By now, everyone in the MLB world knows about Yoan Moncada, the White Sox No. 1 prospect, and top prospect in all of baseball. The second baseman has recently been on a tear for the Charlotte Knights, the Triple-A affiliate of the White Sox. Last week, Moncada was named International League batter of the month. Since then, fans of both the White Sox, and baseball in general have all been asking the same question: When will Moncada get called up to The Show? In this article, we tackle that question, and break down everything needed to know about the future face of the White Sox.
If Moncada did not have a career in baseball, he could probably hold his own on a football field. The second baseman stands at 6'2", 205 lbs. Experts have often linked Moncada comparisons to Robinson Cano but with more speed, and it is easy to see why. Cano stands at 6'0", 210 lbs, but was never a true base stealing threat.
Moncada currently has 8 SB in 28 games in Triple-A. Over a full season, that translates to roughly 46 stolen bags. Obviously it will be harder to steal as often in the Majors, but the speed Moncada possesses is evident. He has a legitimate chance to be a 30/30 player, maybe even a 40/40 player. It will also be a common sight to see Moncada stretch a double into a triple with relative ease. You know what they say...speed kills.
The second obstacle in the way of the White Sox and Moncada is having him avoid "Super 2" status. This is a little more difficult to describe, so I will try to make it as easy as possible.
A player can obtain "Super 2" status if they fall in the top 22% of players in the league between two and three years of MLB service time. 1 year of MLB service time equates to 172 days on an MLB roster or disabled list. A player with "Super 2" status allows them to be eligible for arbitration before their third full year in the league. Therefore, the two weeks Moncada played for the Red Sox last year can put the White Sox in a bit of a pickle. Usually, players qualify for "Super 2" status if they accumulate two years and 130 days of their third year, but the number can vary.
In short, The White Sox can wait until the end of June to be all but certain Yoan Moncada avoids being hit with "Super 2" status. This will help delay the time it takes for him to become arbitration eligible, saving the White Sox roughly $10 MM in the long run. For a team that will be looking to dive into free agency after the 2018 season, they are going to need all the money they can get.
My final prediction is that we will not see Moncada on the South Side of Chicago until immediately after the All-Star break. That way they can be certain that he avoids "Super 2" status, and more importantly, he can take another two and a half months to work on correcting his weaknesses. It sucks that we have to wait, but the wait will be well worth it in the end.
Yoan Moncada is going to be one of the better position players the White Sox have had in a long time. A true 5-tool talent, Moncada will be the face of the franchise sooner rather than later. However, it is within the White Sox best interest to be patient, let him develop, and ensure they get as many years of guaranteed control as they possibly can. It will work out for both Moncada and the White Sox in the long run. Remember White Sox fans, good things happen to those who wait, but from Moncada, I think we can expect things to be great.
Red Sox Career
Yoan Moncada originally signed with the Boston Red Sox for a record $31.5MM deal back in 2015. While he did get called up to the Red Sox late last year, his debut was anything but special, as he batted .211 with 4 hits and 12 strike outs in 8 games. Although his short stint in the MLB did not go as planned, everyone still believed he would live up to his No. 1 prospect rating in due time. Those beliefs are still high, but obviously, that will not happen in Boston. On December 6th, 2016, the Boston and Chicago made one of the bigger Winter Meetings blockbuster trades in recent memory. The Red Sox acquired White Sox ace Chris Sale, the best left hander in the MLB not named Clayton Kershaw. In return, the White Sox received Moncada, flame thrower Michael Kopech, a 5-tool lottery ticket in OF Luis Alexander Basabe, and a throw in piece in Victor Diaz. And just like that, top prospect Yoan Moncada was a member of the Chicago White Sox.Physical Stature, Player Comparison
If Moncada did not have a career in baseball, he could probably hold his own on a football field. The second baseman stands at 6'2", 205 lbs. Experts have often linked Moncada comparisons to Robinson Cano but with more speed, and it is easy to see why. Cano stands at 6'0", 210 lbs, but was never a true base stealing threat.
Moncada currently has 8 SB in 28 games in Triple-A. Over a full season, that translates to roughly 46 stolen bags. Obviously it will be harder to steal as often in the Majors, but the speed Moncada possesses is evident. He has a legitimate chance to be a 30/30 player, maybe even a 40/40 player. It will also be a common sight to see Moncada stretch a double into a triple with relative ease. You know what they say...speed kills.
