The Cubans Are Coming

If you’ve been paying attention for the past several months, you might’ve noticed a number of Cuban baseball players signing with Major League teams. Aroldis Chapman, of course, was the most prominent among them. But there were also Leslie Anderson, and Adeiny Hechevarria, and Noel Arguelles. Jose Iglesias signed with Boston last July. Since Iglesias, Cuban defectors have received contracts worth a combined total of about $60m.

↵If it seems like you’ve been hearing more and more about Cuban defectors, you’d be right. Nineteen Cuban defectors have been cleared to play Major League baseball since 2009, which is equal to the number of Cubans to debut in the Majors between 2000-2008. Clearly, the rate of defection is accelerating. The question is, why? Is it the money? The money plays a part, but according to Dan Morrell, the bigger issue is who’s actually getting it.

↵It would be one thing if the big money were going to Cuba’s best players, but what seems to be driving the flow is that guys like Anderson and Chicago’s Dayan Viciedo - who both received lucrative contracts - are perceived as being inferior prospects. Other players who feel that they compare favorably start to wonder how much they could get paid. Money is a powerful motivator, and so these players start to see the Major Leagues as a more realistic possibility. And they go after it. Hence, defection.

↵At this point, the flow isn’t going to stop or slow down. There are indications that the Cuban and American governments may one day soon reach an amicable agreement. With Fidel Castro out of power, things are getting a little more lax. However, even if no such agreement is reached, Cuban players are going to keep on finding ways to come over, and as long as Major League organizations continue to pay them, more and more talent will ship north. Teams love to pay, and talent loves to get.