GLENDALE, Ariz. — Yoan Moncada stood with his back against the wall, mostly kept his eyes on the floor and didn’t smile one bit. But maybe these things simply tend to happen when you’re 21 years old, surrounded by reporters and forced to speak through an interpreter.
Not to worry, according to the top prospect in the White Sox organization. He’s having fun.
“I’m enjoying my time here,” he said. “I have a lot of fun on the field. I like to be on the field. I like to play.”
The Cuban second baseman batted once in Thursday’s Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks and lined out to center. He has a triple and two singles in 19 at-bats. He also has drawn five walks and struck out eight times.
“I know that right now the results haven’t been there,” he said, “but it’s a long spring and I’ve been doing my job. The results are going to be there.”
The results need to be there eventually from the biggest piece the Sox received from Boston in return for Chris Sale. Moncada was a September call-up with the Red Sox last season, and good luck finding anyone who’s predicting it’ll take him that long into the 2017 campaign do make his Sox debut.
“I don’t try to think too much about where I’m going to start the season,” he said. “I’m trying to do my job. That’s a decision that they have to make.”
Still, manager Rick Renteria maintains the Sox are leaning toward starting Moncada off in the minor leagues — if only to help get him going.
“His skill set is obviously off the charts,” Renteria said. “We’re hoping he’s going to be able to be a guy who can do everything, from defend to hit and steal bases, but I don’t want to make any comparisons. I want him to be who he is.”
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Email: sgreenberg@suntimes.com
