Moncada retools his approach at the plate

White Sox fan “Jason from Wheeling” had a point.

During a Saturday morning SoxFest session with manager Rick Renteria and general manager Rick Hahn, the fan asked Renteria how the White Sox could “unlock” Yoan Moncada, as if the second baseman could put up video-game numbers if only he had a video-game cheat code.

“What we’re trying to do is get the aggressiveness in him in more situations,” Renteria said.

As much as Manny Machado dominated questions and conversations at the Hilton Chicago during SoxFest, a good share of the dialogue was spent on the questions surrounding Moncada.

How do you cut down on his MLB record 217 strikeouts, many of which came with the bat resting near Moncada’s shoulder? Should the Sox test him at third base? Is he crumbling under the pressure of being the “future of the franchise,” or at least part of it?

Sox coaches and Moncada himself addressed those topics at various times Friday and Saturday.

With about three weeks left in the season, Moncada approached Renteria about playing in the Arizona Fall League to break down and rebuild his skills as a hitter.

“I went to Arizona (in November) because I wanted to improve,” Moncada said. “I wasn’t completely happy with the results that I got during the season. I knew that I could do better.”

It was a decision Sox brass welcomed then and lauded this weekend.

“His desire to come down to Arizona as soon as the season was over almost — three or four weeks left — showed us that he knew, he understood the things that he needs to correct,” Renteria said. “We probably spent six hours talking to him over the whole season.”

It seems like a contradiction: Moncada has been prone to strikeouts, but Renteria praises his eye for balls in the zone. The issue has been knowing when to take close pitches and when to reach a little to try for contact.

“We don’t want him to expand outside the zone. That takes him away from one of the main strengths that he has, which is a really good eye,” said Renteria, who said he’s not concerned about the strikeouts.

Hitting coach Todd Steverson broke down Moncada’s plate approach — mentally and physically — as the two watched a lot of video.

“We ended up attacking the topic of his strike-zone approach,” Renteria said. “He has great ability to take pitches. That’s something that’s innate in him.”

Steverson said Moncada’s mentality is just as important as his mechanics at the plate.

“The average fan wants to see the guy that comes to the plate and has a battle,” Steverson said. “They don’t want to see one, two, three strikes you’re out. They don’t want to see, oh you took two strikes and swung at the ball in the dirt. They want to see you come up there and compete and have a battle with that pitcher. If we get that one through nine (in the order), the numbers will be where they need to be.”