CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- In 2018, White Sox infielder Yoan Moncada struck out 217 times, an ugly mark that was the worst in the big leagues and the fourth-most in a single season in MLB history. Had the team not manipulated his playing time and at-bats late in the season, Moncada likely would've broken Mark Reynold's dubious record of 223 strikeouts.
What a difference a year can make. Through 15 games, the 23-year-old Moncada has struck out 16 times. His strikeout rate of 33.4 percent in 2018 has fallen to 24.2 percent in the early going this season.
So how has the maturity and plate discipline improved?
"We talk about when is your best opportunity to hit the ball," White Sox hitting coach Todd Steverson said of his conversations with Moncada. "If it happens to be pitch one, go ahead and put a good swing on it. If the pitch is a ball, it's a ball. You still must do the work, study the pitcher and have a good sense of when to let it go. You have to keep changing with the game."
Moncada is hitting .323 with three homers, 14 RBIs and a .364 on-base percentage. His focus on being more aggressive early in counts is something that Steverson has been emphasizing to him and his young teammates.
"Moncada is a zone hitter," Steverson said. "It is all about having a belief in where you are looking for the baseball. You must also be ready to pull the trigger on it. The carefulness of saying 'let me put a swing on this' is a part of the maturity and growth of confidence. You might miss, but now you are aware you still have two strikes to work with."
Manager Rick Renteria has been impressed with Moncada's growth.
"He feels really good about his game," Renteria said. "We emphasize for him a pitch-to-pitch, not a game-to-game, approach. We tell him that, but it requires commitment and it takes focus. This is not an accident. We let him and the others know it's about your preparation and commitment to execute."
Moncada's adjustments will certainly lead to adjustments from foes eventually, as they need to change from their past plans. How Moncada handles that will be another step in his development.
"He did take so many pitches (last year)," Steverson said. "They would say, 'Hey, he isn't swinging much.' They would throw them on the edge and then he would take it. There were a lot of (his strikeouts) called. It is how you get to counts and what you do with them. He has done a lot better with that discipline this year."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
