I'd go for Jonny Gomes and Cliff Lee redux.

2016 Prospect Watch: Top 10 first basemen

Astros' Reed sits atop list, followed by Bucs' Bell, Mets' Smith

1. A.J. Reed, Astros
Reed had a spectacular first full season as a pro, leading the Minors in runs (113), homers (34), RBIs (127), total bases (320), slugging (.612) and OPS (1.044) while winning the Class A Advanced California League MVP Award and continuing to mash following a promotion to Double-A. With his penchant for making consistent hard contact and waiting out pitchers reluctant to challenge him, Reed could claim Houston's first-base job as soon as he proves he can hit advanced left-handers.

2. Josh Bell, Pirates
Pittsburgh stunned the industry when it landed the believed-to-be-unsignable Bell with a second-round-record $5 million bonus in 2011. The best pure hitter on this list, he's a switch-hitter who controls the strike zone and is still growing into what could be considerable power. Bell could take over first base for the Pirates once he gets a little more time in Triple-A.

3. Dominic Smith, Mets
After posting just one homer and a .683 OPS in his first full pro season, Smith rebounded last year to hit .305/.354/.417, topping the Florida State League with 33 doubles and 79 RBIs and earning the Class A Advanced circuit's MVP Award. With his excellent hand-eye coordination and mature approach, he barrels balls repeatedly and shows promising power during batting practice.
4. Bobby Bradley, Indians
He won the Rookie-level Arizona League Triple Crown in his 2014 pro debut and encored by easily leading the Class A Midwest League with 27 homers, the most by any MWL teenager since Miguel Sano stroked 28 in 2012. Bradley has prodigious power but will have to show he can make consistent contact after topping the MWL with 148 strikeouts and fanning in nearly 32 percent of his plate appearances.

5. Matt Olson, Athletics
Olson does two things very well: hit home runs (77 in three full seasons) and draw walks (313 since his debut, including topping the Minors with 117 in 2014 and ranking second with 105 last year). He also moves well for his size at first base and looked capable in right field when Oakland played him there at Double-A in the second half of 2015.

6. Cody Bellinger, Dodgers
The son of former big leaguer Clay Bellinger switched from a line-drive approach and emphasized power last year, resulting in 30 homers and California League-leading totals of 97 runs and 103 RBIs. Bellinger's lanky frame still has room to add a lot of strength, and he's the best athlete and defender on this list.

7. Jake Bauers, Rays
The only saving grace from the Wil Myers trade last offseason for Tampa Bay, Bauers held his own against Double-A pitching at age 19 thanks to his smooth left-handed swing and advanced approach. He boosted his stock by continuing to produce in the Arizona Fall League, and he looked comfortable manning the outfield corners while there.

8. Josh Naylor, Marlins
Naylor was somewhat of a surprise 12th overall pick in the 2015 Draft -- making him the highest-drafted Canadian position player ever -- but Miami believed in his power. His combination of bat speed, strength and hand-eye coordination gave him the best raw pop in the 2015 Draft and earn him comparisons with Prince Fielder.

9. Casey Gillaspie, Rays
The younger brother of Conor Gillaspie was the lone first baseman drafted in the first round in 2014, one round ahead of Reed and two ahead of Bradley. Gillaspie is a switch-hitter with plus power and a penchant for drawing walks from both sides of the plate.

10. Sam Travis, Red Sox
Travis teamed with Kyle Schwarber to lead Indiana to the 2013 College World Series and is on a similar fast track to the Majors. He reached Double-A and hit .307/.381/.452 in 2015, his first full pro season, though scouts would like to see him swing for the fences more often.

UP NEXT SECOND BASEMEN

No secret here. I was and still am a huge Brandon Phillips admirer. I've seen dozens of his web gems and I have to rank this one in my Top 10. Sure make defense look easy.

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/7/6/0/1376477 ... njftt1.gif

Although he had that mass of strikeouts, Bradley also drew a pretty good number of walks [57] but also has the problem of awful defense to overcome.

joez wrote:No secret here. I was and still am a huge Brandon Phillips admirer. I've seen dozens of his web gems and I have to rank this one in my Top 10. Sure make defense look easy.

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/7/6/0/1376477 ... njftt1.gif

I'm with you on Brandon, JOE.
Wish we would have kept him, although he hadn't been producing for us when he had the chance. I think Wedge's attitude toward him didn't help things.

