Red Sox sign Yoan Moncada

The Red Sox have added one of the top young players in baseball, agreeing to a signing bonus in the $30M range with 19-year old Cuban phenom Yoan Moncada.

Moncada, who defected from Cuba earlier this winter, has been one of the most sought-after players in baseball this offseason, despite having never played in a major league game. However, his market has been hindered by the international signing pool in the CBA, which will limit the Red Sox from signing any international free agents for more than $300K until 2017 and will also mean that his signing bonus will actually add up closer to $60M in taxes.

But while that might be bad news, look at it this way: the Red Sox were willing to forfeit those rights to obtain a player of Moncada’s quality. Moncada, whom scouts regard as a true five-tool talent, has been compared to Robinson Cano and will likely slot into the top ten prospects in all of baseball. It’s unclear exactly where Moncada, who has played infield throughout his career in Cuba, will play for the Red Sox, who appear to have a full infield for the foreseeable future. However, have no doubt that he’ll find a home somewhere on the diamond if his projections are accurate.

This is incredibly exciting news for the Red Sox as they add some real elite talent to their farm system. With top prospects Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts already in the major leagues and others like Blake Swihart, Henry Owens, and Eduardo Rodriguez not far behind, these are exciting times to be a Red Sox fan. The front office is prepping this team for the long haul and there’s a solid chance that Moncada could end up as the best of this crop of young talent.