Cubans Defect!

From El Nacional:

Word is the Cuban national team’s double play combination of SS Eduardo Paret and 2B Yuliesky Gourriel both defected immediately after leading Cuba to a gold medal at the 2006 Central American games in Cartagena, Columbia.

Most baseball fans will remember the 22-year-old Gourriel from the WBC. He was considered Cuba’s top positional talent after the defection of Kendry Morales. According to a Baseball America feature during the WBC, Gourriel was considered unlikely to defect, as his team, Sancti Spirtus, was managed by his father, Lourdes, and also featured his brother, Yuniesky. There’s no guarantee Gourriel will get his visa situation worked out in time to sign this year, but if he does, he immediately becomes the top talent available internationally.

Paret’s prospects for a major league career are significantly less. Already 33, Paret has been an important member of the Cuban national team for years, and won the MVP award at least year’s World Cup in the Netherlands, but he’s not really considered a special talent.

I’m going to wait for confirmation from some additional sources, but if this is true, the international signing period just got a LOT more interesting.

International Rumor-Mongering: Boras gets busy

*Thanks to everyone who submitted questions for the Serra interview. It went incredibly well, and I’ll have the report written up in the next couple of days.

*I got the chance to see one of Scott Boras’s Dominican clients in action a couple of times over the last week. RHP Jose Luis Arias is a legit 6′8″. His fastball sits in the 91-93 range and tops out at 95, and he reportedly has a slider in the 89-90mph range. I know, I’m skeptical too, and didn’t have the benefit of watching the gun while he was warming up, but that’s what I’ve been told. I won’t say which team is involved, but a signing may be close.

Arias is an interesting case, not because of his size or his stuff, but because of his age. At 19, Arias is a rare top talent who wasn’t considered noteworthy enough to sign the past few years. Apparently when he was first eligible, he was sitting in the low 70s with his fastball and didn’t generate any interest. He’s been fine-tuning his stuff over the past few years, and looks to be due for a big payday.

*I haven’t gotten confirmation from the Rangers’ camp on this yet, but I’ve heard they were one of the other teams heavily involved in the bidding war for Esmailyn Gonzalez.

*The Brewers will be trying out several top names in the next week, including the two Boras position prospects, Triunfel and Villalona.

*The Cubs have made 2 low-dollar signings, and aren’t in the hunt for any of the top money guys left. The two signings, whose names I don’t have, were given bonuses of $25,000 and $35,000. 6′5″ Venezuelan RHP Larry Suarez was the Cubs’ big addition this summer, and while they’ll probably sign 8-12 more, they’ll all be in the $15-75,000 range.  Suarez, 16, is reportedly sitting at 88-92 with his fastball.  Definitely one to watch.