2016 Prospect Watch: Top 10 second basemen

Boston's Moncada leads list, followed by Reds' Peraza at No. 2

1. Yoan Moncada, Red Sox
The Red Sox went all in for the Cuban import last March, spending $63 million between the young infielder's bonus and the ensuing international spending overage penalty fee. After a slow start to his debut, Moncada turned it on in the second half as a 20-year-old in the South Atlantic League. He has the potential to do just about everything offensively extremely well.

2. Jose Peraza, Reds
Last year's No. 1 on this list, Peraza's star has faded a tiny bit, partially because of a .694 OPS in the Minors in 2015. He was valued enough to be traded twice in the span of five months in large three-team deals. Now Peraza is looking for an opportunity in Cincinnati with Brandon Phillips still hanging around. It may come as a super-utility type for the time being so the Reds can get him into the lineup.

3. Ian Happ, Cubs
It was another Draft and another college bat taken in the first round by the Chicago Cubs. The first two worked out pretty well (Kris Bryant in 2013 and Kyle Schwarber in '14), and while no one should expect that kind of ascent for Happ, the University of Cincinnati standout can do a lot with the bat. He last played second as a freshman in college, and it wasn't pretty, so the jury is still out whether he can stick on the dirt or if he will have to move back to the outfield.

4. Forrest Wall, Rockies
Despite being limited to just playing second base coming out of high school because of some shoulder issues, Wall was taken No. 35 overall in the 2014 Draft because he can really hit and he can really run. As a pro, he's been as advertised, hitting for average, showing extra-base pop (with more possibly to come) and stealing bases. Wall is only going to get better offensively as he learns the nuances, which should help offset any throwing-related defensive inefficiencies.

5. Alex Blandino, Reds
Blandino was primarily a third baseman at Stanford before being a part of an outstanding class of college hitters in the 2014 Draft. He played shortstop for a year before starting to try second on for size late in '15 and into the Arizona Fall League. It should be a good fit for the natural leader, and Blandino's advanced approach at the plate should allow him to hit his way to the big leagues soon.

6. Alen Hanson, Pirates
There's no question Hanson has considerable tools. He can hit for average, has some extra-base pop, can really run and could be a solid defender at second, a position he really started focusing on in 2015. Consistency and maturity have eluded Hanson at times, allowing glimpses of the dynamic player he can be. He could break in as a super-utility type, seeing time at third, short and even the outfield.

7. Micah Johnson, Dodgers
Don't use Johnson's brief trial as the White Sox's regular second baseman as a measure of who he can be in the big leagues. He may never be more than an adequate defender, but he can hit, he can get on base and he can run, as evidenced by his .301 average, .368 OBP and 153 stolen bases in 385 Minor League games. Perhaps the change of scenery in Los Angeles, courtesy of the three-team trade that brought Todd Frazier from the Reds to Chicago, will help.

8. Tony Kemp, Astros
In another organization, Kemp could be preparing for a shot at winning the second-base job after hitting, getting on base and running his way up to Triple-A in 2015. But the Vanderbilt product is blocked by Jose Altuve, who isn't going anywhere any time soon. Kemp saw some time in the outfield last year and played there in college, so that might be his best ticket to reaching Houston.

9. Rob Refsnyder, Yankees
An outfielder at Arizona, Refsnyder's transition to second base has been slow and steady. It's always encouraging when a solid hitter in the Minors performs well in his big league debut, and that's exactly what Refsnyder did in 2015. Despite that, the Yankees did acquire Starlin Castro from the Cubs this offseason, leaving Refsnyder's future on the right side of the infield in New York in doubt.

10. Scott Kingery, Phillies
Kevin Newman, Kingery's teammate and double-play partner at Arizona, got more of the Draft attention, and he went in the first round to the Pirates. Kingery went a round later after having one of the best seasons in college baseball in 2015, and the Phillies sent him straight to full-season ball. Kingery handled the aggressive assignment well, and his advanced approach and hit tool, to go along with his speed, should allow him to move rather quickly.

