The Diamondbacks have signed much-hyped Cuban outfielder Yasmany Tomas to a six-year, $68.5 million contract. The move comes as a slight surprise, as the D-Backs were only recent serious entrants into the sweepstakes for the 24-year old slugger.
Tomas at one point was projected to cost over $100 million due to his youth and stupendous power, with the Phillies tabbed as the frontrunners. However, the Phillies backed out a few weeks ago, leaving the rest of the league to dive in. The move represents the first significant free agent signing by new GM Dave Stewart, and his second major move following his acquisition of pitcher Jeremy Hellickson from the Rays.
Tomas will likely slot into a corner outfield role in the desert, but even in left field many scouts have question about his defense. His 70-grade power, which will certainly play very well at hitter-friendly Chase Field, may come at the cost at a lot of strikeouts. Tomas’ value will depend very heavily on his ability to make consistent contact and draw walks.
The addition of Tomas puts yet another outfielder onto the Arizona roster. He joins Mark Trumbo (a player Tomas may very well end up heavily resembling), A.J. Pollock, Ender Inciarte, David Peralta, and Cody Ross. Some of those players will likely figure into trades as the winter progresses, perhaps to address the team’s pitching needs. His power only adds to the threat already posed by the Arizona offense, as Trumbo, Peralta, and superstar first baseman Paul Goldschmidt are all big threats to go yard.
Tomas’ contract includes an opt-out after the fourth year, which presents an interesting twist to Tomas’ future in MLB. If he exceeds expectations, Tomas could theoretically opt out and seek a larger deal on the open market.
Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com was the first to report the deal.
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