Zolak & Bertrand: Breaking Down The Moncada Signing With Jeff Passan
BOSTON (CBS) - Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Zolak & Bertrand to break down the latest Red Sox free agent splash -- 19-year-old Cuban infield prospect Yoan Moncada.
"He's definitely the most hyped, and I think a lot of that is the success Cuban players have had here already. We see Yoenis Cespedes, we see Yasiel Puig, we see Jose Abreu, we see all these hitters who have come here [from Cuba] and really not lost a step," said Passan.
"He's a switch hitter with high-end speed who could develop a lot of power. Between those two things, a good hit tool, and the fact that he plays second or third base, we're talking about a potential All-Star."
After a myriad of teams were in the bidding for Moncada, the Red Sox prevailed by simply offering the most money to the latest Cuban sensation.
"It's a very heft sum [of money] and I think that's what scared teams off a little bit. The total cost for the star that a lot of teams think he can be is well over $100 million," said Passan.
While the deal is clearly a substantial investment, it remains uncertain how long Moncada will play in the minors before making the jump to the pros.
"Every guy is different. It's just so difficult to say because one guy did one thing, another is going to do another. I don't think there's any common thread here," said Passan.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the signing is that the New York Yankees missed out, as they were seen as the favorite to land the infielder after hosting him for three private workouts.
"The Red Sox are spending like the Yankees and that's the big shocker to me. The Yankees had by far spent the most time with him, put in due diligence, really had the greatest effort, and in the end they just didn't step up with the money," said Passan.
What is your reaction to the signing?
Listen below for the full discussion:
