Yoenis Cespedes Seeking $35-60 Million Contract
By Editorial Staff
Take one look at Yoennis Cespedes’s scouting video, and you’ll know this player is a little different. Heading into today, we already knew that the 26-year-old possessed unique talent. But, before this afternoon, people had only been speculating what it would cost to sign Cespedes. Now, for the first time, Cespedes’s camp has released the soon-to-be free agent’s contract expectations.
This afternoon, Peter Gammons of MLB.com tweeted that scouts in the Dominican Republic say Cespedes has his sights set on a contract worth “between $35-50” million.
Meanwhile, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com is reporting that Cespedes could be looking for more than $60 million and an eight-year contract.
Originally, analysts expected what Kevin Goldstein calls the best player to leave Cuba in a generation to command a deal near that of fellow defector Aroldis Chapman. Last winter, Chapman and the Cincinnati Reds agreed on a $30 million contract.
During an interview with Goldstein, Cespedes’s manager said that Yoennis was a special talent. Apparently Cespedes and his representation want to be paid like a very special player.
It is assumed that Cespedes is seeking a six-year deal, so at $50 million he would be making roughly $8.3 million annually. While this is certainly a substantial investment for a player who has yet to take a swing on US soil, scouts everywhere are raving about this guy.
Some say he has 30-30 potential. Most agree that he is built like a running back. It makes sense his advisors brought in former Green Bay Packer Ahman Green to help Cespedes get into what he says is the best shape of his life.
All kinds of teams have checked in on Cespedes already this offseason, and many have been monitoring the center fielder for years. He’s already worked out for the Miami Marlins in the DR, and Cespedes is scheduled to do the same for the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox.
While his price tag may be high, at this point it looks like there should be some team out there willing to meet Cespedes’s demands.
You can check out all of the available free agents by position below.