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Alexei Bell

Rangers Sign Alexei Bell

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JULY 15: The Rangers announced that they have signed Bell to a minor league contract.

JULY 5: The Rangers are nearing a minor league deal with free agent Alexei Bell, according to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (via Twitter). The 32-year-old outfielder hit the open market after leaving his native Cuba in search of a big league opportunity.

Bell owns an impressive track record in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, where he played for 14 seasons. In 3,441 career plate appearances, he owns a .319/.417/.547 batting line with 138 home runs. He was still running up those kinds of numbers in his final year of action there in 2014, and has top-notch plate discipline with a lifetime tally of 431 walks against just 439 strikeouts.

Since that time, Bell has spent time playing in Canada and, more recently, Mexico. He wasn’t doing much at the plate in a nine-game run with Quintana Roo earlier this year, though it’s hard to read too much into the results in such a short sample for a player who hadn’t played competitively in some time.

Despite his previous success, Bell hasn’t generated much buzz as a free agent. As Ben Badler of Baseball America explains, Bell owns a big arm that ought to work in right. But he doesn’t deliver premium power and isn’t a good runner. While he would have made for a really interesting prospect earlier in his career, Badler says that scouts aren’t optimistic about his potential to be a major contributor at this stage.

Despite those limitations, it’s not at all surprising to see a club take a shot on a veteran who has such an impressive track record. Whether or not he’ll earn a shot at the majors remains to be seen.

Alexei Bell, Yordanis Linares Declared Free Agents

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Two interesting Cuban free agents, outfielders Alexei Bell and Yordanis Linares, have officially been declared free agents, according to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (via Twitter). They’ll be able to sign at any point, though Linares will be subject to international signing restrictions.

Bell, 32, has opened play in Mexico with one long ball, six hits, and three walks against a lone strikeout in 23 plate appearances. He’s put up strong numbers in a lengthy career in Cuba, and put on several recent showcases, but his market outlook remains unclear. While Bell has shown home run power at times, Ben Badler of Baseball America says that his calling card is impeccable plate discipline and a big arm.

Linares, meanwhile, is 27 years of age but has a minimal track record in Serie Nacional. That being said, it’s a pretty good one: he’s slashed .312/.387/.452 with 15 home runs over 767 plate appearances. As Badler explains, Linares is a small-framed player who is capable of playing center field. He’s expected to need time in the minors upon signing.

The pair of outfielders are part of an increasingly varied class of Cuban players in various stages of moving toward the majors. In particular, numerous younger talents have departed the island nation in search of big league opportunity, throwing yet more intrigue into an already complicated set of July 2 signing period factors. While Bell can sign just like any other free agent, teams considering Linares will need to weigh his impact on their other international spending.

International Notes: Hernandez, Bell, Package Signings

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Cuban outfielder Yadiel Hernandez will host a showcase for clubs on May 18, MLBTR has learned. The 28-year-old corner outfielder held a showcase back in February that was reportedly attended by as many as 25 Major League teams but hasn’t held a large-scale workout for clubs since being declared a free agent by MLB on April 21. Hernandez’s age and professional experience in Cuba make him exempt from international spending pools. He’s a left-handed hitter with excellent plate discipline and a knack for contact, and Baseball America’s Ben Badler has previously opined that Hernandez has a chance at hitting 10 to 15 homers over the course of a big league season. He’s a career .324/.449/.487 hitter in 514 pro games in Cuba.

A couple more notes pertaining to the international market…

  • Hernandez’s countryman, Alexei Bell, will play for the Mexican League’s Quintana Roo Tigres while he waits for the league to declare him a free agent, tweets SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo. Playing in Mexico will allow the 32-year-old outfielder to be seen by big league scouts, though scouts have had a couple of looks at him in recent months. FOX’s Ken Rosenthal reported that 13 clubs watched Bell back in February, and Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith recently reported that Bell would work out for scouts this month as well. That most recent showcase, it should be noted, was yesterday, though word hasn’t crept out about the results just yet. Bell is a .319/.417/.547 hitter in 659 pro games in Cuba.
  • In the wake of reports of MLB’s investigation into the Red Sox’ international signings, Baseball America’s Ben Badler writes that “package deals” have been commonplace on the international market for years. It’s not uncommon at all, Badler writes, for a team that is hoping to sign a player of interest to sign a close friend or sibling of that player for a lesser price as a means of enticing the player they truly covet to sign. Teams will also agree to sign lesser players from the same trainer/agency if signing the lesser-regarded player can help to persuade the trainer/agent to sign off on an offer for the more highly regarded talent. While there is certainly the possibility for nefarious activity to take place as a result of package signings, Badler notes, such arrangements aren’t new and have been receiving league approval since even before the current international bonus pool system was implemented in 2012. Badler lists a number of package signing situations in the past, citing players from the Reds, Dodgers, Rangers and Pirates that signed under various types of package scenarios. Of course, the instances listed by Badler weren’t attempts to circumvent league-imposed spending limitations, and it seems there’s at least a belief that the Red Sox acted in such a manner, thus leading to the ongoing investigation. Those that are intrigued by the Sox’ situation or the international market in a more general sense will find Badler’s latest column intriguing.

