Cuban third baseman Yoán Moncada planned to play around 15-20 games this winter with the LBPRC’s Senadores de San Juan in preparation for the 2025 Major League Baseball season. The 29-year-old MLB free agent fouled a ball off his right foot in Sunday’s 11-1 loss to the Cangrejeros de Santurce and will no longer play with the team to avoid injury.
According to Francys Romero on X, Moncada could be close to signing a contract with an MLB organization. Moncada had a .568 OPS and five hits in six games with the Senadores and was limited to just 12 games in 2024 with the Chicago White Sox due to a left abductor strain.
Moncada’s offensive production has taken a dramatic fall since hitting .315 with 25 home runs in 2019 for the White Sox. Hamstring strains in both legs limited him to 104 games in 2022, and lower back inflammation left him on the injured list for multiple months in 2023. Moncada’s strikeout percentage rose from 26.3 to 30 from 2022 to 2023, and his power numbers dropped, hitting a combined 23 home runs in the two seasons.
Despite his offensive struggles, Moncada may draw interest from multiple MLB teams, whether in a starting or bench role. In all likelihood, his contract will be no longer than a one—to two-year agreement. There are limited third-base options in the free-agent market, with Alex Bregman being the top player available at the position.
Eleven-Year MLB Veteran Returns to the Cangrejeros
Left-handed starting pitcher Danny Duffy is back with the Cangrejeros de Santurce after making four appearances with the club during the 2023-24 season. The Cangrejeros announced Duffy’s return with a Thursday post on their Instagram page.
Duffy played all 11 of his MLB seasons with the Kansas City Royals from 2011-21. He never was a top arm in their rotation, but he was more than serviceable. Duffy’s best season may have been his last in MLB when he posted an ERA+ of 182 and struck out 65 batters in 61 innings. He was a member of the Royals’ 2015 club that defeated the New York Mets in five games in the World Series.
Duffy brings a familiar face and veteran presence to the Santurce clubhouse. The 35-year-old made four starts for the Cangrejeros in 2023-24, posting a 3.45 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 15.2 innings.
In addition to Duffy, the Cangrejeros announced the signing of swingman Shea Spitzbarth on Wednesday. The righty made five appearances for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021 and last played in the LBPRC during the 2022-23 season with the Indios de Mayagüez. Spitzbarth threw 30.2 innings for the Rieleros de Aguascalientes of the LMB and five innings for the Staten Island FerryHawks during the summer of 2024, posting a combined 2.48 ERA.
How to Watch the LBPRC:
The 2024-25 regular season can be streamed for free on the league’s YouTube page and the LBPRC mobile phone app.
