Even after reeling in starting pitcher James Shields Sunday night, the San Diego Padres have not ended their pursuit of high-priced talent. The Padres have begun to pursue talented Cuban amateur infielder Yoan Moncada, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports. The Padres had a private workout set for Monday afternoon with the 19-year-old potential superstar.
Moncada is one of the most exciting prospects ever to hit the international market. He has a rare combination of youth, speed, and power. While Moncada might not be Big-League ready after signing, many experts would rank him among the most talented prospects in the game. He would be projected to start in Double-A once he lands a contract.
The Padres have traded 12 players from their farm system this off-season, and they also forfeited their first-rounder (13th overall) when they signed Shields, so San Diego has extra incentive to add Moncada. The bidding is sure to get expensive, with many predicting Moncada could receive as much as a $40 million bonus.
Ben Badler of Baseball America compared Moncada to Yasiel Puig and Robinson Cano. Mancada has plus-speed and plus power, and he is expected to be solid defensively although many scouts do not believe he can handle shortstop. A move to second base or the outfield might be in the future. He is a switch hitter and has an above-average arm.
San Diego will have to be ultra-aggressive in their pursuit of the talented Cuban. The Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Yankees are all interested in Moncada’s services. The bidding could ultimately involve as many as a dozen teams.
It is hard to say who the preliminary "favorite" is to sign Moncada, but the Padres have proven that they are not shy about spending money. However, they will have to outbid several of baseball’s biggest spenders to land Moncada.