Previous editions are here. For the most part, I’ll try to avoid repeating players. Position Players Devin Mesoraco Could be poised for a breakout. Mesoraco always posted great power numbers in the minor leagues, but it hasn’t translated to the majors yet. With catchers, it can take a while, and Mesoraco is only 26. He also plays in a great …
Fantasy Waiver Wire: Week 1
I’m going to try to focus on players who are less than 30% owned, with maybe an exception here or there. If you are in a shallow league, there may be better bets out there, so be warned. Outfielders Melky Cabrera One of my big targets this year. Or more accurately, I didn’t realize how many folks wrote him off …
Cubs Free Agent Contest: No One Wins!
Most of you have probably flushed this down your memory hole, but OV set up a free agent prediction contest last fall. Participants were given 50 prediction units and allowed to place them on anyone they thought the Cubs might sign. The details aren’t important, frankly, since not a single person correctly predicted any Cubs signing. A few of the …
Irait Chirino Stats and Video
One of the puzzling things I’ve found in digging into Cuban exiles is just who gets coverage. Jose Abreu has received plenty of attention, of course. But so has Yozzen Cuesta. Cuesta defected from a tournament in Canada last August, and has been mentioned as a promising defector in dozens of articles since. (Even on Deadspin!) The biggest mystery for …
Cubs 2013 IFA Updates: Jimenez, Tseng, Mejia and Torres *UPDATED*
Baseball America (in the form of Ben Badler) is in the process of recapping all of the under-23 International Free Agency signings to date. Today he takes a look at the Cubs and the rest of the NL Central, covering everyone who received a signing bonus of at least $100k. The article looks to be ungated, though it can be difficult to tell …
Raicel Iglesias Stats, Video, and a Comparison with Armando Rivero
Raicel Iglesias is a right-handed Cuban pitcher who defected in October of last year. His first attempt failed, after which he hid out until running out of food and water. Iglesias is sometimes known as Raisel (which I actually believe is correct), and commonly misspelled as Raciel. He pitched for Isla de la Juventud in Cuba’s National Series for three seasons, will …
Mets, Red Sox, Others Interested in Cuban Defector Ernesto Molinet
Ernesto Molinet is a 29 year-old first baseman who defected at some point after the 2013 Cuban National Series. Like Daniel Carbonell, Molinet's defection has mainly gone unnoticed in the press. Even Spanish-language accounts are difficult to find. Someone needs to direct his agent to Jesse Sanchez's twitter account. It's possible that Molinet "retired" early in Cuba and received permission to travel …
Dayron Varona Stats
Today's daily defector is Dayron Varona. Varona is a centerfielder from Camaguey. His departure from Cuba was originally reported in November, but that appears to have been inaccurate. Dayron did indeed attempt defection in mid-November, but failed and was suspended. Regardless, he left the country sometime between then and January, and is currently training in Miami. I can't find an accurate …
Rusney Castillo Stats, Scouting Report, and Video
Rusney Castillo is a centerfielder who defected from Cuba last December. He was suspended from international travel and National Series play in August, meaning that this was at least his second attempt at defection. Castillo is 5’9″, 185 pounds, and his game is more speed than power. The Dodgers and Orioles seem to be interested, though he has yet to …
Erisbel Arruebarruena Stats; Aledmys Diaz and Alexander Guerrero Comps
Cuban shortstop Erisbel Arruebarruena has reportedly agreed to terms with the Dodgers for five years and $25 million. Arruebarruena, who is in desperate need of a nickname (Babar? Belarus?), was reported to have defected in November, but may have escaped in late October. He has yet to be approved by the government. This could be an issue, as he established residency in Haiti, …