The Cubs have signed Cuban prospects Yasiel Balaguert and Carlos Martinez, reports Baseball America's Ben Badler. Both players are represented by Jaime Torres.
Balaguert, 19 in January, is said to have "modest tools" and a "long, uppercut swing from the right side and an aggressive, pull-oriented approach that leaves him susceptible to secondary stuff." Although he's played center, it's likely that he'll be relegated to left field down the line. The Marlins had interest in signing him earlier this offseason.
Martinez, 20, is a right-handed pitcher who has worked mostly out of the bullpen according to Badler. He has a "fastball that parks in the low 90s" and an "average curveball but it often gets slurvy, while his changeup is also a work in progress with occasional fade."
So the cubs found the their replacement for Soriano in a few years , and they will replace him with … Soriano?
If he turns out to be Soriano with, you know, a fifth the salary I think that would be quite effective. Somehow I am not expecting it.
soriano is an above average left fielder.
not sure if serious…
an .818 OPS in his tenure with the Cubs is way above average for left fielders.
his UZR is also way above average in LF, and he has a positive dWAR, so yeah I’m damn serious.
It’s no Yoenis, but it’s good that they’re signing international talent.
who needs Yoenis when you have Yasiel
Yasiel’s “scouting report” actually sounds like Yoenis with less speed
Theo strikes!
Out!
Couldn’t resist
I’m naming my first child Yasiel Balaguert
Can you even pronounce that name correctly?
Our Carlos Martinez is better than your Carlos Martinez. Birds
The Cardinals Chris Carpenter is better than your Chris Carpenter, and their Carlos Martinez is better than yours too.
I was speaking for the birds, not against. But yes.
I’d like to see them go after a bigger fish since it seems like this will be the last offseason to be able to use their financial advantage internationally, but I guess something is better than nothing.
Those scouting reports are…not that great?
I’d be more worried about these signings if they were all projected to beat dominating.
They don’t sound overally impressive, but it’s good to see the Cubs going out and getting some young players… they must have seen something in them
Meaningless signings they will never make the ML level, The Cubs are in dyer need or a catcher a closer, and starting pitching. Yet they sign to players who are 19 and will take 5 yrs to develop by the time they are ready the Cubs will have traded them and they will become superstar players. Then again Hendry isn’t the GM anymore either.
And you in dire need of spell-check…
Just more lottery tickets, don’t get excited but lottery tickets nonetheless. now let’s focus on the real prize from cuba… just consider his salary what you’d have paid garza anyways.
Hopefully the Cubs didn’t pay too much for these inspiring examples of major league ready talent.
The difference is Castro was 16 and was in the majors by 20… these guys will be in A or A+ at 20.