Yoan Moncada

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Chicago White Sox #1 prospect in 2017
  Moncada showed plenty of promise during a transition year in 2015 following his entry into the Red Sox organization for a record-setting $31.5 million bonus. Boston paid a 100 percent penalty tax--$31.5 million--when they signed the young Cuban because they exceeded their allotted international bonus pool. Still, the way in which Moncada's tools coalesced in 2016 proved to be breathtaking at times at high Class A Salem and then Double-A Portland. He hit .294/.407/.511 with 15 home runs and 45 stolen bases in 106 games and also starred at the Futures Game in San Diego, where he earned MVP honors. The Red Sox called up Moncada in September as they sought offensive punch at third base, but it proved to be an anticlimactic final note to the year. He hit just .211 with 12 strikeouts in 19 at-bats. Yet the progress he has made as a professional reinforces the notion that his tools and aptitude could yield a player of rare impact. The White Sox are on board with that projection after trading ace Chris Sale to the Red Sox at the 2016 Winter Meetings for Moncada plus three other prospects: hard-throwing high Class A righthander Michael Kopech, switch-hitting low Class A center fielder Luis Alexander Basabe and low Class A reliever Victor Diaz. Moncada possesses the size and strength of a linebacker and he runs like a runaway locomotive. Though he typically features a flat bat path that creates screaming line drives, the switch-hitter showed an increasing willingness to drive balls with loft in 2016, resulting in some prodigious home runs on top of doubles. While batting lefthanded, he evokes comparisons with Robinson Cano. On the bases, he possesses elite speed though with still-developing situational awareness, and his enormous stolen base totals are likely to decline as he advances. Moncada showed hickeys in his game even before he struggled in the big leagues. He hit a more modest .243/.371/.379 batting righthanded and striking out 25 percent of the time, both of which raise concerns about this hit tool. Still, many believe that he has the athleticism and aptitude, along with the pitch recognition and strike-zone recognition, to intermingle high averages and on-base percentages with plenty of extra-base power. Moncada spent most of 2016 at second base, where he showed sounder fundamentals and an ability to make standout plays. His late-season move to third base, however, showed off his flexibility. He displayed an enormous arm and quick-twitch actions that could play well at the hot corner, though his footwork and fundamentals suggest a work in progress. Many evaluators believe that he could also handle the outfield, though for now, he will work primarily at second base. Moncada will be given a chance to compete for a big league job in spring training, but especially given how he struggled after being rushed to the big leagues in 2016, it seems more likely that he'll open the year at Triple-A Charlotte. Still, it wouldn't come as a surprise if he asserted himself as ready to make a substantial big league impact by the middle of 2017. If he makes the adjustments to limit his strikeouts, he could explore a ceiling that may be unrivaled in the minors.
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  Ranked Boston Red Sox #1 prospect in 2016
  When Major League Baseball declared Moncada, a 19-year-old Cuban sensation, free to sign with any club in February 2015, it incited a bidding war. His workout in late 2014 brought hundreds of evaluators to Guatemala and led to additional rounds of private workouts. The Red Sox decided to go all-in on Moncada after working him out in Fort Myers, Fla., in February 2015. In that session, he took live batting practice against five different pitchers as a test of his offensive approach against an array of offerings. In the end, Boston was convinced that Moncada's skill set would make him a potential No. 1 overall pick if he were draft eligible, so they spent $63 million to sign him. Their bill included a $31.5 million bonus and an MLB-issued $31.5 million tax penalty for obliterating bonus pool allotments. Assigned in May to low Class A Greenville to considerable fanfare in 2015 that included MLB authenticators, Moncada initially struggled in his first game activity in more than a year, hitting just .200 through 25 games. But when he returned from the South Atlantic League all-star break, he played with a renewed freedom and aggressiveness after a move to the leadoff spot, asserting himself as one of the most dynamic talents in the minors. He hit .310/.415/.500 with 25 extra-base hits and 45 steals in 48 attempts over his final 56 games. "I haven't seen a player make those types of strides . . . in such a short period of time," one evaluator said. Physically, Moncada stands out. "He could be a defensive back for Ohio State," one scout said. That physicality lends itself to explosiveness in games, though it remains to be seen if that will manifest itself as power or in the rest of his game. At Greenville, his level swing plane created hard liners to the gaps instead of loft, meaning he might profile more as a standout two-hole hitter than a middle-of-the-order threat. Even if that proves the case, Moncada will offer plenty of impact with 10-12 homers, given bigger baserunning and defensive upside than anticipated. While he made errors in bunches at times, and finished with 23 overall he made some spectacular plays at second base that showed above-average defensive potential at the position. He also showed the athleticism (and offensive profile) to move nearly anywhere but shortstop depending on team need. Though Moncada's disciplined approach is more advanced from the left side, where his swing draws frequent comparisons with that of Robinson Cano, he put up better numbers--particularly in terms of power--as a righthanded hitter and shows the overall skill to be a true switch-hitter. His power projection ranges from average to plus. Moncada suffers from occasional concentration lapses, and he still needs to learn how to handle the physical rigors of a full season, but he's a rare physical talent who engenders all kinds of daydreaming projections. Moncada, whose planned participation in the Puerto Rican League was scrapped by a bone bruise suffered on a hit by pitch in instructional league, will open 2016 at high Class A Salem. Boston has Dustin Pedroia signed through 2021, and its major league outfield already looks overstuffed, making it hard to see where Moncada fits. But he looks primed to force the issue. With the rust of his layoff behind him, it wouldn't be surprising to see him play at multiple levels in 2016. "He could completely explode and be in Fenway in September," one evaluator said.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked International League #2 prospect in 2017
  Moncada showed power, patience and speed at Charlotte in his first year in the White Sox system. While that sort of offense had not fully translated to the big league level following his July 19 callup, he has some of the best tools in baseball. Moncada's primary issue moving forward will be one of makeup and mindset. Multiple evaluators questioned his mentality and effort level, noting lackadaisical play and preparation. While he has plus power and speed, his ability to hit for average is an open question. Moncada's strikeout rate surged this season, and some scouts don't like the switch-hitter's swing from the right side. Scouts were impressed with Moncada's defensive progress at second base, noting his improving his actions and instincts.
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  Ranked Carolina League #1 prospect in 2016
  Moncada stood out even in a banner year for position prospects in the Carolina League, especially for his speed and game awareness. He showed why the Red Sox were willing to pay him a $31.5 million bonus and then chip in an additional $31.5 million for exceeding their international bonus-pool limit. "His speed is a big part of his success, whether it's offensively or defensively," Salem manager Joe Oliver said. "He has some untapped power that he's starting to show. As he gets more experience it's going to show up even more. The work ethic he has is bringing out his athleticism." Moncada has more opportunity at third base than at second for Boston, but Oliver said he "can really turn the double play at second. He's quite an athlete--and he has opposite-field power from both sides of the plate."
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  Ranked Eastern League #1 prospect in 2016
  The Minor League Player of the Year, Moncada joined Portland on June 21 and skipped Triple-A on his way to a September callup with the Red Sox. At Portland, he impressed evaluators with his array of tools. He has size, strength, athleticism and the ability and aptitude to hit for both average and power. Portland hitting coach Jon Nunnally worked with him to achieve fuller extension on his swing, rather than cutting it off early and sapping the power that flowed from his strength and bat speed. The result was 11 home runs in 177 at-bats, one fewer than he hit at low Class A and high Class A in his 534 previous at-bats. Moncada has 70-grade speed on the 20-80 scouting scale and used it to swipe 94 bases in 109 attempts in the minors. He has begun the transition to third base, where evaluators believe he'll have the athleticism and arm strength to handle the position.
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  Ranked South Atlantic League #1 prospect in 2015
  For the first two months of the SAL season, Moncada left scouts scratching their heads. He missed hittable pitches, took inconsistent routes to groundballs at second base and looked a little lost. But near the all-star break, Moncada shook off the rust, regained his timing and became the best player in the league. Moncada has quick hands and a swing geared for driving line drives from gap to gap from both sides of the plate. He projects as an above-average hitter with average power. Evaluators see him as a doubles hitter whose bat speed and strength will let him run into 10-15 home runs, though there's a chance for more if he's willing to sacrifice batting average. Moncada also was one of the SAL's best baserunners with aggressiveness and feel to go with double-plus speed. League catchers threw him out just three times in 52 tries, including twice at third base and once at home--but never at second base. Moncada has a lot of work to do defensively. While he has the tools to stay at second base with an above-average arm and quick feet, he shows inconsistency in how he charges or stays back on balls. He also has to work on developing the internal clock to know when to hurry his throws. Scouts say that Moncada's tools would fit anywhere in the outfield if he must switch positions.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #2 prospect in 2017
• Ranked Baseball America's #3 prospect in 2016

• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Moncada showed plenty of promise during a transition year in 2015 following his entry into the organization for a record-setting $31.5 million bonus. Still, the way in which his tools coalesced in 2016 at high Class A Salem and then Double-A Portland earned him BA's Minor League Player of the Year award. Though his big league cameo represented an anticlimactic final note to the year, his progress and aptitude indicate he could be a player of rare impact. Scouting Report: Moncada possesses the size and strength of a linebacker. Though he typically features a flat bat path that creates screaming line drives, he showed an increasing willingness to loft the ball in 2016. While batting lefthanded, he evokes comparisons with Robinson Cano. On the bases, he possesses elite speed though with still-developing situational awareness. Moncada doesn't impact the ball as frequently while batting righthanded. Still, his hitting aptitude and strike-zone recognition make him an on-base and extra-base threat. Moncada is an average defender at second base.
  
  The Future: Moncada's late-season move to third base, where he still needs to improve his fundamental play, is a harbinger of his Red Sox future. He is ready for Triple-A Pawtucket.
• November, 2015 Scouting Report
  For years, teams have eagerly awaited the arrival of Moncada, the best young player to leave Cuba since Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler. Moncada first caught scouts' attention at the COPABE Pan American 16-and-under World Championship in Mexico in 2010. Moncada was 15, but he already stood out, earning tournament all-star honors at third base. Three years later in Taiwan, Moncada impressed again at the 18-and-under World Championship, and in between he dominated Cuba's youth national leagues at a level on par with what Soler and Yasiel Puig did as teenagers. Moncada is an explosive athlete with a strong track record of hitting everywhere he goes, though he hasn't been tested against much high-caliber pitching. He has premium bat speed and plus raw power, though his swing is easier and more fluid from the left side, and he's at least a plus runner. Moncada has some experience at shortstop, though scouts say he looks uncomfortable at the position. He has mostly played second and third base, which are the positions he fits best at in the majors, with good range at both spots and an arm that earns plus to plus-plus grades. He's also played occasionally in center field, where he has the speed to play. His bat projects as elite at any position, making him a potential franchise player. Once he signs, Moncada should begin his career in the minors, likely in high Class A.