Yasmani Tomas, one of Cuba’s top young power hitters, defected in the hopes of becoming the island’s next Major League Baseball star. A bidding war for the outfielder seems inevitable.
It’s possible Tomas could command as much as $100 million on the open market this offseason, with several teams rumored to be interested in the 23-year-old. The Boston Red Sox ultimately might decide against pursuing Tomas — their 2015 outfield picture already looks crowded — but fellow Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo expects big things from his former teammate.
“He’s a really high quality baseball player and a really good person,” Castillo told WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford through a translator Friday. “He’s got a ton of power. For his physique, he actually moves pretty well. He’s pretty quick for a big guy.”
Castillo signed a seven-year, $72.5 million contract with the Red Sox last month. It’s the most lucrative deal — in terms of total dollars — ever signed by a free-agent amateur, passing the six-year, $68 million contract that Cuban slugger Jose Abreu signed with the Chicago White Sox last offseason. Clearly, clubs are viewing international free agents in a different light these days and Tomas stands to benefit financially.
There’s risk involved with handing out a huge contract to an unknown commodity. But with several Cuban players, including Abreu, Red Sox outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig, thriving upon their arrival, the potential reward is obvious.
“I would compare (Tomas’) power to Abreu’s power. Tomas has a ton of power,” Castillo told Bradford. “Maybe not to that degree, but if you want a comparison, especially to another Cuban guy, especially when it comes to power, that’s the guy.
“He’s not the same type of athlete that Cespedes or Puig would be. He’s a bigger, stronger guy. That’s not to say that he isn’t an athlete, but he’s probably closer to Abreu athletically than Cespedes or Puig.”
Abreu entered Saturday with 35 homers, 104 RBIs and a .979 OPS in his rookie season. Expecting similar production from Tomas would be unfair, but the possibility of him becoming an All-Star-caliber player is why his showcase Sunday in the Dominican Republic will be well-attended. According to Bradford, the Red Sox will be among those represented at the showcase.
The bidding war for Castillo was intense. The fight for Tomas could be downright ruthless.
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