4 Angels X-factors that can spark a return to contention in 2025

3. Yoán Moncada staying healthy and realizing his potential

The Angels have hopefully eliminated one nightmare scenario from coming to fruition in 2025 by signing Yoán Moncada to a one-year $5 million deal to play third base. Unfortunately, injuries have been a huge part of Moncada's career, who was once the top prospect in all of baseball.

The Cuban-native didn't have a dramatic defection story like Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez's harrowing sea voyage or Yasiel Puig's deal with smugglers and drug traffickers to leave the island, but that doesn't mean his route to the majors was simple.

While Moncada was once viewed as a generational talent, he had to settle for a one-year deal with the Halos -- something that was almost unfathomable not that long ago. In 2019, it appeared that Moncada had arrived. The then 24-year-old hit 25 homers while posting a 139 wRC+ and 5.2 fWAR. Unfortunately, his follow-up to that was the 2020 season where he hit just .225/.320/.385.

His 2021 season showed that 2020 was just a blip on the radar. He made significant strides in plate discipline improving his walk rate to 13.6%, nearly double the 7.2% he recorded in his 2019 breakout. However, his power dropped as he hit just 14 homers with a .148 ISO, down from the impressive .233 mark he posted in 2019.

Fast forward: Moncada appeared in just 12 games last season. His production has failed to reach his past peaks as he's struggled to stay on the field in recent years. All of this makes it difficult to count on Moncada to both be available and contribute. He may never become the superstar that we were promised a decade ago, but his peaks show a player with the ability to turn in All Star caliber performances.