Earlier this week, two-way player Oscar Luis Colas was placed on the restricted list in the Nippon League. Now, the international prospect denies ever signing a deal.
International prospect Oscar Luis Colas (aka “Cuban Ohtani”) was put restricted list by the SoftBank Hawks earlier this week. Soon after, Colas declared to the renowned page Pelota Cubana via messenger late yesterday that he never signed a contract for the 2020 season with the SoftBank Hawks.
"“I signed a contract with SoftBank for three seasons. This agreement covered 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2019, I got called up to SoftBank’s big club and finished the season in the big leagues.”“I went back to Cuba to play in the National Series and the team came near the end of the season to negotiate with me. They offered my 500 grand for one season and I declined there offer. They in turn left Cuba and didn’t agree to my counter offer. I then decided to leave the country.”"
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Colás was also taken back and a bit disappointed that he was put on the restricted list by the Japanese ball club, “A few days ago I came to find out that I was being put on the restricted list and I took me by surprise, because I never signed a contract with SoftBank,” reiterated the young Cuban.
“If the Cuban Federation came to an agreement with SoftBank it wasn’t ratified by me or in my presence, something that the Federation or the ball club can legally do because I wasn’t there to either see or sign the paperwork.”
Colás was named minor league player of the month by SoftBank last May when he hit .333 with five big flys and 21 runs batted in, he also slashed .388/.589/.977 that month.
For the season he hit .302 with 11 jacks and 46 RBI’s in 66 games. When he was called up to the big club he hit a homer in his first at-bat and batted .278.
The international prospect can also bring the heat from the left side when pitching. When he last took the mound in Cuba for the Holguin Dogs in 2019 he uncorked a 94 mph fastball.
With the declarations that Oscar Luis Colas made today and with the team placing him on the restricted list everything looks to be lining up for a legal battle between the young phenom’s representatives and the ball club.
Who’s being truthful and how will it all play out? Only the future holds that answer.