Chicago White Sox: 4 players showing out in World Baseball Classic provides hope for 2023

Yoan Moncada is having a good World Baseball Classic.

Moncada had a miserable 2022. He hit just .212 with a .273 on-base percentage and a .353 slugging percentage. He played well in the field, but injuries did him in at the plate.

He tore the cover off the ball for Cuba as he helped them get to the semifinals.

Moncada had 10 hits in 23 at-bats along with one home run and five RBI.

Moncada was unable to leave the WBC without suffering and injury.

The injury appears to be minor so hopefully it does not derail his promising WBC performance from transferring over to the regular season.

Moncada has had an inconsistent career on the Southside. He emerged in 2019 when he slashed .315/.367/.548 with 25 home runs and .915 OPS. Moncada caught COVID-19 which derailed his 2020 season and he hit .263 in 2021.

If he can stay healthy and hit the way he has been hitting in the WBC, it is a welcomed sight for the lineup. Moncada will probably hit lower in the order so getting the production he has provided Cuba will be a huge boost to the sixth or seventh spot.

Luis Robert is also on the Cuban team, but he struggled. Although, he combined with Moncada to blow out Panama in pool play. He did pick up two hits in the semifinal game against Team USA to finish the WBC with a .259 average.

Eloy Jimenez stayed healthy and hit for the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican team did not make it to the quarterfinals. Eloy still had a really good World Baseball Classic. He had five hits in 11 at-bats. The most important thing was he did not get hurt playing in the outfield.

Jimenez drove the ball well and that is good to see.

https://twitter.com/WBCBaseball/status/1635785682059706368?s=20

Another welcomed sight will be Eloy playing more than 100 games. He has only done that once in his career so far as injuries suffered playing in the field have made him a regular on the injured list.

He played right field in the World Baseball Classic and survived. He showed when healthy his bat is one of the most lethal in the game.

The Chicago White Sox hopefully will have Jimenez DH. Jimenez will have to play some games in right field with Yasmani Grandal sometimes needing to be the designated hitter and rookie Oscar Colas set to get some work in right.

It is a scary thought to think Jimenez will play a tougher outfield position, but he showed in the WBC he can get through a game healthy. If he makes a bad play on the ball, the worst-case situation is it ends up as a double. The Chicago White Sox just needs his bat, and he showed in this world showcase he can hit with the best of them.