Report: Arizona Diamondbacks interested in Cuban OF Yasmani Tomas
Nov 25, 2014, 3:35 PM | Updated: 3:40 pm
Outfielder Yasmani Tomas is the next big thing to come out of Cuba.
The 24-year-old defected to the United States earlier this year, and Major League teams are lining up to negotiate with his people.
That list of teams includes the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick.
The #dbacks interest in Yasmany Tomas is “legit,'' according to one MLB exec. Five or six teams pursuing the Cuban OF.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) November 25, 2014
Tomas starred in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, batting .375 (6-for-16) with two home runs for the Cuban team that advanced to the second round before being eliminated by the Netherlands.
Some experts believe the deal for Tomas could eclipse the Cuban record of $72.5 million that the Boston Red Sox shelled out for outfielder Rusney Castillo in August.
The Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants have all been identified as teams with interest in Tomas.