White Sox taking a big picture approach to evaluating Yoan Moncada

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GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Yoan Moncada may be a top five prospect in baseball with a gargantuan amount of hype surrounding him, but the White Sox aren't going to rush in developing the 21-year-old second baseman. 

There probably was never a path for Moncada to hit his way to the major leagues out of spring training at Camelback Ranch, given the patience-is-a-virtue mantra put forth by general manager Rick Hahn over the last few months. Little Moncada could do at the plate during spring training would change the team's plan for him or how they view one of the guys for whom they were willing to trade ace left-hander Chris Sale. 

So with that in mind, what does Moncada's .209 batting average, .648 OPS and 13 strikeouts in 30 Cactus League at-bats mean? Not much. 

"The information from Moncada for me right now isn't really a whole lot because I can't evaluate him on eight, nine, 10 at-bats," hitting coach Todd Steverson said. "That's not fair of me. I'd like for him to come out and be comfortable with what he does and throw some tidbits in here and there. We've talked, obviously, no real changes or anything like that. Just some kind of absolutes of hitting that are there. 

"There's nothing that's going to deter him from being a good hitter. But I'd like to see him go out and show what he can show, and it's a little tough in a spring training setting where you don't play every day and you don't get that direct timing or you don't get to see pitches every day. So it's unfair of me to do that. But I work over with him in the cage and talk to him and he's a bright kid." 

The White Sox are more focusing on Moncada's defense during their first extended look at him at Camelback Ranch. While he's committed four errors, manager Rick Renteria has been pleased with Moncada's work with bench coach Joe McEwing on honing his skills at second base.

Moncada mostly played second base for Cienfuegos in Cuba and in the Boston Red Sox minor league system, but played six games at third base in the majors last September with former MVP Dustin Pedroia blocking him at second. 

"We like where it's going, he's improving and he's a young man just scratching at the surface of what he can potentially can be," Renteria said. "Time and experience will ultimately (tell) what he is."

The White Sox have liked how Moncada has conducted himself this spring, too. HIs locker is next to Jose Abreu's in the Camelback Ranch clubhouse, and he hasn't overstepped things as a rookie with only a little over 200 plate appearances above the Single-A level. 

"He's a quiet guy, he goes about himself, and as a younger guy I think that's the way he needs to be," third baseman Todd Frazier said. "And when he gets the chance, watch out."

While the overall results haven't been there at the plate, Steverson did point out that Moncada hasn't stopped talking walks this spring. The Abreus, Cuba native came to the United States with refined plate discipline -- he has a 13 percent walk rate since debuting stateside -- and has five walks in Cactus League play. 

The White Sox expect Moncada will eventually make it to and stick at 35th and Shields. Overall, they've been pleased with how he's worked in Glendale -- so don't pay attention to his stats, which are far less important than everything else during spring training. 

"You work with a purpose and my purpose is to play in the big leagues and to play in the big leagues with this team," Moncada said through a translator. "To make the team out of spring training -- that's something that I can't control. I'm just doing what I can control, to work hard and do my preparation and do what the coaches ask me to do. That's the only thing I can do."

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