While the Chicago Cubs are widely viewed as the frontrunner to land Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler when he becomes a free agent, GM Jed Hoyer denies reports that there's already an agreement in place between Soler and the team. As Hoyer told CSN Chicago's Patrick Mooney, the reports are "completely bogus."
It's expected that the 20-year-old will be able to command major money on the open market assuming that he can hit it before June 2, when the new CBA rules go into effect and teams will be capped on international spending. Most in the industry expect Soler to beat that date and land a deal in excess of $20 million, and the Cubs are the most frequently mentioned team as a match.
Chicago was one of the most aggressive teams in bidding on another young Cuban free agent, outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, before he signed with the Oakland A's. Soler would immediately become one of the best prospects, if not the best prospect, in a system that's led by Brett Jackson and Javier Baez.
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