Yoan Moncada

Position: 3B/2B
Born: 5/27/1995
Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 225 lb B-T: S-R
Acquired: Received from Boston in Chris Sale trade, Dec. 2016
Career Stats

FutureSox Prospect Rankings

  • #1 – 2017 Preseason
  • #1 – 2017 Midseason

FutureSox Media

Accolades

  • South Atlantic League All-Star, 2015 Postseason
  • Carolina League All-Star, 2016 Midseason
  • Futures Game, 2016
  • Carolina League All-Star, 2016 Postseason
  • Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year, 2016
  • Triple-A All-Star, 2017 Midseason
  • Futures Game, 2017

Scouting Report

Signed for a record-breaking $31.5 million (and an additional $31.5 million in penalties) in March of 2015, Moncada has proved to be worth that and more. The Cuban import started with Low-A Greenville in 2015 and slashed .278/.380./438 while stealing 49 bases over 81 games. Moncada was moved up to High-A Salem and spent the majority of 2016 tormenting pitchers to the tune of .307/.427/.496 with 36 steals over 61 games. The Red Sox promoted him to Double-A Portland, where he lost some points off his batting average and OBP, but slugged .531 over his 45 games there. Boston then rewarded him and picked him as a September call-up to the big league club, where he struggled while playing periodically.

Moncada is one of the most physically gifted players in the game. In addition to his prodigious strength, Moncada runs like a deer, garnering a 65-70 grade on his foot speed on a 20-80 scouting scale. At the plate, Moncada is a switch-hitter who is much more dangerous from the left side. Moncada’s left-handed swing is short, compact and has ferocious bat speed through the zone. He consistently barreled up pitches, sending lasers to all fields, and is famous for his opposite field stroke. His right-handed swing is stiffer, lacks the explosive bat speed, and doesn’t finish with the same extension as his lefty swing. In 2016, Moncada crushed righties to the tune of .305/.410/.539 and accumulated 43 of his 53 extra base hits from the left side.

The big risk with Moncada is he struggles to make consistent contact and his barrel control has been described as “mediocre.” While a high strikeout rate is probably sounding alarm bells in most White Sox fans’ ears, Moncada is a prospect who can theoretically absorb it with a high BABIP. Simply put, when Moncada does make contact, he vaporizes balls and, combined with his speed, he can withstand a fair amount of whiffs and still be a successful hitter. Moncada is a patient hitter and accumulates walks to support a high OBP.

Defensively, Moncada has split time between 2B and 3B. The White Sox started him at second base before a full-time move to third in the majors. Moncada has above average range at 2B, but has made mental mistakes working around the bag and sometimes is a victim of sloppy footwork. His arm is more than enough for either position.