Possible Seattle Mariners Free Agent Target Yoan Moncada Pulls Out of Winter League
Former Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada has pulled himself out of the Puerto Rican Winter League.
Per Cuban Baseball Insider Francys Romero on social media:
Yoan Moncada won’t play again in the Puerto Rican winter league after taking a foul ball to his right foot on Sunday.
He and his agency want to avoid injuries. Moncada could reach an agreement with an MLB team in the coming days.
Yoan Moncada won’t play again in the Puerto Rican winter league after taking a foul ball to his right foot on Sunday.
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) December 15, 2024
He and his agency want to avoid injuries. Moncada could reach an agreement with an MLB team in the coming days. pic.twitter.com/OViqlHzcaD
The 29-year-old Moncada is the former No. 1 prospect in all of baseball and has been mentioned as someone that the Seattle Mariners have checked in on this offseason.
Injuries are unfortunately nothing new for Moncada, as he has dealt with injury issues in the last two years. A free agent for the first time, he spent the last eight years with the White Sox.
He did hit 25 homers back in 2019. He also posted a .263 average with a .375 on-base percentage back in 2021. He hit .260 back in 2023, so there is a resume there, but the injury history makes him an incredibly risky play for the Mariners.
The M's do have an opening at third base and Moncada is a switch-hitter, so there's certainly some upside there and he could provide some solid matchup advantages for Seattle, but the injury issues may overshadow all of it.
We've also heard Moncada connected to the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays this offseason.
The Mariners went 85-77 this past year, missing the playoffs by just one game.
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