UP NEXT THIRD BASEMEN

2016 Prospect Watch: Top 10 third basemen

Rangers' Gallo grabs top spot, Boston's Devers leaps to No. 2

1. Joey Gallo, Rangers
The Rangers rushed Gallo from Double-A to the Major Leagues last summer to fill in at the hot corner for the injured Adrian Beltre. The Las Vegas native hit six homers over 36 games in the big leagues but also struck out 46.3 percent of the time, and his struggles worsened after moving down to Triple-A. That being said, no hitter in the Minor Leagues possesses as much power as Gallo (80 on the 20-80 scouting scale), who has averaged 51 home runs per 162 games in his first four years as a pro.

2. Rafael Devers, Red Sox
Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $1.5 million in 2013, Devers showcased his huge offensive ceiling during his full-season debut in the Class A South Atlantic League, ranking second in doubles (38) and total bases (208) at age 18. He's an advanced hitter for his age, with outstanding bat speed and a mature approach that suggests big-time power down the road. Devers' defense was better in 2015, though there's still a decent chance he'll eventually outgrow the position.

3. Ryan McMahon, Rockies
McMahon has done nothing but hit since he signed with the Rockies for $1,327,600 as a second-round pick in 2013. He batted .300/.372/.520 with 18 home runs and a California League-leading 43 doubles last season at Class A Advanced Modesto. McMahon has some swing-and-miss to his game and struck out at a career-worst 27.5 percent clip last season, but he shows good feel for hitting and has power to all fields. He led the league with 39 errors last season but is a good athlete with the tools to become an average defender at third base.

4. Brandon Drury, Diamondbacks
Acquired from Atlanta in the January 2013 Justin Upton trade, Drury reached the big leagues for the first time last year as a September callup. A right-handed hitter, he has a refined approach and makes hard contact from line to line, and he should develop more over-the-fence power as he continues to mature. Drury split time between second and third base in 2015 and could serve as an offensive-minded regular at either position.

5. Ke'Bryan Hayes, Pirates
Taken 32nd overall in the 2015 Draft, Hayes has strong baseball bloodlines as the son of former big league third baseman and World Series champion Charlie Hayes. He's an advanced hitter with an approach that belies his age, and scouts believe the power will come as he learns to turn on the ball. Hayes is a below-average runner and might continue to slow down as he develops physically, but the hands, instincts, footwork and arm strength should allow him to remain at the hot corner long term.

6. Austin Riley, Braves
The Braves might have found the steal of the 2015 Draft in Riley, who hit 12 home runs over 60 games in his pro debut after singing with Atlanta as the 41st overall pick. With an explosive swing, good pitch recognition and easy raw power from the right side, he shows the makings of becoming impact run-producing hitter once developed. Though he's athletic for his size and moves well at third base, Riley's promising bat would profile well at a number of positions.

7. Jeimer Candelario, Cubs
Signed for $500,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2010, Candelario more than held his own last season in his first taste of the Double-A level and then opened eyes in the Arizona Fall League, where he ranked among the league leaders in several offensive categories. The 22-year-old switch-hitter makes consistent contact from both sides of the plate, leading scouts to project him to hit for average and power. He has all the necessary tools to stick at third base, including soft hands and above-average arm strength.

8. Richie Shaffer, Rays
After scuffling early in his career, Shaffer, the No. 25 overall pick in the 2012 Draft, erupted to hit 30 home runs last season, tallying 26 between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham, then tacking on another four homers in 88 plate appearances in the big leagues. The Clemson product strikes out quite a bit and may never hit for much average, but he's a patient hitter with good on-base skills to go along with the plus raw power. Blocked by Evan Longoria at the hot corner, Shaffer could see time at first base as well as both outfield corner spots for the Rays in 2016.

9. Jomar Reyes, Orioles
Reyes, whom the Orioles signed for $350,000 out of the Dominican Republic in January 2014, spent the 2015 season, at age 18, in the Class A South Atlantic League, where he showcased an advanced bat despite missing nearly six weeks with a right thumb injury. In the fall, he had surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his left hand. A big, physically strong right-handed hitter, Reyes has a compact swing and drives the ball with authority across the whole field, though his power has yet to translate in games.

10. Renato Nunez, Athletics
Nunez moved up to Double-A Midland in 2015 and made a surprisingly smooth adjustment to the Texas League. He hit .278 with 18 home runs and reduced his strikeout rate considerably compared to the previous year, though he still proved to be an overall streaky hitter. A lack of first-step quickness and range will make it difficult for Nunez to stick at third, and he could see increased time at first base next season after logging 16 starts there in 2015.

