Yesterday we found out soon-to-be free agent center fielder will be joining the Dominican Winter League before he signs his first major league contract. Now, Cespedes has listed six teams that are said to have “more interest” in signing him this winter; the Marlins, Cubs, White Sox, Orioles, Tigers and Indians. Beyond these six clubs, Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports reported that the Yankees, Phillies, Rangers, Blue Jays and Nationals also have “varying degrees of interest” in Cespedes.
Marlins owner David Samson made it known yesterday that his club would be “aggressive right to the point of stupidity” when it came to Cespedes. The White Sox have been a haven for Cuban players over the years. Detroit’s general manager and several front office members traveled to the Dominican Republic to get a closer look at Cespedes, a move many analysts believe shouldn’t be taken lightly.
While Cespedes named the six teams above as expressing “more interest”, it’s clear that more teams figure to be in on the 26-year-old than not. While conducting workouts in the DR this offseason, it appears that most teams sent at least some form of representation to watch Cespedes.
Cespedes’s price could be a bit prohibitive at reported levels, but it looks as if a significant number of teams will be in on the initial bidding for Yoennis.
You can check out all of the available free agents by position below.