The New York Yankees are looking to land 20-year-old Cuban defector Jorge Soler for a rumored $20 million over four seasons, the New York Post reports.
A number of teams — including the Cubs — made their final bids for the outfielder last night. Soler will reportedly chose a team over the next few days.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Yankees didn't unleash monster bids for the last two two big-time international free agents — Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish and Cuban slugger Yoenis Cespedes.
It's unclear whether they'll break the bank for Soler, but the Post says that the team is "trying very hard to sign him."
So why do they like Soler more than Darvish and Cespedes?
Part of it is age. Both Darvish and Cespedes are in their mid-20s and played extensively overseas before coming to MLB.
In addition, the Yankees need outfield help. The trio of Granderson, Swisher, and Ibanez is aging, pricey, and not quite as productive as it should be. So a dynamic, relatively cheap 20-year-old would be sensible upgrade.
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