Cubs reportedly interested in Yoan Moncada |
We are getting to the point of the MLB offseason where concern is setting in with the Cubs. This team has won 83 games in back-to-back seasons and has done so without doing much on the free-agent market. This offseason was supposed to be different, especially when you look at how much money came off the books, but here we are, and it's the same old Cubs.
Sure, the Cubs have made some moves by trading for Eli Morgan and Kyle Tucker, but as things sit, Carson Kelly and Caleb Thielbar are their big free-agent signings. That can't happen for a big market team, let alone a big market team trying to compete for the Central Division title, as this team continues to operate like a small market team. At some point, something has to give, whether that be the Cubs finally getting out of this small market mindset or simply cave and start signing random free agents to fill their roster. Whether you believe the recent rumor or not, the Cubs may start signing random players as they are actively discussing adding Yoan Moncada to this team. That is a move that would've made a ton of sense years ago when the Cubs traded Kris Bryant, but it doesn't make much sense for this upcoming season despite the Cubs not having a legitimate answer at the hot corner heading into the season. The Cubs aren't alone in this either, as the Blue Jays and several other teams remain interested in Moncado. Much of this is based on Alex Bregman's decision and where he goes, as Bregman is the top-three third baseman on the market. Once he chooses to sign with someone, the dominos will fall, as Moncada is just one of the many average to below-average players at the hot corner looking for a new home and could be had on a very reasonable deal. Formally a top-5 Boston Red Sox Prospect who landed in the top-100 overall, Moncada never got a chance to prove himself to Boston as he was dealt to the White Sox as part of the Chris Sale deal. From there, he became a staple in the middle of that lineup for several seasons, putting up consistent numbers with a few good seasons mixed in. His best overall season came in 2019, as that was the season he broke out and started to look like the top prospect everyone thought he was. In that year, Moncada went on to hit .315/.367/.548 while also clubbing a career-best 25 homers. That may not seem like an elite season, but it was good enough for him to garner MVP chatter, as many thought this was the start of something special.
That was followed by the COVID year, which no one will speak on, and then another solid showing in 2021 despite his overall slash dipping to .263/.375/.412. He also saw a massive decline in power with 14 homers that season, as Moncada could never live up to the 2019 showing again. The last three years have been especially rough for Moncada as health has been an issue.
Despite playing in 104 games in 2022, Moncada followed that up with 92 games in 2023 and 12 games in 2024. You heard that right. Moncada only saw action in 12 games last season after sustaining an April injury running down to first. The injury was an abductor strain, forcing him out of action until September 18.
Following the regular season, Moncada landed in Puerto Rico for Winter ball and was off to a 5-20 start before getting injured again. Although this wasn't a severe injury, he and his agent decided it would be best for him to take the rest of the season off to avoid further injuries with the hope of landing an MLB contract.
That brings us to where things stand today. Moncada is not only looking for a cheap MLB deal but hasn't had much of a market up to this point. That's understandable when you look at his past, especially the injury side of things, as he is a considerable risk to sign, no matter what the dollar amount is.
However, considering he was hitting .275 in his 12 games last season, Moncada was off to a good start, so it would've been nice to see how things could've panned out for him. Heading into the 2025 season, the Cubs don't have an official plan for 3B, but Matt Shaw will get an opportunity to win that job in camp.
Should he struggle, or Nico Hoerner isn't healthy enough to go on opening day; Shaw could open the season up at 2B, which leaves the hot corner without a starter. Gage Workman and Vidal Brujan are short-term options, but Moncada could be a short-term fix. Knowing his injury history and the lack of consistent production, adding him would come on a contract solely based on an incentive basis.
Yes, you still have to give him some cash, perhaps the 2-3 million range for one season, but if you tie incentive bonuses into the deal, it would allow Moncada to prove his worth and earn more money. This is one player who will take his time to make a decision, and it could be the week of Spring Training before that happens.
