ARLINGTON, Texas – Hitting coach Todd Steverson has a simple answer to how White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada went from there to here this season.
“He’s a really good player,” Steverson said.
Oh. It’s that simple? Perhaps.
Moncada wasn’t a bad player last season. He was the Sox’ fourth-best player per Baseball Reference wins above replacement in his first full major league season at age 23, with a .235/.315/.400 hitting line, 17 homers, 32 doubles, 61 runs and 73 RBI. Those are nice numbers.
His 217 strikeouts, though, the fourth-highest total for a major league player in a single season, dominated the Moncada discussion.
“I said it last year, if you want to jump off this wagon, go ahead,” Steverson said. “But this boy can play.”
Steverson stayed on board with the player listed above Michael Kopech in the Sox prospect haul in the Red Sox trade for Chris Sale.
“It’s easy to make rash judgments on somebody off what you’re seeing,” Steverson said. “What you saw was real at the time, but that doesn’t mean that’s who he is.”
The switch-hitting Moncada, showing no signs of being bothered by a stiff upper back he said still affects him slightly from the right side, doubled from both sides of the plate in the Sox’ 5-4 win over the Rangers Friday. He struck out twice, bringing to 80 his strikeout total, but at a 28 percent rate compared to a 33.4 percent strikeout rate in 2018. And with a .298/.351/.519 hitting line, 12 homers, 16 doubles, 40 RBI and 39 runs, the strikeout conversation is getting muted.
“He knows himself a little better and there is still a tremendous amount of room to grow, which is kind of scary,” Steverson said. “But right now, day by day, he is learning. He is who he is but he can expand on his game. So much was made of one part of his game last year – the strikeouts – that nobody recognized the other parts of his game.
“He still dropped 17 bombs, drove in 60 something RBI and scored 70 something runs and nobody wanted to talk about it. Strikeouts are part of the game and has been part of his game. But the ability to cut them down is understanding how you’re getting yourself out and cutting it down on knowledge and repetition.”
“I’ve learned a lot,” Moncada said. “At this level you need to make adjustments quickly because every day counts, even in a long season. You don’t want to waste time.”
And Moncada, Steverson said, is not done gaining knowledge, and therefore climbing. From the right side, his weaker side (.611 compared to .810 OPS for his career) Moncada “doesn’t have to be superb, he just can’t be an out,” Steverson said.
“Is there more to expand on? Absolutely,” Steverson said. “He can be one of the most dangerous left-handed hitters in the game.
“You know he has an eye. He can take you out to any part of the ballpark. He can smash it to left field for a single, he can pull it down the right-field line for a double. Hit it through the hole, and steal a base. He has proven this season he can be one of the most dangerous left-handed hitters.”
