Update: Yanks to sign Cuban left-hander Omar Luis Rodriguez for $4M
By8:03pm: Via Ben Badler, it’s a $4M bonus and Rodriguez needs to secure a visa before the deal can become official. Make sure you click the link, Badler provides plenty of background and scouting info.
2:31pm: Via Jesse Sanchez, the Yankees will sign 18-year-old Cuban left-hander Omar Luis Rodriguez for a bonus in the $4-5M range. It is a minor league contract. He became a free agent earlier this month and would have been subject to the spending restrictions implemented by the Collective Bargaining Agreement had he not signed by July 2nd.
Rodriguez first garnered serious attention at the World Junior Championships back in 2010, when he threw a complete game shutout against Team USA in the title game. He did get hit around while pitching in one of Cuba’s professional leagues as a 16-year-old a few years ago, but that’s not terribly surprising. Rodriguez is a projection guy with an 88-92 mph fastball to go with a curveball and changeup that still need development, and he’s drawn raves for his poise in the past. Pretty much exactly what the Yankees look for.
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How does he compare to Geraldo Concepion ? Sounds like less polished but better stuff, does it sound that way to everyone else ?
What makes you think he’s less polished?
he gets top half of the first round money, and he’s probably not that. Just goes to show what happens in the free market.
ManBan pt. 2?
The next Andy Pettitte (but Cuban)?
I guess it depends on height. If he’s tall, we’ll slap a Andy label on him. If he’s short, Manny it is.
“the Yankees will sign 18-year-old Cuban left-hander Omar Luis Rodriguez….who’s real name is Sergio Alfonso and is 25 years old”
Nah, he’s not Dominican. Lol
See: Orlando Hernandez, Jose Contreras
Those were their real names, though.
I bet you Argyle thinks Brian Cashman goes by his real name.
Those guys had such terrible careers and all…
Can anyone comment on how Cuba’s top professional league would compare to our minor leagues?
somewhere around High A
Yes, but does he have an awesome workout video?
Now lets get Puig!
Stockpiling pitching to be able to trade for hitting as the present group ages…
No conspiracy theory needed. They saw a kid they wanted, made him an offer, and he took it. Signing an 18 year old P bc you’re worried about the age of your MLB hitters would be baseball chaos theory.
Only 12 days left before the IFA caps begin, so stockpiling is good. What ever happened to the young South Korean second baseman that the Yankees were close to signing (I can’t find the post on him, but I read it on RAB)?
I don’t remember hearing about that. Do you mean the Taiwanese shortstop, Tzu Wei Lin?
http://riveraveblues.com/2012/.....lin-69413/
That’s him, thanks. Looks like he’s going to the Red Sox pursuant to MLBTraderumors.
Well, they will have a South Korean 2b. 5th round pick Robert Refsnyder, who was born in South Korea, is expected to sign after the CWS.
It was a 16 yo SS, and Boston signed him.
what kind of size does this kid have?
Pervert.
MLB.com is reporting that Rodriguez has a birth date of 1/1/1992. I hope he’s not an undersized pitcher. Any vital statistics on the guy?
He’s 5’11″ and weighs 205 lbs according to this article. Let’s remember that those were his vitals back in 2010.
http://www.baseballamerica.com.....4-million/
Nice find, crawdaddie. Thanks!
Better investment 4.5MM for him or a LOOGY?
Is it early to ask where he would be on the yanks top 30 list?
Too early to ask me, but…
https://twitter.com/BenBadler/statuses/215561480937013248
If the visa needs to be secured before it becomes official, does that mean if the visa is delayed to like July 2nd, does the deal not work anymore?
I hope they get Puig just so I can hear Sterling say
” It is gone! Yasiel is like a Puig in shit after that home run”
He reminds me of a young Eny Cabreja.
He reminds me of Euzebio Barriga, but with better ability to pull the ball.