The Angels will add an experienced corner infielder to the roster after agreeing to a one-year contract worth $5 million with Yoán Moncada, according to a source who told MLB.com's Mark Van Sand on Thursday. The news was originally reported by MLB Network insider Jon, and the move has not yet been confirmed by the team.

Moncada offers an experienced option for the Angels' third base, as Anthony Rendon is expected to play more of a bench role. Earlier this offseason, the Angels also signed versatile Kevin Newman to a one-year contract and traded for Scott Kingley. Just last week, they signed Moncada's longtime White Sox teammate Tim Anderson to a minor league contract to compete for the shortstop spot, while also trading with corner fielder J.D. Anderson. Davis signed to minor league contract.

Moncada spent nine seasons with the White Sox, but failed to fully live up to the high expectations that were high when he arrived in Chicago in December 2016. At the time, the 21-year-old Moncada was traded by the White Sox from the Boston Red Sox as part of a five-player trade in which left-shot ace Chris Thaler was sent to the Red Sox.

In 2016, Moncada was No. 7 on the MLB Pipeline's rookie list, and at the start of his debut season with the White Sox, he was already No. 2 rookie. Some believe that he is a faster version of Robinson Carnot. But when he entered the free agent market this offseason, Moncada had a 0.254 batting average and a 0.331 base percentage in Chicago, hitting 20 home runs in just one season and no one stolen more than 12 bases in a season.

Moncada's best season was in 2019, where he batted out 0.315/0.367/0.548 out of 559 attempts and hit 25 home runs. But Moncada's potential as a batsman is often limited by strikeouts. His career strikeout rate was 29.2%, and in 2017, 2018 and 2020, he had a strikeout rate of over 30%.

The 29-year-old infielder has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons and has missed at least 58 games in each of the last three years. In 2024, a left adductor strain suffered on April 9 left Moncada playing just 12 games.

"[The injury] definitely affected me and my ability to show my full strength," Moncada said in September through translation Billy Russo, "but I feel like when I was healthy, I did. I wouldn't say it's bad. I've had a good career here. Of course, it could have been better. ”

Defensively, Moncada debuted as a second baseman, but was moved to third base in 2019 and has been doing well ever since. His "above-average outs" have totalled 11 over the past six seasons, although since the start of 2023 he has a -1 tally.

But Moncada will benefit from the guidance of manager Ron Washington, who is seen as a master of defense, as well as infield coach Ryan Goins. Goens and Moncada were teammates for the White Sox in 2019-2020. Moncada was also teamed up with Anderson from 2017 to 2023, and they teamed up for two years as a midfield duo before Moncada moved to third base.