Cuban defector Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez has generated quite a bit of buzz with his showcases of late, with some reports suggesting that he could command as much as $60MM over five years. He may not be the only Cuban right-hander on the market for long though, as Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports that Odrisamer Despaigne is hosting a showcase for MLB teams in Barcelona next week (MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez notes an open workout Tuesday afternoon). Passan adds that Despaigne is drawing "strong" interest, though not as much interest as Gonzalez (Twitter links). Both right-handers are represented by agent Jaime Torres.
Sanchez tweets that Despaigne has been working to establish residency in Spain, but it could still be another three to six weeks before he can file for free agency. Like other foreign prospects, Despaigne will also need to be cleared by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). According to a report from the Associated Press (via ESPN), Despaigne defected from the Cuban National team at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris as the team traveled to a tournament in the Netherlands.
