The San Diego Padres earned top billing in MLB circles today by inking free agent starter James Shields to a four-year, $75 million contract, but soon enough even that news might be taking a backseat.
The Padres, baseball's busiest team this offseason, may be preparing for a major offer to free agent infielder Yoan Moncada, a teenage, five-tool prospect from Cuba who has been previously linked to the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox.
The Padres are taking over the world: Sources say San Diego is working out Yoan Moncada today and plans to be aggressive in bidding for him.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 9, 2015
The Padres are not typically lumped in with those big spenders, but this offseason new general manager A.J. Preller is determined to run with the big dogs. He re-did the entire Padres outfield, swinging trades for two All-Stars, Matt Kemp and Justin Upton, and the 2013 American League Rookie of the Year Wil Myers.
Moncada, despite his age and complete lack of MLB experience, is expected to pull in about $40 million from whatever team signs him, and that contract will be taxed at 100 percent.Spending that much on Moncada also will limit the signing team's ability to work the international market for several years following. According to several scouts though, Moncada's immense talent is worth the gamble. Prior to San Diego's involvement, the Yankees were considered the "heavy favorites" for the Cuban's services.
Several weeks ago, one MLB scouting director talked about the risk of signing someone green but talented like Moncada. "He's worth going way over your international spending pool, in my opinion," one scouting director said per MLB.com. "This game is about talent and Moncada is the kind of talent worth the investment."
Fangraphs scout Kiley McDaniels was similarly effusive in his praise.
"Moncada is 19 and packs a lot of tools into his 6'1", 210-pound frame. He's a plus-plus runner with above-average raw power from both sides of the plate and the tools/skills to stick in the infield, possibly at shortstop. Moncada is the quick-twitch type with big bat speed that clubs covet, and his track record of hitting at big tournaments and in Cuba's professional leagues is excellent considering his age."
While the prospect of the Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers involvement shouldn't bode well for the Padres, 2015 is indicating a potential shift in baseball's economic players.
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