It could take two months for MLB to declare Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes a free agent, reports Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter). The 26-year-old became a household name last week thanks to the his 20-minute showcase video.
The Red Sox, Phillies, Indians, Blue Jays, Pirates, Rangers, Tigers, Nationals, Athletics, Marlins, and Yankees are among the teams with interest in Cespedes. There is some belief within baseball that he could wind up with a contract in excess of the $30MM Aroldis Chapman received two offseasons years ago. Cespedes is represented by Adam Katz of Wasserman Media Group.
grownice
Two more months of speculation! Yay!
DD
That way in two years we dont find out his name is Leo Nunez.
NYPOTENCE
Gosh, why so long? Some teams might just lose interest or be forced to change their directions if it will take this long.
fenwayfan222
i sure wouldnt lose interest, a guy like this doesnt come around every day
TDKnies
I figured he was being sarcastic, but maybe that’s just me.
start_wearing_purple
Actually I tend to see the opposite reaction. I think it’ll slow down the free agent market for outfielders. Any team that’s serious will be less willing to go for plan B. Probably delaying any deal for Cuddyer and Beltran.
Blue387
Can a Cuban player emigrate to play in Canada without having to defect or become a citizen of another country? By this logic, the Blue Jays could easily get him before an American team.
MaineSox
No, he would still have to be declared a free agent by MLB before anyone could sign him, and at that point anyone could sign him.
Blue387
I thought things would be easier because Canada has no embargo on Cuba.
Tom
Yeah but he went into the Dominican or whatnot, he already left Cuba. None of them leave Cuba to the US directly.
MaineSox
It might make it easier for him to become a free agent (as Tom pointed out though they already leave Cuba for other countries anyway), but it wouldn’t make it easier for the Jays to sign him, and it wouldn’t give them an opportunity to sign him before anyone else. They are still a part of MLB and have to follow MLB rules, so until he is declared a free agent he can’t be signed by any team.
Lunchbox45
I’ve always wondered why Toronto hasn’t had more cuban players, not for ease of signing them, but for the fact of bringing their family to visit and things like that . You have to figure that’s got to be easier in Canada then in the states.
Mike Sherman
he wouldnt be major league ready though. and jays minor league system (besides the vancouver canadians) plays in America
Diablo 2
I guy like this.. I think he will be Major league ready.. Angels should be on that list.. C’mon Dipoto!
Jason_F
Was it his pig roasting abilities or the 45″ box jump that told you he is ready?
That video hardly proved anything about his baseball abilities. From what I’ve read, he’s almost certainly going to need some time at least at AAA, maybe even lower. The Cuban league is roughly equivalent to A ball here in the states, as far as I know.
Kevin Chambers
It’s OK I still think The White Sox will sign him.
biffsniff
Any reason as to why it’s going to take so long?
Josh Amaral
I believe he needs to establish residency in the Dominican before he can be declared a free agent by MLB. Aroldis Chapman did the same, but he defected to Andorra in 2009 and made his way here shortly afterward.
I’m not sure what the set time is on staying in a place to establish residency, but I would assume it’s two months longer than Cespedes has been there.
Chris
He’s a defector. Can’t the State department set him up in Miami?
The_BiRDS
GEEZ! Would anyone be shocked to see a “Marlin interested in buying the Dodgers” post at this point?
CAD_Monkey
Is this why O’Malley teamed up with Chan Ho Park and Hideo Nomo to buy Dodgertown?
Oh no…