Arizona Diamondbacks, Yasmany Tomas agree to six-year contract

Yasmany Tomas has agreed to a six-year, $68.5 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. The deal includes an opt-out after the fourth year that can be triggered.

Multiple suitors had expressed interest in the Cuban 24-year-old. The Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Philadelphia Phillies and others were in the mix for his services. With a rebuilt front office overseen by Tony La Russa, signing Tomas signifies the first major splash of this new era.

Tomas’ deal is similar to what Jose Abreu received last offseason, a six-year, $68 million contract. Arizona’s signing of Tomas continues the surge of Cuban talent receiving huge paydays in the United States. Abreu, Yasiel Puig and Yoenis Cespedes are a few of the recent examples who’ve developed into household names in the baseball world. For Arizona, the hope is Tomas will become known on a similar scale as his fellow countrymen.

The big question mark is how his game will translate to the major leagues. He’s viewed as a middle of the order type of hitter who can play left or right field on defense. Some teams were scouting him as a third baseman, but he’s not considered gifted with the glove – a characteristic not unlike Mark Trumbo, Arizona’s current left fielder.

Arizona still has room in the budget to spend and should consider upgrading its starting rotation. GM Dave Stewart is known to have interest in Kenta Maeda, should the Japanese right-hander get posted. The team’s also been linked to James Shields and others. For now they have a potentially powerful core to its lineup with Tomas, Trumbo and a healthy Paul Goldschmidt. If they can add the right pitcher this winter, the D’backs could emerge as a big surprise following a disastrous 2014 season.