Even though baseball’s hot stove season will soon give way to spring training, one free agent continues generating all kinds of buzz: Yoan Moncada, the switch-hitting Cuban teenager who could sign a record-setting deal by the end of the month.
Here’s what you need to know about Moncada:
Age: 19
Hometown: Abreus, Cuba
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 205 lbs
Bats: Both
Throws: Right
What kind of player is he?
Moncada’s a switch-hitter who’s viewed as an exceptional hitting prospect with well above-average power and exceptional speed. He’s also regarded as a skilled defender who could play second base, third base, centre field or possibly shortstop depending on how the team that signs him assesses his talent.
One executive told the Boston Globe that Moncada could be the next Chase Utley or Robinson Cano, and recent rankings suggest he’d rank among MLB’s top 15 prospects.
How soon can he reach MLB?
Moncada’s just 19, an age at which the vast majority of players need minor league seasoning. Plus, he hasn’t played in organized games recently, so re-establishing his timing could require patience.
That said, he has big league tools and he has filled out more than most 19-year-olds. While he’d surely start his pro career in the minors, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he pushed his way to the big leagues by 2016.
How much will he cost?
Moncada could obtain a bonus of $30-40 million, but the team that signs him will end up paying double that sum.
While previous Cuban talents like Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig and Rusney Castillo could sign freely, the team that signs Moncada will be subject to international spending penalties that trigger a near 100 percent tax. So if Moncada gets $35 million, the team will pay a total of $70 million with half of the money going to an MLB fund for developing the sport internationally.
The team that signs Moncada will not be allowed to sign any prospects for more than $300,000 during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 international signing periods, effectively ruling out the acquisition of top-ranked international talent for two years.
Are the Blue Jays interested?
Not seriously. Just about every team had scouts at Moncada’s initial showcase in Guatemala, but the Blue Jays are not among the teams to arrange a private showcase for him, a source with knowledge of the situation told Sportsnet. That pretty much rules them out.
The Blue Jays have been selectively aggressive on the international market in recent years. They signed Cuban shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria in 2010, and showed serious interest in Aroldis Chapman before he signed with the Reds. They’ve also been linked to Dominican prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a top prospect who can sign officially this July 2. But when I asked GM Alex Anthopoulos about his interest in the international market after the 2014 season, he explained that there are limits to what the Blue Jays can spend on top international players.
“We continue to scout them,” Anthopoulos said. “We like a lot of players, but we like them at a certain price, and sometimes that price doesn’t make sense for us.”
When Anthopoulos was first named GM, he felt the Blue Jays were underprepared internationally, so he vowed to at least gather information on as many players as possible.
“It was an uncomfortable feeling just not having the information,” he said. “[We decided] to try and build as much information as we can, and that means even if guys are coming out three, four years from now, we’re going to start now and have reports for years and years, and video and data.”
So who are the leading suitors?
The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have consistently been linked to Moncada in recent weeks. The San Diego Padres could also enter the bidding. Not only have they spent aggressively this off-season, GM A.J. Preller worked extensively on the international market as assistant GM of the Texas Rangers.
What’s the timeline for a deal
Agent David Hastings told ESPN that he hopes to have all of the information required to make a decision by February 23rd or so. That timeline would allow Moncada to spend most or all of spring training with his new team.
