More than three weeks ago, we brought you the news that MLB’s No. 1 international perspective, Yoelqui Céspedes, would sign with White Sox this month.
We don’t lie.
Both Céspedes and Marco Paddy spoke to the media on Friday, talking about what you would expect. Paddy considers Céspedes almost ready for the MLB due to his Cuban experience as a player.
“I can’t say exactly how close or how far I am from the majors,” said NBC’s Céspedes, Vinnie Duber. “But I think that, with time in the minors, I will be able to develop and show what I can do. We will see how long this will take, but I am confident in myself. “
And from Paddy: ““ From a baseball point of view, he is very close. He is advanced, he knows how to play … Combined with the Cuban experience, he is very advanced … He is very close to the major leagues ”.
Here is the complete release / edition of the White Sox:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, January 15, 2021
WHITE SOX AGREES WITH THE TERMS OF THE CUBAN OUTFIELDER YOELQUI CÉSPEDES
CHICAGO – The Chicago White Sox has agreed to the terms, including a $ 2.05 million signing bonus, with Cuban outfielder Yoelqui (yo-EL-key) Céspedes.
Céspedes, 23, played four seasons (2015-19) for Granma in the National Series of Cuba (National Series of Cuba), the top league in Cuba. The 5´9´´ 200 pound Céspedes is classified by the MLB Pipeline as the international prospectus No. 1.
Céspedes hit 0.287 / 0.351 / 0.415 with 35 doubles, 10 trebles, 12 home runs, 98 RBIs, 114 races scored and 14 bases stolen in 226 career games with Granma. He debuted in the team in 2015 at the age of 17, and is twice the champion of the Cuban National Series, winning the league title in 2017 and 2018.
“Yoelqui worked hard to put himself in that situation,” said Marco Paddy, White Sox’s special assistant to the general manager of international operations. “He has the ability to play all three field positions with above average defense, strong line-by-line striking ability for all fields and racing instincts to steal and turn singles into doubles.
Céspedes, who hits and shoots with his right hand, hit .319 / .355 / .389 with five doubles, seven RBIs and four races, scored in 21 games in 2018-19, his last season with Granma.
The Cuban from Manzanillo played with the Cuban National Team in the Caribbean Series (2016-18), World Baseball Classic (2017) and Canadian-American Association (2017, 2019), an independent professional league in the Northeast of the United States and Eastern Canada. He is the younger half-brother of major league striker Yoenis Céspedes.
White Sox expects additional international signings in the coming weeks.
The previous story we published, without a quote from Paddy, was more attractive and informative than this release. However, there is a point of intrigue with this last line, since the rest of the class has not been announced.
Of course, Norge Vera is the other plum of the White Sox international class (in fact, by FanGraphs fitting much more among potential White Sox customers than Céspedes, which is a little contrary, to say the least). There is no way of knowing if the White Sox just want to give Vera her own day next week or if there are any obstacles in the process.
But we hope to hear from Vera soon, as well as get the details of the rest of the class.