OT: Rangers sign Cuban prospect for 12 million
Posted: Thu Apr 7, 2011 5:48 pm
How good is Leonys Martin, the Cuban center fielder who is close to signing with the Rangers?
Good enough that the Red Sox were said by a source to have offered $12 million, and good enough that the Rangers topped that offer.
Good enough that if he were available in this June's draft, he probably would have been the first position player taken.
"He's much, much better than Jackie Bradley," one scout said, referring to the South Carolina outfielder expected to go high in the first round.
The scout, whose team dropped out of the Martin bidding, said that the 23-year-old Martin isn't big-league ready, at least not as a hitter.
"In most systems, he'd probably start in Double-A, maybe high A," the scout said. "He's a very good runner, top-end speed. He can play center field. His routes aren't great, but he can play center field. But he's not a lock with the bat, and you have to see how he adjusts [to playing and living in the U.S.]"
According to MLB.com and the Fort-Worth Star Telegram, which first reported that a deal was close, Martin will sign a major-league contract but will start his career in the minors.
Martin defected from Cuba late last summer, after playing in the World University Championships in Taiwan. He was a reserve outfielder on Cuba's 2009 World Baseball Classic team.
http://danny-knobler.blogs.cbssports.co ... 6/28346584
Probably too much money for the Jays....