With something to prove, Moncada eyes rebound

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Offseason work adjustments employed by White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada certainly could be linked to his first appearance with Team Cuba as part of the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

But there was a more obvious reason for the talented switch-hitter to seek the peak of preparedness before arriving for Spring Training.

“I wanted to stay healthy throughout the season,” said Moncada through interpreter Billy Russo. “Of course, I prepared myself in a good way to have a good World Baseball Classic. But more importantly, to help the team during the season.”

Moncada, 27, enters his seventh season with the White Sox as a bit of an enigma on the high end of the judgement scale, and at the very least, one of the bounceback candidates from a thoroughly disappointing ’22 campaign. The playoff-less White Sox finished 81-81, while Moncada had a .212/.273/.353 slash line with 18 doubles, 12 home runs and 51 RBIs.

Simply put, Moncada is better than those numbers, but how much better is the real question. He was one of the more productive players in baseball during a breakout 2019 campaign that featured a .915 OPS and a career-high 25 home runs and 79 RBIs. He had a .375 on-base percentage in 2021. But are those the outliers among an otherwise decent and sometimes subpar array of results?

Manager Pedro Grifol believes Moncada can be an MVP-caliber player.

“Oh gosh, yes. He's 27 years old. He's peaking right now, body-wise and strength,” Grifol said. “He's got the ability to do whatever he wants in the game. It's going to be a matter of him applying himself and our coaches doing their job. It's simple.

“I've been impressed with Moncada since I got hired. He's returned every phone call. He's answered every text. He got here early, he's in shape. He's hungry for information. He's been available. He's asked questions. He's developing a good relationship with [third-base and infield coach] Eddie Rodriguez, which I think is huge. I've been impressed with everything he's done so far.”

Moncada’s offseason encompassed vast changes. He took better care of his body with more treatment, added exercises to be more athletic and to move better and even added in massages.

These first few days of camp usually bring shoulder soreness for Moncada. But at the start of this Spring Training, he feels good and feels stronger.

“It means a lot to be back and to feel better than how I felt last year,” Moncada said. “I think I’m going to have a good season. I prepared myself to have a good season and hopefully that will be the case this year. I’m feeling very good right now, and hopefully that is going to translate into a successful season. Not just for me, but for the team.”

“We've talked about those type of years that he's had in the past and we talked about last year, and we talked about how to get him to a place where he's comfortable being himself and playing his caliber of baseball,” Grifol said. “He's got plate discipline, he's got power. He can do a little bit of everything. Right now, we're headed in the right direction, for sure.”

A right oblique strain suffered in the final week of Spring Training derailed Moncada last season, as he debuted on May 9 and was hitting .132 as late as June 12. Moncada admitted to coming back too soon from the oblique issue, but he quickly added that problem is in the past and his focus is on the present.

In fact, Moncada enters ’23 with something to prove.

“Honestly, yes,” Moncada said. “Let’s wait and see once the games start and how things go, but honestly, yes.”

A Moncada bounceback and team turnaround would occur without José Abreu -- one of the franchise’s top all-time players and a mentor to Moncada -- who left via free agency for Houston after nine years in Chicago. It opens up a leadership void, along with replacing Abreu’s on-field ability.

“Leadership, in my opinion, is 10 percent given, 90 percent taken,” Grifol said. “And somebody is going to take it. Somebody is going to step up and lead this ballclub.”

“We really have a very good team, a talented team,” Moncada said. “We have all the pieces to have a winning season.”