Chicago White Sox in no rush to plug in Moncada at 2B
Goodbye, Brett Lawrie. Hello, Yoan Moncada?
When the Chicago White Sox released Lawrie, a veteran second baseman, late last week, it appeared to be a health-related move.
Not only did Lawrie miss the final 67 games of the 2016 season with a left-leg injury apparently caused by wearing orthotics in his shoes, he still was unable to get on the field this spring when Cactus League play started.
But after cutting ties with Lawrie, general manager Rick Hahn told reporters the decision was made with an eye toward the Sox's rebuild.
"We are committed to giving an opportunity to several of our young players, players who are going to be here for an extended period of time," Hahn said. "They would benefit from the opportunity to play at the big-league level this year."
The best of the four prospects acquired from the Boston Red Sox in December's Chris Sale trade, Moncada is viewed as a key piece for the White Sox moving forward.
But when the Sox wrap up spring training with an April 1 game against the Brewers in Milwaukee, the 21-year-old Moncada is not expected to be on the 25-man roster.
Guilty of rushing prospects to the majors in seasons past and not expected to contend this year, the White Sox want to give youngsters like Moncada, Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, Carson Fulmer and Zack Collins time to develop in the minor leagues.
For as good as he was in the Red Sox's farm system last year - Moncada was named Baseball America's minor-league player of the year after posting a combined .294/.407/.511 hitting line with 31 doubles, 6 triples, 15 home runs, 62 RBI and 45 stolen bases in 106 games at high Class A Salem and AA Portland - the infielder looked overmatched in the majors after getting the call from Boston in September.
The switch hitter struck out in his final 9 at-bats with the Red Sox, and the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Moncada is 3-for-18 with 8 strikeouts (5 walks) in nine Cactus League games with the White Sox this spring.
Not only would an expected assignment to Class AAA Charlotte help Moncada with his batting eye, he also would benefit from getting extended reps at second base after splitting time between second base and third base in Boston's system.
While he is supremely self confident and wants to break camp with the Sox, Moncada still is very young and open for more development.
"I learned that this is a process," he said through a translator. "I have to make adjustments once I reach the majors. You have to know what you can do to get better, and that's where I can learn from experience.
"You can't be comfortable in what you are doing. You have to look for ways to get better."
While Moncada continues to work on his game at Charlotte this season, the White Sox have two options at second base.
The versatile Tyler Saladino should get the first crack at the starting job after slashing .282/.315/.409 in 93 games last season.
Saladino was shut down on Sept. 23 with a herniated disk in his back, but he started a new exercise program in the off-season and is pain free this spring.
Yolmer (formerly Carlos) Sanchez has a better glove than Saladino, but he's a .224 hitter over three seasons with the Sox.