Report: Dodgers have agreement with Cuban righty Yaisel Sierra
He's 24 years old and not subject to MLB's international bonus-pool limits. The deal covers six years and is believed to be worth around $30 million.
By
Dave Brown
•
1 min read
The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly have an agreement for six years with right-hander Yaisel Sierra, a 24-year-old Cuban with a 93-97 mph fastball who is not subject to Major League Baseball's international bonus-pool limits. Jon Heyman of MLB Network was the first to say the deal is done. Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports said the deal could be worth about $30 million.
ESPN's Keith Law ($) says that Sierra fits as a middle reliever right now:
He has a very quick arm, coming from a high three-quarters slot with a 93-97 mph fastball and a hard cutter-like slider that flashes plus but is nowhere near consistent enough. He has no changeup to speak of yet and well below-average control.
Although the results have been mixed so far, the Dodgers continue to use their vast resources other clubs don't have on players like Sierra. From Cuba alone, they've recently added infielder Hector Olivera (who has since been traded), pitchers Yadier Alvarez and pitcher Pablo Millan Fernandez, along with prospects Yusniel Diaz and Omar Estevez. The Andrew Friedman-Farhan Zaidi administration is continuing what Ned Colletti's front office did in adding Yasiel Puig, Alex Guerrero and Erisbel Arruebarrena.
Cuban players tend to be more intriguing than those who haven't played in relative isolation. As a pitcher, Sierra seems like a fun project for Dodgers coach Rick Honeycutt, even if he is raw.
The idea: If one or two of these guys hit, it's a huge payoff. Puig, despite his baggage, is one. Perhaps Yaisel Sierra will be another.
Check out video of the young man:
Here's what Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com wrote of Sierra recently:
Because of his age and experience, he will not be subject to the international signing guidelines.
"I worked 24/7 for my slider and changeup," Sierra told Baseball America's Teddy Cahill through translator and former big leaguer Alex Sanchez. "I was very excited to throw my slider and changeup because they don't throw that kind of pitch in Cuba."
Most scouts believe Sierra can help a Major League team next season. He could command a contract comparable to the seven-year, $27 million deal the Reds awarded Cuban starting pitcher Raisel Iglesias last summer and the four-year, $32 million deal starter Jose Contreras signed with the Yankees in 2002.