UP NEXT SHORTSTOPS

The Cubs are rock solid at the major league level, but so far they have 3 players in these top 10 lists. Jed Hoyer and Theo Epstein seem to be doing a pretty decent job.

2016 Prospect Watch: Top 10 shortstops

Dodgers' Seager tops list, Philly's Crawford and Brewers' Arcia next up

1. Corey Seager, Dodgers
His brother Kyle is an All-Star, and Corey should be even better. He led the Minors in hitting (.349) and doubles (50) in 2014, then batted .337/.425/.561 during a September callup last year -- at age 21. Seager may eventually move to third base, but his combination of a sweet left-handed stroke, bat speed, strength, uncanny feel for hitting and mature approach give him a higher offensive ceiling than any Major League shortstop except for Carlos Correa.

2. J.P. Crawford, Phillies
Several teams regret passing on Carl Crawford's cousin in the 2013 Draft, when he somehow lasted 16 picks despite projecting as an all-around shortstop who undoubtedly would stick at the position. Though Crawford has just average speed, he has tremendous range to go with soft hands and a strong arm, and he's also a mature hitter who controls the strike zone and owns some gap power.

3. Orlando Arcia, Brewers
He had established himself as one of the premier defenders in the Minors entering 2015, and now he's considered one of the game's very best prospects after batting .307/.347/.453 in Double-A at age 20. Arcia is a potential Gold Glover and .300 hitter with some developing pop. He's yet another player on this list with baseball bloodlines, as his brother Oswaldo plays for the Twins.

4. Dansby Swanson, Braves
The Diamondbacks made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 Draft, then shockingly gave him up to get Shelby Miller in a Winter Meetings trade. Swanson stands out most for his offense, as he's an advanced hitter with some power and plus speed, and he's also a solid defender who will stay at shortstop.

5. Trea Turner, Nationals
Another first-round pick who was traded in the same year he signed, he was the player to be named headed from San Diego to Washington via Tampa Bay in the three-team Wil Myers deal in December 2014. Turner's hitting ability and well-above-average speed make him a prime leadoff candidate, and he's a steady if unspectacular defender.

6. Brendan Rodgers, Rockies
MLBPipeline.com's top-rated prospect in the 2015 Draft, he went No. 3 overall as the first high school player selected. Rodgers' combination of explosive bat speed and strength give him plus power that rival's Seager's as the best on this list, and Rodgers' game resembles Seager's at the same stage of their careers.

7. Alex Bregman, Astros
The No. 2 overall pick last June, he relegated Swanson to second base on the U.S. collegiate national team in 2014 and beat him out for first-team all-Southeastern Conference honors in 2015. Bregman draws comparisons to Dustin Pedroia, which works offensively though he has a better chance to stick at shortstop.

8. Franklin Barreto, Athletics
The best part of the thus-far one-sided Josh Donaldson trade for Oakland will be Barreto, who hit .302/.333/.500 in Class A Advanced at age 19 last year. He's a little guy with an electric bat, though he may have to tone down his approach and isn't a lock to remain at shortstop despite his strong arm.

9. Gleyber Torres, Cubs
Chicago's logjam of talented infielders is only going to get worse when Torres is ready in a couple of years. He has solid-or-better tools across the board, and he ranked as the Class A Midwest League's top prospect and helped Myrtle Beach win the Class A Advanced Carolina League championship last year as an 18-year-old.

10. Ozhaino Albies, Braves
Before the Swanson trade, Atlanta already had a quality shortstop prospect in Albies, who batted .310 with 29 steals in Class A at age 18 a year ago. He's a high-energy player with plus-plus speed and advanced hitting ability from both sides of the plate, and he may be a better defender than Swanson.

[ The Cubs with yet another top 10 prospect. I think that makes 4 so far ]

UP NEXT OUTFIELDERS

2016 Prospect Watch: Top 10 outfielders

Twins' Buxton tops list, Rangers' Brinson and Mazara follow

1. Byron Buxton, Twins
Yes, it seems like Buxton has been at the top of this and other lists forever. And yes, at 129 at-bats, he's going to graduate off soon. But Buxton still has the most exciting set of all-around tools among all prospects. There is a sense of "the time is now" for him, and he should get to prove himself with Aaron Hicks no longer in Minnesota.

