Atlanta Braves In The Running For Cuban Phenom Lazaro Armenteros
By Jeff Schafer
MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez is reporting that Cuban star Lazaro Armenteros will make a decision on which MLB team he’ll be playing for on Wednesday. Nine teams have been rumored to be in the running for this young talent and the Atlanta Braves are one of them.
The 16-year-old free agent out of Cuba bats right-handed and hits right-handed has scouts head over heels about his play. The Braves as well as the Cubs, Dodgers, Phillies and Padres have been said to have the highest interest in Armenteros.
He stands 6-foot-2 and weights 205-pounds with a mix of power, speed, overall athleticism and age is what teams are so high on.
Nicknamed “Lazarito”, the Braves put on a private workout with him on Saturday at their complex in San Pedro de Macoris and he had another workout on Monday with an unknown team. Sanchez says he took Tuesday to consider his options and then will tell the world who he’ll play for on Wednesday.
He’s expected to receive a contract worth possibly $15 to $20 million. Yes, the Braves have this to spend, but it may jeopardize their plans for July 2, 2016. This is when the new international signing period begins. The Braves plan to spend and go big this year on signing young international players.
Though I would love the Braves to sign Lazarito, I think I’m leaning with Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s David O’Brien on that the Braves won’t sign him. If we do, it would be a huge day for Atlanta and the fan base, though it will take years for him to be anywhere close to Atlanta.
Not w/out ripping up plans to sign lot of the guys they want to sign July 2 with Maitan. So, no, I don't see it. https://t.co/wRzpMg41cz
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) February 9, 2016
Another name the Braves have their eyes on is Kevin Maitan. He’s a 15-year-old switch-hitting Venezuelan shortstop who is drawing comparisons to an extremely popular former Brave.
“My comparison when I talked to our people was Chipper Jones,” said Braves special assistant Gordon Blakeley, an international scout for 30 years, when asked about Maitan.
Atlanta has also been linked to catcher Abrahan Gutierrez and switch-hitting shortstop Yunior Severino. Christmas may come early – tomorrow or July 2nd for Braves fans.