Allen Lieu
With Hanley Ramirez turning down the Dodgers qualifying offer, there is an obvious hole on the left side of the infield. Internal options for shortstop include Miguel Rojas and Erisbel Arruebarruena. Both have been praised for their defense but both are not known for their offense. Yoan Moncada, another Cuban import, is ready to step into the bright lights of major league baseball.
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Currently, Moncada is 19 years old but he looks as ready to play. He is 6’2″, 200 lbs and he is a switch hitting shortstop. He played for the different Cuban national teams (16U and 18U), and also played in the Cuban League for the Cienfuegos. His stash line while playing for the Cuban national squads were off the charts. He averaged .417 and .500 for hitting at 16u and 18u respectively. He was a consistent hitting machine. His average was brought down to .273 once he made his professional transition to the Cienfuegos. While also playing for the Cienfuegos, he played alongside current major leaguer, Jose Abreu.
Unlike most Cuban players, whose stories are both shocking and intriguing when defecting, Moncada was able to leave the island on his own with the government’s permission. That’s unheard of for almost everyone who wants to leave Cuba. Moncada is currently in Guatemala and is ready to showcase his talents for major league teams. Scouts from all teams are expected to watch Moncada showcase his talents.
The hype behind Moncada is huge. He is expected to command more money than Yasiel Puig and Jorge Soler. Since Moncada has limited professional experience, he will count against a team’s international signing bonus. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, the team that goes over its budget will be hit with a tax rate of 100 percent for every dollar spent over the allotted budget. Also Moncada must be cleared for entry to the United States as well as be approved by Major League Baseball to be eligible to sign with teams. Whatever teams bid, they will have to pay almost double their bid due to the regulations in the collective bargaining agreement.
Are all Cuban players instant superstars when first coming up to the big leagues? The answer is no, but it does take time to develop players to become major leaguers. However, if you force the case, as Puig’s offensive talents did when he debuted for the Dodgers, Moncada might be in the majors sooner than later. With Cory Seager in the wings, and Juan Uribe’s deal set to expire next year, is it feasible for the Dodgers to put Seager in at shortstop, while Moncada occupies the hot corner? The Dodgers have the money to bid but the bidding process will explode once Moncada hits the market.
The Dodgers should sign Moncada. If he possesses the necessary skills to transition into the major leagues, why not take the chance?
UPDATE: The Dodgers missed out on Yoan Lopez to their division rival, the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Dodgers are said to have turn their sights to Yoan Moncada and are expected to have a private workout with the Cuban prospect to evaluate his talent.
