According to New York post columnist, the Cubs have won the bidding for Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler and have signed him to a nine year $30 million deal. Soler, 20, recently became a free agent after he gained residency in the Dominican Republic and was on the radar of many teams. It eventually came down to who would pay the most between the Cubs and Yankees and Cubs president of baseball operations, Theo Epstein was not going to let Soler get away.
Since Soler is just 20 years old, the potential for him is very high. He comes in at 6-3, 200 with a very explosive strength and great athleticism. Although Soler plays center field right now, he should be able to switch to a corner outfield spot when he finishes growing. Despite not facing premium competition yet, Soler has shown the bat speed and power to be a great major league hitter and rarely struck out during international play. Most scouts say power is the most exciting part about his game . He is a plus power hitter to his pull side but has shown the ability to drive the ball to all parts of the field. He does not feature to much loft in his swing but his pure power and bat speed allow him to drive the ball. Could potentially be a middle of the lineup hitter with 30 homer season as a possibility.
As for his fielding, he shows good instincts and an ability to get good reads and jumps on balls. His speed allows to cover a wide range of outfield. Shows promise to be a great fielder. Scouts have clocked him between 4.22- 4.36 seconds from home to first. However, Soler struggles at reading pitchers so don’t expect base stealing to be a big part of his game once he reaches his prime.
This signing is a big step in the right direction for the Cubs. They are able to add another piece that could help them be a contending team. Also, Theo proved that Cubs fans can trust in him as he out-bid the New York Yankees. Great signing for the Cubs and a great day for the Cubs organization and fans.
