MLB Plan: Invest Heavily In Your Youth

Major League Baseball is a game that is in transition. The “old-timers” are on the way out and the youth and aggression is taking over the league. We saw just this week a former top closer in Rafael Soriano retire at age 36 after toiling around the minor leagues for parts of two seasons looking for work and we’ve also seen the likes of Maicer Izturis and Chone Figgins, reasonably young guys who can still be useful, also announce their retirement. Why is this new trend occurring you may be asking yourself? Because MLB has a plan and they have stuck to their plan, the plan being to invest heavily in their youth and young prospects.

Major League Baseball released their financial data to the Associated Press this week and it showed that across the board the players received right at 50% of the net revenue in 2015 like they have every year since 2006. What the data also showed was that money spent on amateur players and minor league players rose a whopping 29% in 2015.

Overall MLB net revenues, or how much the league made after all the bills were paid and MLB Network dues were spent, rose from $7.16 billion in 2013 to $8.15 billion in 2015. In the big leagues the players received a nice $4.15 billion in total salary last season while amateurs and minor league players received $540 million, up from $420 million in 2013.

The influx of Cuban and other international free agents amounts for much of the spike in money spent on amateurs especially after the Boston Red Sox gave Yoan Moncada $31.5 million and three other Cuban-born players signed for $8 million or more each including Yoan Lopez, Roberto Baldoquinand and Pablo Fernandez.

Major League Baseball has a plan and that plan is to spend heavily on their youth and invest in the game’s future. So far, so good. 

The Latest Cuban the Yankees Are Interested In & Won’t Sign

The New York Yankees have missed out on the likes of Yasmany Tomas, Yoan Moncada, Yoan Lopez, Rusney Castillo, Yasiel Puig, Yoenis Cespedes and a load of other prospects that have come out of Cuba so rather than get excited about the fact that the team is interested in Cuban outfielder Eddy Julio Martinez I will prefer to take the pessimistic route this time around.

Martinez is 20 years old and could reach the $10 million plateau when he signs a contract this summer since at least seven or eight teams are interested. Along with the Yankees the Braves, Giants, Cubs, Nationals, Diamondbacks and White Sox have shown some degrees of interest with teams like the Red Sox lurking in the shadows.

It is unclear whether Martinez will be eligible to sign during this year’s signing period or next but if the negotiations go past July 2^nd teams like the Yankees, Rays, Red Sox and others will be instantly out of the negotiations after exceeding their spending limit this signing period. If the guy becomes available before July 2^nd then why not sign him? The Yankees have nothing to lose but money and Forbes and the rest of us know that will never be a problem as long as we are all alive in the Bronx. 

Two Cuban Prospects Defect During Caribbean Series

Everyone is leaving Cuba these days by any means necessary aren’t they? Two players competing for the Cuban national team in the Caribbean Series have defected according to a tournament official. The two players were reportedly shortstop Dainer Moreira and pitcher Vladimir Gutierrez. These two are just the latest in a big blow to the Serie Nacional after players like Jose Abreu, Yasiel Puig, Aroldish Chapman, Yoenis Cespedes, Yoan Lopez, Yoan Moncada and Rusney Castillo left for the states in recent years. If you’re in Cuba and looking for a bright side neither Moreira nor Gutierrez are on the same level of skill as Moncada, Lopez, Cespedes and the others.

Moreira is 30 years old and is already considered to be a longshot to make the major leagues because of his advanced age and limited international level playing experience. Gutierrez is 19 years old with a smallish frame, 6’1”, and does not throw especially hard. Gutierrez has recently been throwing out of the bullpen but has starting experience in his 2013-2014 rookie of the year season in the Serie Nacional. 

Yoan Lopez Cleared & Able To Sign w/ MLB Teams

EDIT: Yoan is cleared to sign with any MLB team... get to work New York.

Yoan Lopez has officially been cleared to sign with any Major League club after the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control cleared the 21 year old late Friday. Lopez is now officially a true free agent that can sign with any team but keep in mind that he, like Yoan Moncada, will count against a team's international signing cap for the 2014/2015 signing period after spending just three years in the Serie Nacional.

Once again let's take a quick look through the TGP archives and call this your Sunday evening refresher on Mr. Yoan Lopez.

- Throw Another Yoan on the Pile
- Yankees will sign Yoan Lopez Too (poll)

TGP Daily Poll: Yankees Sign Yoan Lopez Too

In yesterday's TGP Daily Poll we predicted that the New York Yankees would sign Yoan Moncada fresh out of Cuba. Today we predict that the New York Yankees will sign Yoan Lopez out of Cuba as well.

Vote in our poll!!

Throw Another Yoan on the Pile

According to MLB Trade Rumors there is another Yoan coming out of Cuba this winter and the New York Yankees are said to be interested in his services as well. Cuban right handed pitcher Yoan Lopez has drawn strong interest from several teams including the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Lopez is just 21 years old standing 6'4" and 190 lbs. who has recently showcased for scouts and will showcase again next week in the Dominican Republic.

Lopez has three seasons in Cuba's Serie Nacional meaning he would fall under the 2014/2015 international signing budget that the Yankees have already blown out of the water. While Lopez has not been unblocked from the U.S. Department of the Treasury Major League Baseball has already declared him a free agent which helps speed up the process. Many around the league thought that Yoan Moncada would be the last notable free agent to count against the IFA spending cap this season but Lopez may also be in the mix for New York.

Lopez throws a cutter, a changeup, a curve ball and a slider while pitching but relies heavily on his 93-95 MPH heat. Lopez has hit 100 MPH on the gun three times since beginning to work out for teams and he is only 21 years old. Where do I sign?