Mariners rumored to be free agent destination for former pricey White Sox slugger

One of the most widely discussed topics this offseason has been the need for Seattle to revamp their infield. It has been pointed out as the weakest part of the lineup and it's an accurate assessment. In 2024, Mariners infielders combined for a .669 OPS, which was 24th in MLB.

However, identifying a problem and finding a solution are two totally different things. With a lack of quality infielders on the free agent market this winter, the few names that could make a big splash like Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso may be too pricey for Seattle's relatively meager budget. If that's the case, perhaps the answer to Seattle's problems lie in a less obviously appealing name.

The Mariners are reportedly one of more than five MLB teams that have expressed interest in pursuing White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada. He had a $25 million club option for this year but that was declined by the White Sox, sending him to free agency a year early.

For a player with just 45 plate appearances in 2024 and a career OPS+ of 106, what's all the hype about?

Mariners Rumors: Yoan Moncada a possible Seattle free agency target?

At first glance, the answer is not much. Other than being a pop star, he's primarily known for his injury troubles on the field. He missed nearly all of 2024 due to a strained adductor and recently sustained another potential injury while competing in this year's Premier12 tournament for the Cuban national team. While X-rays showed no major damage, it's a brief glimpse into what his future might be like with his next team.

Since making his major league debut in 2016, he has had more than 450 plate appearances in just three seasons. His last full season was in 2021 and he has just 835 plate appearances in the last three years combined.

But if we take a closer look at what he can do when he's fully healthy, there are some encouraging signs. First, in his best years from 2017-2021, he had a walk rate of 10.8%, a number in the realm of Cal Raleigh's 11.1% and Justin Turner's 10.9% this past season. Secondly, he has usually done a pretty consistent job of keeping a good launch angle on his batted balls, typically hovering in the top percentile of the Statcast sweet-spot metric. Thirdly, he was the former No. 1 prospect in baseball for a reason.

As a minor leaguer, scouts loved his well-rounded abilities and he was credited with having great bat speed and strong baserunning abilities. Both of those qualities of his player profile have been dragged down significantly by his constant injury problems but we still see flashes of his original prospect pedigree on occasion.

While the injuries are undoubtedly a concern for all of his potential suitors, Moncada is still 29 years old and may have his best years of baseball ahead of him. There's no guarantee that he'll be a consistent on-field presence, but he still has a good amount of time to return to his 2019-2021 form. It's also difficult to assess his current abilities because of how little data exists for his most recent seasons, potentially causing recency bias.

Either way, MLB scouts must be seeing something if he has as many suitors as we think. Perhaps they're being deceived by the Moncada of years past, or perhaps there is some deeper reason for his stock being so high relative to his 2024 numbers. If the Mariners are outbid for Moncada's services, there are still a few other options, but none will come very easily, so he could very well end up being the team's last chance to have an impact third baseman heading into 2025.