Headlines

  • Astros, Martin Maldonado Finalizing One-Year Extension
  • James Paxton To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
  • 2021 Trade Deadline Will Be July 30
  • Diamondbacks Sign Josh Reddick To Minor League Deal
  • Jonathan Hernandez Undergoes Tommy John Surgery
  • Dexter Fowler To Undergo Season-Ending Knee Surgery
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Indians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2020-21 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • 2020-21 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2020-21 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2021
    • 2021 MLB Arbitration Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • Last 100 Comments
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Cuban Second Baseman Hector Olivera Defects

By Jeff Todd | September 24, 2014 at 9:50am CDT

Second baseman Hector Olivera has defected from his home country of Cuba in order to pursue a career in the majors, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. Olivera will ultimately not be subject to international bonus pool restrictions, but still must go through the process of establishing residency in a third country, obtaining OFAC clearance, and being declared a MLB free agent.

The 29-year-old rated as the sixth-best player still plying his trade in Cuba, according to a recent ranking from Baseball America (subscription required). As Badler notes, however, Olivera comes with more than the usual uncertainty since he missed all of last season with a reported case of thrombosis in his left biceps.

But Olivera has come back strong this year, Badler explains, even if his overall production has not quite met the lofty standard he set previously. Generally, Olivera has shown pretty much everything you could want in a hitter. In a sample of his most recent 273 plate appearances, he not only has an attractive .316/.412/.474 line, but has swatted seven home runs and walked more times than he has struck out.

As Badler notes, Olivera has split his time between second and a DH role since returning from his injury. He will obviously have plenty to prove to scouts, though he does have prior international exposure. Olivera will surely hope to show that he is at full health and that his skills are still at their peak as he approaches age 30 (his birthday is in April). With an upcoming free agent market that is light on talent at second base, Olivera could provide an intriguing possibility for the many clubs that might be interested in a new addition at the keystone.

Share 11 Retweet 41 Send via email2

Hector Olivera Newsstand

AL West Notes: Profar, Young, Seager, Rasmus
Main
Twins Notes: Plouffe, Hughes, Ryan, Gardenhire, Coaches
19 comments
newest oldest

Comments

  1. LazerTown

    7 years ago

    Let the frenzy begin.

    Like
    Reply
    • East Coast Bias

      7 years ago

      Yanks should try to get this guy. We didn’t have space for the OF and 1B players coming over from Cuba, but middle infield is a huge weakness for the team. I hope they make a competitive offer, if everything else checks out with Olivera.

      Like
      Reply
      • Marc

        7 years ago

        Agreed. He’s a Yankee.

        Like
        Reply
      • JacobyWanKenobi

        7 years ago

        Unless Prado is starting at shortstop every day I don’t see it. I’d rather get a SS, have Prado play 2nd and see what happens with Refsynder.

        Like
        Reply
  2. bucsws2014

    7 years ago

    You’d think that by now, the Cuban government would catch on that nobody really wants to stay there.

    Like
    Reply
    • LazerTown

      7 years ago

      Do you think they are unaware?
      The people in the top are able to be best off with the current situation, and thus everything else falls into place.

      Like
      Reply
  3. Elsalvaje

    7 years ago

    He’s MLB ready, great ball player!!

    Like
    Reply
    • Marc

      7 years ago

      I hope he’s ready; he’ll be 30 next season.

      Like
      Reply
  4. Charles Kime

    7 years ago

    The Jays need him

    Like
    Reply
  5. Douglas Bath

    7 years ago

    so who are the 5 better players in Cuba and why haven’t they left?

    Like
    Reply
    • Morley C

      7 years ago

      Because it’s their home. A lot of people would rather stay there and work for change than move somewhere else and leave their families behind.
      Plus, nationalism, climate, pre-existing fame.

      Like
      Reply
    • Elsalvaje

      7 years ago

      Because that is a big Prision, they put their life in risk to be free and play where they belong at the maximum level.

      Like
      Reply
  6. liberalconservative

    7 years ago

    Oakland needs him. He would love it in Oakland and can become a allstar.

    Like
    Reply
  7. Flash Gordon

    7 years ago

    These Cuban signings are going to take a turn for the worse here eventually. I’m sure the best players such as Cespedes, Puig, Soler, Abreu, Chapman are already here. More young phenoms will come along but I’d be wary of the direction this market is headed. I’ve been watching Rusney Castillo with the Red Sox and I’m concerned. While his defense looks fine perhaps better, his speed on the base paths and out of the box is not as elite as everyone said. Furthermore I have a hard time seeing him prospering offensively. Every swing is from his heels. He does not stay through the zone for long. I’m just having a hard time seeing anything good with him. Their will still be good players coming over here but a lot of these guys coming here right now in their late twenties are signing contracts above and beyond what they are worth. The Cuban market is no longer the market inefficiency that is was.

    Like
    Reply
  8. John Q Ballplayer

    7 years ago

    Blue Jays. 3 years, 30 million. You heard it here first.

    Like
    Reply
  9. DAKINS

    7 years ago

    So you’re saying he fits the Jays’ needs nicely? I’m listening….

    Like
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Astros, Martin Maldonado Finalizing One-Year Extension

    James Paxton To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    2021 Trade Deadline Will Be July 30

    Diamondbacks Sign Josh Reddick To Minor League Deal

    Jonathan Hernandez Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

    Dexter Fowler To Undergo Season-Ending Knee Surgery

    MLB Inspecting “Suspicious Baseballs” From Trevor Bauer’s Latest Start

    Trevor Rosenthal Undergoes Thoracic Outlet Surgery

    Blue Jays Sign GM Ross Atkins To Five-Year Extension

    Yankees Acquire Rougned Odor

    Recent

    Latest On George Springer, Teoscar Hernandez

    Rangers Place Ronald Guzman On 10-Day IL, Select Adolis Garcia

    Cubs Place Matt Duffy On COVID IL, Select Ildemaro Vargas

    Astros, Martin Maldonado Finalizing One-Year Extension

    MLBTR Chat Transcript

    James Paxton To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    D-backs Activate Zac Gallen

    Marlins Rumors: Yermin, Greene, Dickerson

    2021 Trade Deadline Will Be July 30

    Several Former Big Leaguers Sign With Mexican League’s Guadalajara Mariachis

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Kris Bryant Rumors
    • Francisco Lindor Rumors
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • 2020-21 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • 2020-21 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2020-21 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2021
    • 2021 MLB Arbitration Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Indians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version