Cubs favored to land a pair of top international free agents |
During his time as the Chicago Cubs president, Jed Hoyer has done many things well and many things he hasn't. One of the things he has done well is finding International Free Agents, as the Cubs always seem to be one of the better players in the IFA market.
That shouldn't change this season, as the Cubs are loaded with IFA money and ready to make a splash. Everyone is hopeful that splash is Roki Sasaki, who may be the biggest IFA in history. Whoever takes a swing at Sasaki will cost them all of their IFA money, as he will be the biggest fish on the IFA market. Should the Cubs lose out on Sasaki, which is what most are expecting them to do, they will still have a ton of money to disburse across the IFA market as they could land several of the top IFAs. As things sit right now, it does appear the Cubs are locked in on several IFAs as they are rumored to be the favorites for two of the top 20 names this Winter. While that is a good thing, both are considered SS, which doesn't bode well for a team loaded with SS. The best part about that is that International Free Agents are often young enough to make a position switch, which goes a long way in determining their MLB future. The first one we will discuss is the No. 9 or No. 12 overall IFA, depending on what publication you look at in Wilfri De La Cruz. A SS by trade, De La Cruz also has extensive experience at the hot corner which is what the Cubs will bank on should they land him as a free agent. At 17 years old, De La Cruz is one of the older Free agents in his class, and his 6-2 170-pound frame also makes him one of the biggest, as he has the body type that will fill in nicely. There are many talented players in this year's class, but De La Cruz is right at the top mainly because of his offensive upside. The first thing you notice is his free and easy swing from both sides of the plate, which helps generate plenty of line drive contact. However, once he gets to the pro ranks and leans the launch angle side of things, many scouts feel he will become an extra-base hit capable of being a legitimate home run hitter. Defensively, De La Cruz is one of the better defenders in this year's class. His outstanding footwork makes him a lock to stay up the middle. Add his arm strength and ability to throw the ball accurately, and De La Cruz has the ability to stick at Short or perhaps move to third if needed. As good as De La Cruz is, he may not even be the best IFA the Cubs are in on as Juan Capada takes that crown. Seen as a top-10 International prospect on every avenue, Cabada is also an SS who brings with him a left-handed bat to the plate. Part of the MVP baseball Academy in Santo Domingo, Cabada is on the younger side at 16 years old but plays much older than his age. Despite a smaller 5-11 and 165-pound frame, Cepada produces tons of bat speed from the left side of the plate, which allows him to pepper balls all over the field. Although not the strongest player in the world, Cabada can square up a ball and when he does, the ball jumps off his bat. He is seen as mainly a doubles hit with an occasional homer here and there, but that could all change once he heads some size this frames and figures out how to maximize his bat speed. Unlike De La Cruz, who is a bat-first prospect, Cabada is more of a do-everything-else player. His above-average speed makes him a threat on the bases. Defensively, he has a great arm and can make all the throws needed to stick at short, while his smooth fielding makes him a natural for that position. Considering some scouts have gone on record to say Cabada has the potential to be a five-tool player, he could move quickly through the system. This is someone to certainly keep an eye on, as he could end up being the steal of the entire class.
