Yoenis Cespedes Rumors
By Editorial Staff
With all of the moves occurring last week in Dallas, it may have been easy to forget about Cuban center fielder Yoennis Cespedes. While that may have been the case then, Cespedes figures to be right back in the spotlight now that several of the market’s top free agents have found homes. Though he wasn’t able to declare in time for the Winter Meetings, Cespedes could hit the free agent market any day now. Click through to check out all of the latest Yoennis Cespedes rumors.
His agent has already set his expectations high, noting that Cespedes will likely cost clubs double what it did to acquire former Cuban star Aroldis Chapman. This would put Cespedes’s contract in the $60 million range. Originally it was anticipated that Cespedes would cost similar to what Chapman did, but the 26-year-old’s price tag has been soaring over the past few weeks.
This ever-increasing cost has some teams bowing out of the Cespedes sweepstakes early. At this time, the Yankees, Tigers, Marlins and Nationals are all seen as the favorites to land Cespedes. Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports indicates that each of the four clubs have been the most active in scouting Cespedes this offseason.
Negotiations are being held up at the moment, as Cespedes is still awaiting residency in the Dominican Republic, where he has been training this offseason. After Cespedes officially becomes a free agent, Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com reports the bidding will be fast and strong.
Though he is listed as a center fielder, many assume that Cespedes’s build would result in him ultimately landing in a corner outfield position. His power would still play in left or right, but Jerry Crasnick hears that Cespedes could at least hold down a center field job for a few years. Crasnick also talked with a source who compared Cespedes to Cameron Maybin, “but with more power if less range and speed”, while others have said Yoennis has 30-30 potential.
You can check out all of the available free agents by position below.