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Luis Yander La O Camacho

AL Notes: Carter, A’s, Twins, Falvey, Mariners, La O

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Here’s the latest from around the American League…

  • In an interview with Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (partial audio link), agent Dave Stewart said he had spoken to “four or five teams” about client Chris Carter, including the Rangers and Orioles.  The Athletics haven’t been in touch with Stewart, as the A’s gave the impression that they have moved on from Carter, who played in Oakland from 2010-12.  Stewart doesn’t anticipate Carter signing within the next week or so, as the market for first base/DH types is still rather unsettled, even a few weeks after Edwin Encarnacion signed with the Indians.
  • The Twins have had a fairly quiet offseason, though chief baseball officer Derek Falvey expects more activity for both his club and others as Spring Training approaches, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes.  “If an opportunity presents itself, we’ll be ready to strike,” Falvey said.  “The reality is, we’re standing here today with players still available in free agency that I don’t think any of us would have predicted in October.  Things change.”
  • With Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto saying that his team’s major offseason moves are complete, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune looks how Seattle’s 25-man roster could break down, with relatively few spots still available to be decided in Spring Training battles.
  • The Rangers’ $110K signing of Cuban infielder Luis Yander La O could end up being a bargain, Baseball America’s Ben Badler opines.  La O spent almost a full year in free agency before “signing for far less money than other Cuban players who have received bigger bonuses despite having less talent,” Badler writes.  Multiple changes in representation could be one reason for La O’s longer-than-expected stint on the open market, though Badler notes that many scouts see him as a utilityman rather than a potential everyday player.  Still, at the cost of just a $110K bonus, the Rangers are taking little risk in La O’s future.

Rangers To Sign Luis Yander La O

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The Rangers have struck a minor-league deal with Cuban free-agent infielder Luis Yander La O, according to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (via Twitter). He’ll receive a $110K bonus in the contract.

This arrangement finally brings an end to La O’s lengthy time on the open market. Though he has always been free of any international signing limitations, it has been nearly a year since he was cleared to sign. It surely did not help that he was originally represented by Bart Hernandez, who has since been indicted on federal trafficking charges.

Now 25, La O once drew praise as one of his home island’s best prospects. Last we checked in, though, he had failed to impress scouts in a workout. Still, La O has a solid track record of high-contact hitting in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, where he owns a .329/.388/.406 slash over 1,338 plate appearances.

It seems likely, given his age and experience, that La O will report to the upper levels of the Texas farm. There, he’ll need to prove that he can reach base enough to offset a notable lack of power, as Baseball America’s Ben Badler explained in a full writeup when La O left Cuba. While he typically lines up at third base, where he’s said to be a quality defender, it’s also possible that he might be able to transition to second with more dedicated time at that position.

 

International Notes: Rays, Lazarito, Padres, La O, Rodriguez, Heredia

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Major League Baseball announced today that the Rays will play an exhibition game against the Cuban National Team in Havana, Cuba on March 22, thus marking the first time an MLB club has visited the island since the Orioles played an exhibition game there in March of 1999. (Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times first broke the news that plans had been finalized.) “During a time of historic change, we appreciate the constructive role afforded by our shared passion for the game, and we look forward to experiencing Cuba’s storied baseball tradition and the passion of its many loyal fans,” said commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement announcing the game. Added MLBPA executive director Tony Clark: “We thank the Cuban National Team and all involved in hosting this game, as we are very excited to return to Havana to continue our efforts to strengthen the ties between our countries through our love and passion for the game of baseball.”

As the Rays gear up for a historic trip to Havana, here are a few notes pertaining to some of the top Cuban talent in the world…

