White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada to play for Cuba in the Premier12

Yoan Moncada will represent Cuba in the upcoming Premier12 tournament scheduled for November in South Korea. He is currently obtaining his visa for South Korea and is expected to join the Cuban national team next week.

Moncada's 2024 MLB season with the Chicago White Sox was significantly shortened due to a left adductor strain suffered on April 10. The injury sidelined him until mid-September, limiting him to just 12 games where he hit .275/.356/.400. During his absence and even after his return, interim manager Grady Sizemore prioritized playing younger infielders like Lenyn Sosa, Bryan Ramos, and Miguel Vargas.

This injury continues a trend of recent struggles for Moncada. Between 2022 and 2023, he played in only 196 games, posting a .234/.288/.386 slash line with 23 homers, a .674 OPS, an 86 wRC+, and 1.9 fWAR. He has played 132+ games in just three of his eight MLB seasons.

Moncada's future with the White Sox appears uncertain. The team holds a $25 million club option for 2025 but is widely expected to pay the $5 million buyout instead. Following the Premier12 tournament, Moncada is set to play for the Tiburones de La Guaira in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.

While Moncada's injury history and recent performance have hurt his market value, his proven defensive abilities and past success when healthy are expected to generate interest from teams needing an infielder. A healthy 2025 season could facilitate a significant bounce-back.

Cuba's first game in the Premier12 tournament is against the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, November 13.