Two Cuban Veterans To Work Out For ML Scouts

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Two Cuban veterans, outfielder Alexei Bell and infielder Ramon Lunar, will work out for major league scouts in Cancun a week from Monday, reports Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet (Twitter link). Bell previously held a February showcase for scouts in Mexico, where 13 big league clubs sent representatives to take in his workout.

Bell, who isn’t a free agent yet, left his homeland in January in hopes of landing in the majors. Because of his age (32) and vast experience playing in Cuba, Bell won’t be subject to international bonus restrictions after hitting .319/.417/.547 in 3,441 career plate appearances with Serie Nacional. Bell helped his cause in Cuba by demonstrating a mastery of the strike zone, walking just eight fewer times (431) than he struck out (439). His production declined last season as a member of the Capitales of Quebec, a Canadian-American Association club, as he slashed .317/.363/.424 with two home runs, 24 strikeouts and 14 walks. Defensively, he has a plus arm and could fit in right field, Ben Badler of Baseball America wrote in January 2015.

Lunar is already a free agent, and his age (29) and playing experience in Cuba also make him exempt from international bonus restrictions. Lunar has played both corner infield positions – as well as left field – and he posted quality offensive numbers with Serie Nacional, batting .313/.414/.489 in parts of seven seasons. Impressively, he bettered Bell in Cuba by walking more than he struck out (244 to 238). Lunar is now playing for Los Tigres de Quintana Roo in the Mexican League, where he has hit a robust .458/.567/.542 with six walks and a single strikeout in his first 30 trips to the plate this season.

Quick Hits: Alexei Bell, Worst Moves, Prospects

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Cuban outfielder Alexei Bell recently held a showcase in Mexico, as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. The 32-year-old has long been a prominent player on his home island, and recently departed in search for an opportunity in the majors. Thirteen MLB clubs sent someone to watch his workout, per Rosenthal: the D-Backs, Dodgers, Phillies, Royals, Blue Jays, Giants, Yankees, Marlins, Cardinals, A’s, Red Sox, Padres, and Reds.

Here are a few analytical links to consider as camp opens:

  • Dave Cameron of Fangraphs has rounded up the ten worst offseason transactions to go with his prior list of the ten best. The top spot on each list involves the same swap. He also issues demerits for the Rockies’ signing of Gerardo Parra and subsequent trade of Corey Dickerson, the Royals’ decision to give big money to Ian Kennedy, and the Orioles’ re-signing of Chris Davis.
  • You can find Baseball America’s updated listing of the ten best prospects for each team right here. Looking past the premium names that appear on league-wide lists gives a better sense of the depth of a system, of course, and quite a few players will ascend over the coming year. BA’s J.J. Cooper examines some of the top names that fell just shy of that outlet’s top-100 list.
  • ESPN.com’s Keith Law has also provided a top-ten list for every organization’s farm, with a narrative breakdown of the system as well. It’s well worth a read, but does require an Insider subscription.

Quick Hits: Bell, Linares, Puig, Jackson, Rays

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The big ticket free agents aren’t always the most important offseason additions, writes AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Using the Steamer projection system, Cassavell takes a look at the six players he thinks will most affect their respective divisions. Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman and Cubs center fielder Jason Heyward are obvious picks. Surprisingly, Cassavell finds Mike Napoli to be the big name in the AL Central while Wade Miley’s move to Seattle could be sneaky important.

Here are a few more notes from around the league:

  • Cuban veterans Alexei Bell and Yordanis Linares will hold workouts on February 15 and 16 in Baja California, tweets Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. Bell, 32, was reported to have left Cuba on January 13 and could fit as a right fielder. Linares’ defection was reported last summer. The 26-year-old doesn’t have enough professional experience in the Serie Nacional to avoid international spending restrictions. Bell, however, can be signed by any team.
  • The White Sox should target Yasiel Puig, opines Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Chicago has shown curiosity about the Dodgers outfield depth and could obviously stand to improve in the outfield. Rumors have tied them to veteran lefty Andre Ethier who could provide a useful platoon bat. However, Puig represents a more definitive upgrade with a star ceiling. Unfortunately, young talent comes with a price. Merkin lists pitchers Carson Fulmer, Spencer Adams, and shortstop Tim Anderson as possible targets for the Dodgers. Trading any of that trio would be a bitter pill to swallow.
  • The Indians could be a fit for free agent outfielder Austin Jackson, suggest Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com. Center field depth would be useful considering that Michael Brantley will start the season on the disabled list. Lonnie Chisenhall, Rajai Davis, and Abraham Almonte figure to form the Opening Day outfield, and it’s not hard to see a way to improve upon that trio. At the very least, additional depth in case of injury would be valuable.
  • The Rays should consider three more offseason moves, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The bullpen could use additional depth – perhaps Tyler Clippard or Tommy Hunter. Either Desmond Jennings or Brandon Guyer can be traded. The team is deepest with them on the roster, but they may be expendable. Jennings’ health may make a trade difficult. Lastly, Ian Desmond looks more and more attractive as a buy low option. The Rays have to be willing to discard their 13th overall selection in the draft if they’re to sign Desmond.
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