2. Lewis Brinson, Rangers
Brinson has always had a tremendous power-speed combination, but what has allowed him to take a huge step forward has been a vast improvement in his approach at the plate. As he has cut down on his strikeouts and upped his walk rate, he's tapped into his hitting and power potential consistently, giving him true 30-30 potential.

3. Nomar Mazara, Rangers
Like Brinson, Mazara's improved approach at the plate has helped him take the next step as a prospect. He has the tools teams look for from the prototypical right fielder: a power arm and a power bat. Rangers fans should be excited about having Brinson and Mazara ready to make up two-thirds of the big league outfield in the near future.

4. Austin Meadows, Pirates
After a lost year in 2014 because of injury, Meadows' key focus was to stay healthy in 2015. He did just that, showing the plus hitting skills that made him a first-round pick in 2013. Meadows hits for average, he gets on base, he can run and he can play center field. The power is going to come, as he'll turn just 21 in May while showing what he can do in Double-A after a brief debut there late this past season.

5. Andrew Benintendi, Red Sox
Few, if any, 2015 draftees improved their stock more than Benintendi did as a Draft-eligible sophomore at Arkansas last year. He kept it going during his pro debut after the Red Sox took him No. 7 overall, hitting a combined .313/.416/.556 across two levels. Benintendi can do a lot of everything well and shouldn't take too long to be ready to impact Boston's big league outfield.

6. Bradley Zimmer, Indians
After dominating the Class A Advanced Carolina League during his full-season debut in 2015, Zimmer struggled a bit in Double-A. He deserves a mulligan, however, as it turns out he was playing with a hairline fracture in his foot. The University of San Francisco product's 44 steals last season were a bit of a surprise and there should be more power coming, so future 20-20 seasons seem entirely feasible.
7. Clint Frazier, Indians
The second of two Indians outfielders on this list, Frazier didn't join Zimmer in the climb to Double-A, but he certainly looked like he figured some things out in the second half of 2015. He's always had as much bat speed as just about any prospect, but an overly aggressive approach was often his downfall. Frazier started doing a better job of working the count and continued having success in the Arizona Fall League, setting him up for an exciting jump to the upper levels.
8. Aaron Judge, Yankees
The 2013 first-round pick out of Fresno State is officially knocking on the big league door. Judge hit well in Double-A in 2015 (.516 SLG, .866 OPS), earning a bump up to Triple-A. He scuffled there, but even though he profiles as a potential slugging run producer, he's also shown an ability in the past to make adjustments. Once Judge does that, he should be ready for his New York debut.

9. Brett Phillips, Brewers
Phillips broke out in 2014 with the Astros, then kept on raking in 2015 before being sent to the Brewers in the big Carlos Gomez deal at last year's Trade Deadline. He got banged up after the trade, but he did return to help Biloxi make it to the Southern League championship series. Phillips continued to hit well in the Fall League before heading to play for Team USA. He has a terrific combination of hitting, power and speed tools that shouldn't need too much more development.

10. Jesse Winker, Reds
Winker was staring at a .248/.352/.349 line at the end of the first half of his 2015 season. Instead of trying to do too much to get out of it, he stuck to his game plan and hit .316/.426/.516 in the second half. That's a much better representation of what Winker will be able to do at the highest level. There's no real roadblock in left field for Cincy, with Winker likely to be ready at some point in the near future.

MLB TOP 100 PROSPECT LIST
26 BRADLEY ZIMMER

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27 CLINT FRAZIER

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93 BOBBY BRADLEY

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http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2016/?list=prospects

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[ Cubs placed 6 prospects in the top 100 --- President, Baseball Operations Theo Epstein and Executive Vice President, General Manager Jed Hoyer have managed to put together a pretty good product on the field at Wrigley and a nice pipeline to the majors ]

JOE:

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/ ... /79607162/

I read a similar article at lunch time on mlb dot com. Brandon had a great career. He would have been the Indians #1 player throughout the past 10 or so years. One the fans could find exciting and relate to. My dream was to have a keystone combination of Peralta and Phillips. That one never materialized. Every once in a while, I go back and check out you tube for his defensive web gems.