  • The Padres are now the favorites to sign Cuban prospect Lazaro Armenteros, according to Baseball America’s Ben Badler (subscription required but highly recommended), though he notes that the Braves and Dodgers both have some interest. However, Badler notes that the player known as “Lazarito” has been “the subject of some of the most extreme sensationalism in public reports,” and ranks the 16-year-old 11th on his list of the top 15 Cuban players available to Major League clubs. Lazarito would add to what appears to be a potentially significant class of 2016-17 international prospects for San Diego, as Badler and ESPN’s Eric Longenhagen have both previously reported the Friars as the favorites to sign 19-year-old outfielder Jorge Ona (fourth on today’s rankings from Badler) and 17-year-old lefty Adrian Morejon (10th). It’s worth noting, too, that Badler isn’t downplaying Lazarito’s talent entirely; he does write that Lazarito’s talent is “right up there” with the other top international prospects that have signed in the 2015-16 international class, so the implication is merely that the “phenom” labels that have been placed on Lazarito are an overstatement.
  • Third baseman Luis Yander La O, currently a bonus-pool-exempt free agent, did not perform particularly well at a February showcase that was also impacted by poor weather, Badler notes in his rankings. La O still landed eighth on Badler’s list, but he notes that La O may schedule another showcase in an effort to put on a better show for interested clubs.
  • The Reds have seemingly changed course in their pursuit of shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez and will convince him to wait until July to sign, Badler reports while ranking Rodriguez 12th on his list. Had Cincinnati signed Rodriguez for his the $6MM bonus that was reported back in January, they’d have been barred from signing international amateurs for any more than $300K in each of the next two signing periods. Badler notes that as compensation for making Rodriguez wait, however, the Reds might end up giving him an even more sizable bonus than that $6MM sum (which, of course, will come with a 100 percent luxury tax).
  • Guillermo Heredia’s previously reported deal with the Mariners became official today, per a club announcement. Heredia signed a one-year, Major League contract with the Mariners that will pay him the league minimum salary, as Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports. At the time of the signing, details on the contract were vague and did not specify whether Heredia had secured a Major League deal or a minor league deal. He’s been added to the 40-man roster, according to the Mariners, with Jesus Sucre being shifted to the 60-day DL in order to clear a spot. For what it’s worth, Badler noted in the aforementioned piece that the Mariners got “a terrific bargain” on Heredia, even with questions about his bat. Badler has previously noted that Heredia is a plus defender in center field with good speed.

International Notes: Diamondbacks, La O, Gutierrez

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The D-backs made a minor international move today, as MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports, signing 18-year-old Mexican right-hander Edgar Martinez for an undisclosed bonus. While the exact amount given to Martinez isn’t known, the signing bonus is required to come in at $300K or less, as the D-backs are barred from signing international amateurs for more than that figure during this signing period and the 2016-17 international signing period as a result of their spending in the 2014-15 signing period. The addition of Martinez could be a sign of things to come, Sanchez writes, as Arizona is making an effort to increase its presence in Mexico. The D-backs introduced three new employees at a press conference in Mexico last month with an eye toward acquiring more Mexican talent in the future. “We naturally want to have a presence down there, not only from a marketing standpoint, but from a scouting perspective,” CEO Derrick Hall explained to Sanchez. “For me, the priority is to find and develop a top talent from Mexico.”

A couple of more notes on some more prominent international free agents…

  • Free agent third baseman Luis Yander La O has signed with the Legacy Agency, tweets Sanchez. The 24-year-old, who is exempt from international bonus pools, is exploring the market and preparing for a possible showcase, Sanchez notes. MLB declared La O a free agent a month ago, and Baseball America’s Ben Badler has previously written that La O is nearly MLB-ready. La O doesn’t possess much power but had an extraordinarily low strikeout rate in Cuba (five percent) and is said to be an above-average defender at third base that can handle second base as well.
  • Sanchez also reported yesterday that right-hander Vladimir Gutierrez is also being repped by Legacy after signing on with the agency recently (Twitter link). Gutierrez is “on track” to host a showcase sometime next month, Sanchez adds. Gutierrez has been a free agent since last July, but there’s been very little talk about the talented right-hander since that time. When he was declared a free agent, Badler noted that some scouts preferred Gutierrez’s overall package to that of $16MM Dodgers right-hander Yadier Alvarez. The 20-year-old Gutierrez is subject to bonus pools and is currently the top-ranked unsigned amateur on Sanchez’s rankings at MLB.com (No. 2 overall). Sanchez notes that Gutierrez has a low-90s fastball and plus curveball in his scouting report.

MLB Declares Luis Yander La O, Three Others Free Agents

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Major League Baseball has declared four Cuban players — third baseman/second baseman Luis Yander La O, third baseman Henry Quintero, shortstop Anibal Sierra and catcher Oscar Valdes — as free agents, making each free to sign with any club, according to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (Twitter link) and Baseball Essential’s Robert Murray (who first tweeted that Sierra was a free agent).

