Cuban Phenom Yoan Moncada Agrees To Deal With Red Sox
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Boston Red Sox have won the Yoan Moncada sweepstakes, agreeing to a deal with the Cuban phenom worth $31.5 million, according to WFAN and CBSSports.com baseball insider Jon Heyman.
Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com was first to report the agreement.
The Yankees were among the teams with serious interest in Moncada, 19, who is set to become one of baseball's top infield prospects. New York would have gone as high as $27 million, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
#Yankees offered $25M with willingness to go to $27M which is same offered Jorge Soler who went to #Cubs for $30M
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) February 23, 2015
Moncada chose Boston's offer after holding offseason workouts with New York, Milwaukee, Chicago (NL), Arizona, Los Angeles (NL), San Francisco, Texas, Tampa Bay and Detroit, MLB.com reported.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound shortstop is projected to be a second or third baseman in the majors.
Said on @MLBNetwork this AM that #RedSox don't have obvious spot for Moncada. Pedroia signed thru 2021, Sandoval thru 19, Hanley thru 18…
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 23, 2015
However, having too many good players is never a problem. #RedSox can figure out rest later. And they keep Moncada away from #Yankees.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 23, 2015
"I just want the opportunity to show what I can do," the switch-hitting Moncada told MLB.com in November. "I just want to play baseball."
In conjunction with the U.S. government's recent change in policy regarding Cuba, Major League Baseball tweaked its rules regarding Cuban players. As a result, because Moncada established residency in Guatemala and signed an affidavit saying he'd never return to Cuba, he was granted free agency.