Yoan Moncada a Target for the Giants
On Sunday, it was reported that the San Francisco Giants held a private workout for Cuban phenom Yoan Moncada. Moncada is widely considered one of the best Cuban players to become available in recent memory. The youngster is not a free agent yet, but he will be available very soon.
Moncada is 19 years old, and stands 6’2″, weighing in around 205 to 210 pounds. Looking at him in an interview video, he looks larger than those measurables suggest. He appears to be an NFL safety who is a biscuit short of a linebacker. On the diamond, he’s primarily been a second baseman, but he does have experience at shortstop, third base, and in center field. He is a switch-hitter.
The extraordinary young talent has been called the best Cuban teenager since Jorge Soler, who signed with the Chicago Cubs in 2012. In his last two seasons with Serie Nacional in Cuba, as a 17- and 18-year old, he accumulated a .277/.388/.380 slash-line, along with four home runs, 11 doubles, four triples, 28 RBI, 21 steals, and 58 runs scored, mostly as a leadoff hitter. His slash-line was better than Jose Abreu‘s, Leonys Martin‘s, and Adeiny Hechavarrias‘ at the same age.
In this article from November, 2014, author Jonathan Mayo reported that, during a workout, Moncada looked just “as good as advertised.” He would also go on to call Moncada a potential five-tool player, and state that scouts compare him to Soler and Yasiel Puig.
He has a great line-drive swing, and has raw power from both sides of the plate. His speed is quite possibly his best asset, as it scored a 70 on the normal 20-80 scouting scale. Speed being his best tool is extremely likely to change as he continues to develop and gain more power. Defensively, he played well at shortstop, but it was reported that he looked better as a third baseman. His arm is strong enough to play shortstop, however.
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In Ben Badler’s profile of Moncada from August, 2014 for Baseball America, the writer stated that Moncada has “more upside than…Rusney Castillo, he’s better than…Yasmany Tomas.” Castillo signed a $72.5 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, while Tomas signed a $68.5 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Both of those players are older, and were more major league-ready at their signing, than Moncada, so he may not command as much money. Badler would also state that if he were eligible, Moncada would be the number-one overall pick in the 2015 amateur draft.
Video of Moncada is extremely difficult to come by, so I can’t speak for his skills and tools personally. But reading these scouting reports and profiles has me watering at the mouth. He seems to be the real deal.
It is unclear if Moncada will be allowed to sign with a team during the 2014-2015 international signing period, which ends on June 15th this year. He stills needs to acquire an unblocking license from the United States government, which will allow him to become a free agent. It’s not known how long that process will take. If he can’t get the license before June 15th, he will have to wait until the 2015-2016 international signing period, which begins on July 2nd.
If Moncada becomes available for the 2015-2016 signing period, the New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, and Red Sox would not be able to sign him due to pool bonus penalties. That takes three big players on the international market out of the running for Moncada.
Whenever and wherever Moncada does sign, he will most likely start his career in high-A or Double-A ball. If he can continue to show the skills he portrayeded in Cuba, it’s not of the question for him to be a major leaguer by 2016.
If the Giants are able to acquire this talented young player, he would immediately become the crown jewel of their weak farm system. There will also be some spots opening for him in the near future. Third baseman Casey McGehee‘s contract will only take him through the 2015 season, so the hot corner could be open for the taking. Center fielder Angel Pagan is signed through 2016, and after that, Moncada could step in to take his place, although it’s still questionable if he can play outfield at a major league-level.
Moncada can’t sign yet, but as soon as he becomes available, teams will be chomping at the bit for the prodigy’s services. The Giants will have a lot of competition, and they do not want to finish second again.