The Boston Red Sox spent $63 million on a 19-year-old Cuban prospect this offseason. They'll get their first official look at him on Monday night as he debuts with the Class A Greenville Drive when the team faces the Lexington Legends at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Yoan Moncada earned a $31.5 million signing bonus with the Red Sox in February and then the team was forced to pay a 100 percent tax on the contract because they exceeded their bonus pools for the 2014-2015 international signing period. That record-setting signing bonus for an international amateur player made Moncada a $63 million investment.
Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com first reported the news of Moncada making his debut tonight following an email exchange with Ben Crockett, the director of player development for the Boston Red Sox. Moncada has been in extended spring training in Fort Myers, FL, and was expected to make his minor league debut sooner, but he suffered a mild shoulder strain that set him back.
He'll start his minor league career at second base for the Greenville Drive tonight, which was his primary position when he was playing professionally in Cuba.
"Yoan Moncada is one of the most highly-touted prospects in recent memory, so to have him on the Greenville Drive roster is a huge thrill for our organization," said Drive General Manager Eric Jarinko told MiLB.com. "Our fans have seen the impressive talent the Red Sox have assembled in Greenville to begin this season, and we can't wait to see him on the field as he begins his professional journey with the Drive."
General manager Ben Cherington and the Red Sox out-bid a number of other big clubs looking to land Moncada, including the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and others. The switch-hitting middle infielder batted .277/.388/.380 with 58 runs scored, 4 home runs, 28 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 101 games with Elefantes de Cienfuegos from 2012-2013. He defected from Cuba late in 2013 to pursue an MLB contract.
"Every one of our scouts was impressed with him,'' said Eddie Romero, the Sox director of international scouting, via Edes. "That was the consensus.''
The youngster is said to possess a rare combination of power, bat speed, plate discipline and superior baseball instincts. Fans will grab a glimpse of that tonight at Fluor Field in Greenville, SC.
UPDATE: Moncada went 0-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored in the Drive's 13-11 loss, according to Myron Hosea of the Boston Herald.