Source: Braves making push for 'Lazarito'

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 2:19 PM ET

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Cuban prospect Lazaro Robersy Armenteros Arango, known as "Lazarito," is expected to sign with a Major League team next week, and the Atlanta Braves are among the teams making a strong push to acquire the teenage outfielder.

According to industry sources, the Braves are scheduled to hold a private workout for Armenteros, 16, on Saturday at the club's academy in San Pedro de Macoris. Armenteros, ranked No. 8 on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospects list, is expected to command a signing bonus in the $15 million to $20 million range, but that number could rise if teams get into a bidding war.
Armenteros was declared a free agent by Major League Baseball last month. He can sign with a team starting Feb. 10.

More than 140 scouts attended Armenteros' showcase at the Padres' complex in San Cristobal last month. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound teen received mixed reviews. Many were impressed by his intriguing raw talent, while others wondered if that talent could translate successfully to the big leagues. Armenteros, who turns 17 in May, has been working out privately for teams during the past two weeks
.
Because of his age and experience, Armenteros is subject to international signing guidelines. The Dodgers, Giants, Cubs and Royals -- who have each exceeded their bonus pools this year and won't be able to sign any pool-eligible prospects for more than $300,000 for the next two international signing periods -- are still in play for Armenteros if they choose to pursue him. The Angels, D-backs, Rays, Red Sox and Yankees all exceeded their bonus pools last year and are currently in the maximum penalty.

Gurriel brothers, top Cuban players, defect

Yulieski said to be Major League-ready; Lourdes a highly regarded prospect

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 3:37 PM ET

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Two top players from the most famous baseball family in Cuba are not expected to return to the island.

Brothers Lourdes Gurriel Jr., 22, and Yulieski Gurriel, 31, defected from Cuba's Ciego de Avila team following the Caribbean Series that concluded Sunday in order to seek contracts with Major League teams, according to sources. Lourdes is considered the top prospect in Cuba while his brother is considered the country's best player.

Both have repeatedly expressed a desire to leave the island legally and with the permission of the Cuban government.

Their defection was first reported by Miami's El Nuevo Herald. It was confirmed by Granma, the Communist Party newspaper in Cuba that serves as an outlet for official government statements, according to The Associated Press.

Yulieski Gurriel, one of Cuba's most celebrated and decorated players, is considered to be Major League-ready and could possibly make it to the Majors this season. The infielder was an Olympian in 2004 and has represented Cuba in all three World Baseball Classic tournaments. He's been part of Cuban championship teams at the Pan American Games, Central American Games, World Baseball Championships, International Cup and Caribbean Series.

Gurriel Jr., who plays shortstop and outfield, was hitting .321 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs and a .924 OPS in 43 games for the Havana Industriales this season. Yulieski Gourriel is primarily a third baseman, though he has also played other positions, such as shortstop and second base.

The brothers -- whose surname had previously been spelled Gourriel but appeared as Gurriel during the Caribbean Series -- are the youngest members of the first family of baseball in Cuba.
Oldest brother Yunieski, 33, won two MVP Awards during his 16 seasons in Serie Nacional. In addition to his Cuban league play, Yunieski spent the past two seasons playing for Quebec in the Canadian-American Association. Their father, Lourdes Gurriel Sr., played for the national team for 15 years and won a gold medal, two batting titles and an MVP Award in Cuba. He was also a national team manager.

The brothers also had an uncle, great uncle and cousin who starred in Cuba.

Cuban players who are at least 23 years old and have played in a Cuban professional league for five or more seasons are exempt from the international signing guidelines established by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, effectively making them free agents once they are eligible to sign with a big league club. Cuban players who leave the island and go directly to the United States are subject to the signing guidelines of the MLB Draft.

Lourdes has played six seasons in Cuba and won't be 23 until October. It could take several months for him to become eligible to sign with a Major League club. He will not be subject to the guidelines if he signs after he turns 23, and therefore stands to have more leverage if he signs after his birthday.

Defection -- either abandoning a national team during an international tournament or escaping Cuba to ports in Haiti or Mexico -- has traditionally been the only way for players to make it to the big leagues since Fidel Castro took power in 1959. Because of the U.S. embargo, any defector who wants to do business with an American company must first establish residency outside Cuba and the U.S. Players must also petition MLB for free agency before they can enter into a contract with a Major League club.

Those processes can take several months. It's possible the Gurriels will be declared free agents before the All-Star break, after they complete their paperwork.