La O, 24, is the most notable of the bunch. The third baseman turned 24 this past December and has six years of professional experience in Cuba, thereby making him exempt from Major League Baseball’s international bonus pool system. He’s free to sign with any club at any time and is near MLB-ready, according to summer reports from Baseball America’s Ben Badler, who noted that La O could probably jump directly into a Triple-A lineup.

La O is a lifetime .329/.388/.406 hitter in Serie Nacional in 1338 plate appearances. He’s homered just nine times in his Cuban career but also has displayed an uncanny knack for making contact — striking out in just five percent of his career plate appearances (as compared to a seven percent walk rate). La O has also stolen 57 bases in that time, although he went just 11-for-23 in his final Cuban season. Per Badler, some scouts are concerned about his lack of power and question how much he’ll hit in the Majors. Badler did call him an above-average defender at third base with plus or better arm strength but a low throwing slot that leads to inaccuracy at times. Badler also praised La O’s instincts at second base and feels that he can “absolutely” play the position in the Majors, though he noted that La O is inexperienced there and showed as much when turning double plays.

Considerably less is known about Sierra (22), Quintero (22) or Valdez (23), each of whom has been absent from lists of top Cuban prospects. Badler briefly mentioned Sierra when profiling Hector Olivera a year ago (the two were double play partners in Cuba), calling him a light-hitting shortstop with a good glove. Indeed, Sierra has batted just .238/.307/.298 in 91 games/175 plate appearances across parts of three seasons in Cuba. It would stand to reason that he’d need considerable time in the minor leagues, though his glove could have appeal to Major League scouts, it would seem. As for Quintero, he’s a .223/.274/.325 hitter in an even smaller sample of 181 professional plate appearances in Cuba. Valdez has only 59 professional plate appearances, per Baseball-Reference, having batted .200/.345/.244 in 59 plate appearances. (Of course, all of those numbers exclude international tournaments and other venues in which scouts would have the opportunity to see them in game situations). All three are subject to international spending limitations.

Cuban Prospect Luis Yander La O Defects

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Cuban infielder Luis Yander La O has defected from Cuba while traveling with the national team to North Carolina, Ben Badler of Baseball America reports. Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs noted last night on Twitter that it seemed a move might be in the offing when La O did not appear at the park.

The 23-year-old had been said to be attempting a few months back, and now that seems to have finally taken place. La O (who is also sometimes given the surname “Camacho”) becomes the second player to defect on the national team’s swing through the states, joining Yadiel Hernandez. He intends to seek to achieve free agency and sign with a big league club, per Badler.

La O is exempt from international signing limitations, meaning he’ll be able to sign as any other free agent would once he achieves that status. He should draw a good bit of interest, as Badler rated him tenth among current Cuban players and says he’s nearly prepared for big league action. La O has played mostly at third and second, though he’s seen time at short as well. He’s a high-contact hitter from the right side, says Badler, though he lacks power and leaves some scouts wondering if he’ll hit enough in the majors.

Latest On Cuban Prospect Luis Yander La O Camacho

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4:22pm: Camacho remains in Cuba at present, he tells Jorge Ebro of ElNuevoHerald.com.

9:46am: Cuban infielder Luis Yander La O Camacho has left his home nation with intentions of signing with a big league club, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports. It appears that he will seek to establish residency in Haiti.

The 23-year-old was rated recently by Baseball America as the tenth-best prospect still in Cuba. A speedy, aggressive line-drive hitter with limited power, the unique athlete is said by BA’s Ben Badler to warrant consideration at third, second, or even short at the big league level. The major question, it seems, is his bat. Having put six seasons of Serie Nacional ball under his belt already, teams will not have to consider international bonus pools if and when he reaches the open market.

Sanchez also passes on several other pieces of information from the island. 19-year-old lefty Cionel Perez is also seeking residency in Haiti, while center fielder Eddy Julio Martinez, 20, has now been declared a free agent by MLB. The pair of youngsters, neither of whom appears on the Baseball America list, would both fall within the signing limits. Per Sanchez, Perez struck out 75 hitters and walked 32 over 87 1/3 innings at Cuba’s highest level over the last two seasons, while Martinez will have a chance to impress scouts in person with a workout today and tomorrow.

As Sanchez goes on to explain, there has been a lot of action coming from the neighboring island over the last few months. You can catch up on the latest by checking out his full article.

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