). The former has already graduated from his prospect status, while the latter has steadily been on the rise since making his organizational debut earlier this year.

Sogard, who turns 28 next week, spent most of August at Worcester and put up strong offensive numbers. The versatile switch-hitter slashed .348/.463/.472 with five doubles, two home runs, nine RBIs, 21 runs scored, three stolen bases, 19 walks, and 20 strikeouts in 24 games (110 plate appearances). He also appeared in one game for Boston on Aug. 29 but was sent back down when Nathaniel Lowe returned from paternity leave the following day. Overall, Sogard is batting .276/.393/.385 with 22 doubles, five home runs, 28 RBIs, 64 runs scored, 16 stolen bases, 64 walks, and 73 strikeouts through 91 games (409 plate appearances) for the WooSox this season. In that time, he has made 47 starts at shortstop, 21 starts at third base, 16 starts at second base, four starts at first base, and three starts in right field.

This marks the first time that Sogard has been recognized as a SoxProspects.com Player of the Month. The former 2019 12th-round draft pick out of Loyola Marymount has been a member of the Red Sox organization since February 2021, when he was acquired from the Rays alongside Ronaldo Hernandez for pitchers Jeffrey Springs and Chris Mazza. While Hernandez was the more highly-regarded prospect at that time, Sogard became the first of the two to officially debut with Boston last August.  In parts of two seasons, he sports a .259/.323/.324 slash line with nine doubles, 11 RBIs, 23 runs scored, four stolen bases, 11 walks, and 38 strikeouts through the first 49 games (155 plate appearances of his big league career.

Fajardo, meanwhile, is a first-time SoxProspects.com Pitcher of the Month honoree and is the first righty to accomplish that feat this season. The 18-year-old hurler dominated on the mound for Salem in August, forging a 1.14 ERA with 36 strikeouts to eight walks over six starts (23 2/3 innings) in which opposing hitters batted .159 against him. He owns a 2.79 ERA with 53 strikeouts to 16 walks through his first 12 outings (48 1/3 innings) at the Low-A level following his promotion from the Florida Complex League on June 17.

Originally signed by the White Sox for $400,000 as a highly-touted international free agent coming out of Venezuela in February 2024, Fajardo was recognized as a Dominican Summer League All-Star in his professional debut and was acquired by the Red Sox for left-handed reliever Cam Booser in December. The hard-throwing 6-foot-3, 181-pounder features a 93-96 mph fastball that can reach 97 mph, an 82-86 mph slider, and an 85-88 mph changeup. He is currently regarded as Boston's No. 18 prospect, which ranks 11th among pitchers in the organization.