Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada has agreed to a deal with the Red Sox, according to CBSSports.com Baseball Insider Jon Heyman. Moncada will receive a $31.5 million signing bonus, which means the Red Sox will have to pay a 100 percent tax for exceeding their international bonus pool money and their cost will be $63 million to sign the Cuban infielder.
The 19-year-old Moncada was a highly sought after infield prospect. He worked out for several MLB teams in recent weeks, and Heyman reported over the weekend his reps were in talks with the Yankees, Padres and Red Sox.
Heyman reported the Yankees offered Moncada $25 million and were willing to go as high as $27 million.
“We made our final and best (offer) yesterday,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Monday, per The Journal News. “I don’t think anybody disagrees with the ability. I would doubt there’s any disagreement on the scouting assessment of the player. It just comes down to how much money you were willing to commit. We put our best foot forward yesterday, it was a significant offer, but it fell short of where he’s rumored to have signed.”
The Dodgers were also considered among the teams interested in Moncada, who scouts see as a 20-home threat that could play second base, third base and in the outfield.
"He's worth going way over your international spending pool, in my opinion," one scouting director told MLB.com in November. "This game is about talent, and Moncada is the kind of talent worth the investment."
