The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarruena to a five-year deal worth $25 million. The deal includes a $7.5 million signing bonus.
Arruebarruena defected from Cuba in November, becoming the latest in a long line of Cuban defections. Baseball America had the young shortstop listed as their number 10 unsigned prospect at last year’s World Baseball Classic.
Baseball America calls Arruebarruena a “defensive wizard” at the shortstop position, but speculate that he may have issues hitting at the major league level. Still his defensive skill should get him a contract and a spot in at least Double-A while he learns how to better handle the back. His defense is so good that he could be used as a defense first player and hit 8th or 9th on a team with an otherwise powerful lineup.
Arruebarruena’s most recent exposure to North America came when a Cuban team toured the United States playing against a team of college all-stars. He was 0 for 7 in the series with 3 strikeouts and often removed for a pinch hitter late in games.
“He’s a bigger body than you think when you get up next to him,” said Team USA coach Jim Schlossnagle, who also coaches Texas Christian. “He made a play up the middle in the last game that I didn’t think he was going to get to. When he got to it, most American shortstops field the ball glove side, spin and throw. He kind of threw off balance without spinning and had something on the throw. The first four balls put in play, two of them should have been hits—for sure in Division I college baseball—one in the hole, one in the middle, and those two plays changed the entire course of the first third of the game. He makes really hard plays look really easy.”
Because Arruebarruena is 23-years-old, and has significant pro experience in Cuba he is not subject to the limits on money that major league teams can spend on international free agents. As a result this could trigger a bidding war for his services. The Dodgers recently gave shortsop Guerrero a 4-year, $28 million deal. However Guerrero is seen as a plus bat, and weak defender who will likely move to second base at the major league level.
“He’s a premium defender at a premium position with questions on the bat,” said one international scouting director (to Baseball America). “If you’re built well offensively around the field other than shortstop, you can live with that if you get outstanding defense. But the bat is still the question mark.”
Arruebarruena played for Cuba in the WBC, going 6-for-16 with no extra-base hits, two walks and three strikeouts for a .375/.444/.375 line.
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