Atlanta Braves In The Hunt For Cuban Infielder?

Cuban infielder Alexander Guerrero is sparking conversations again on Monday afternoon as a short list has reportedly been made of teams that are interested in him.  Guerrero is supposedly deciding between four teams, including the Twins, Dodgers, Red Sox, and yours truly, the Atlanta Braves.

Last month, Guerrero was reported to had agreed to a contract with the Dodgers but that turned out to be premature.

The 26-year-old hit over .300 in three seasons in Cuba. He also hit 60 home runs in 886 at bats.

→Per David O’Brien

"#Braves have evaluated Cuban SS Alexander Guerrero, interested if price is right. Would move to 2B or 3B, obviously not play SS for ATL"

Guerrero, Cuba’s best middle infielder, defected earlier this year and is currently working out in the Dominican Republic.  He will need to be unblocked by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control before signing with an MLB team.

Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reported last month that he is expected to command a five- to seven-year deal.

→Scouting Report

Offense: Guerrero is a physically strong, right-handed batter standing at 5’10”, 205 pounds. He employs a crouched stance with a wide base and starts with hands at eye level; toe-tap load allows him to utilize strong lower half; quiet stride; hits off a firm front side; above-average-to-plus bat speed thanks to strong wrists and forearms; easy, raw pop, especially to the pull side; gets the barrel to the ball and generates impressive extension after contact; tendency to wrap his bat and dip on the backside at times; has quick feet and moves well but won’t be a base stealer.

Defense:  He posses average athleticism; still moves well despite thicker lower half; may lose a step as he ages; versatile and instinctual defender with quick hands and flashy glove; fast transfer and release; decent body control; actions are too stiff for clean projection at shortstop; average range and arm strength suggests a future at second base.

→Stats