Yoan Moncada will return to the Los Angeles Angels this season, according to a report by Francys Romero on his personal social media profiles. This will be the Cuban third baseman’s second season with the Angels, after signing a one-year contract in 2025 during his first free agency.
According to Romero, the deal is for one season and four million dollars, guaranteeing him at least one more year in the Major Leagues. Players typically seek multi-year contracts during their second free agency stint, but this wasn’t the case for Moncada. The most important thing for Moncada will be staying healthy for a significant portion of the season.
The native of Cienfuegos collected 58 hits in 248 at-bats during the 2025 season. He drove in 35 runs and scored 30. Nearly half of his hits were extra-base hits, including 13 doubles, two triples, and 12 home runs, and he also posted a .234 batting average. There’s no doubt that, if he stays healthy, Moncada is an above-average player.
According to Fangraphs, he is projected to hit 11 home runs and drive in 43 runs, with a WAR of 1.1, making him a valuable asset to the Los Angeles Angels. This could be, perhaps, his last chance to return to being an everyday player in the Major Leagues. In his MLB career, he has belted 105 home runs, driven in 374 runs, and scored 415.
Moncada debuted in the Major Leagues in 2016 with the Boston Red Sox, before being traded to the Chicago White Sox, where he played for eight seasons until 2024. In 2025 he wore the Los Angeles Angels jersey and now he repeats with the same team for the 2026 season, where he should be a regular at third base again.
Although he is on Cuba’s 35-man roster for the World Baseball Classic, the native of Cienfuegos, Cuba has yet to confirm his presence for the upcoming tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Andy Pagés, Andy Ibáñez and Daysbel Hernández have already declined to play for the island in spite of saying they would at first.