One of the more frustrating players on the White Sox has been Yoan Moncada. We all know that he is extremely talented, as we have seen flashes of it in 2019 and stretches of it in games since. Unfortunately, he has been hurt quite often, and when he comes back from those injuries he typically is not performing at the highest level.
We saw a healthy Yoan in the World Baseball Classic, where he flashed his 2019 self, even getting recognition for being the best 3rd baseman in the tournament. He then continued his hot streak at the beginning of the season. Many thought, including myself, that Moncada was going to have a monster season. Unfortunately, that is not how it went.
He would go on the injured list for a back injury, one that has seemed to plague him for the last few seasons, and would miss a good amount of time. Once he came back, you could tell that he was still hurt, as he was struggling and looking like this might be the last year on the Sox.
But, recently he has gotten hot and has potentially saved his starting spot for the Sox next season. He has raised his batting average by about 30 points now hitting .256 and he went on a power streak, doubling his homerun total on the year in about a week. These are the shades of Moncada that people want to see, as he has not lived up to the hype of being ranked the number-one prospect in all of baseball in 2016.
With Jake Burger gone, there is little to no competition for the third base job, leaving Moncada as the only experienced third basemen penciled into the roster for 2024. Now, that could change with a new GM and front office, but they are unlikely to move on from Moncada due to his high salary in 2024, as he will be making 24 million. The only time the Sox could get out of his contract is in 2025 when he will have a five million-dollar buyout.
This gives Moncada and the Sox one last chance to have Moncada be the third basemen for the future, as he is still just 28. With his late-season resurgence there is hope that if he can stay healthy, he can be the player he was in 2019. He and the Sox need to get together to figure out a plan for him to get fully healthy and stay healthy. Whether it is a new workout regimen or some sort of therapy, they need to try something new, as Moncada can be a nice asset when he is healthy.
At worst, he is a very good defender that has upside with the bat. If he can hit .275 with 15-20 home runs and 65 RBIs next year, I would consider that a success. I believe that he can do it, especially if there is little pressure around the team next season.
I’m not sure what direction Chris Getz will take this off-season, but if they can get a hot start out of him, that would open him up as a potential trade candidate at the deadline. This will be an important season for Yoan, and I hope that he can rekindle the season he had in 2019.
