The Cubs have officially signed Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler, according to Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com (via Twitter). General Manager Jed Hoyer says that Soler, 20, will start in the minors as a rightfielder with no timetable to come to Chicago, Padilla tweets.
The Cubs won the bidding for Soler with a nine-year deal worth roughly $30MM earlier this month. The two sides wound up cutting it close as Soler had until tomorrow at 11:59 p.m. to ink the deal with Chicago or lose approximately $27MM. Any international deal signed after Sunday can only be for a maximum of $2.9MM under the new rules.
The Praver Shapiro Sports Management client also had interest from a number of other clubs, including the Phillies, Astros, Pirates, Indians, Red Sox, Yankees, and Blue Jays. Chicago can now add Soler to the 40-man roster after designating Randy Wells for assignment.
Woo
I don’t technically fully understand moves like “designated for assignment.” I get we sent Wells back to Triple A, but I don’t get why we had to make room for Soler on the 40 man roster. He’s not expected to come up to the big leagues in at least 2 years, couldn’t he have stayed off the 40 man roster and still be in the Cub’s system. If someone can clarify for me that would be great.
More than likely it’s one of two things, 1 it’s written into his contract he has to be on the 40 man. Or 2 it’s to protect him from the rule 5 draft.
You need to have a certain amount of service time without making the 40 man before you’re Rule 5 eligible. It’s in his contract.
He signed a major league contract like draft picks used to. I think it means that they have to be in the majors with the signing team. Not sure
I understand it’s a 9 yr deal, but I wonder the exact details. Like opt outs for arb, opt outs for free agency. Mandatory 25 man promotion dates stuff like that.
Don’t know about the rest but it was already reported he can opt out once he’s arbitration eligible.