Toronto Blue Jays sign Cuban prospect Rafael Sanchez

Rafael Sanchez had generated attention back in December when he was one of the three high profile players to defect from Cuba. He had been one of the players that had been released by the Cuban Federation when MLB and Cuba had their brief agreement allowing players to come stateside. It seemed to be a matter of time before Sanchez signed with a major league team.

That time has finally come. According to Francys Romero, Sanchez has signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, earning a $350,000 bonus.

Toronto Blue Jays sign intriguing prospect Rafael Sanchez

Sanchez’s numbers in Cuba would not impress. He had posted a 5.12 ERA and a 1.968 WHiP in his 103.2 innings over parts of four years, striking out 63 batters with 66 walks. Nothing about that production would indicate that Sanchez would be a future major league prospect.

But he is more than just the raw numbers. He possesses the type of stuff that organizations dream of being able to harness. His fastball sits in the mid 90s and can reach 97 MPH. Sanchez also has a slider and a changeup, a pair of offerings that he seems comfortable with.

But he clearly needs some refinement. The Blue Jays will need to work with him on his command and being able to actually harness his offerings. He will likely begin his affiliated baseball journey in the complex leagues as they look to refine his stuff. If that begins to happen, it would not be a surprise if Sanchez moves quickly through the system.

It will also be interesting to see what sort of role the Blue Jays have in mind for him. Sanchez had worked strictly as a reliever in Cuba, but he is young enough where Toronto may want to see what he does in a multi-inning role or as a starter. He does have three pitches that could be solid enough offerings where a move to the rotation would be worth considering.

The Toronto Blue Jays have added Cuban prospect Rafael Sanchez. His pure stuff and potential make him an intriguing player to watch.