Cubs reportedly scouting a pair of Cuban pitchers |
As much as it stings to see Rhys Hoskins sign with the Brewers, the Cubs can't hang their heads, as there are other pressing needs that need to be addressed. Finding a potential third baseman should be on their list of options, but so should Cody Bellinger, as he remains their top priority right now.
If the Cubs enter the season without Bellinger, not only will this be a lost offseason, but it will be viewed as a failure considering how much time and effort was put into Bellinger. Jed Hoyer has taken a very patient approach this offseason, and while that worked in getting Shota Imanaga, it is still a fine line to toe, as many players have gone off the market. The Cubs don't do business the same way everyone else does, and as frustrating as it may be for the fans, they have a plan and stick to it. One of the things they do well, and perhaps better than anyone else, is scouting the International market, which is why they are always in the running for some of the best International Free agent prospects. Even with the IFA period several weeks in the rearview, you can still find International talent throughout the year, which the Cubs continue to do their research on. According to recent reports, the Cubs had scouts in Cuba, watching not one but two Cuban righties as both look to latch on to a major league organization. Vladimir Gutierrez: The first of the two players scouted is right-hander Vladimir Gutierrez, who is looking for a minor league deal with an invite to a spring training camp. The 28-year-old was a massive signing for the Reds a few years ago but didn't amount to much when given the chance. During the 2021 season, Gutierrez was primarily a starter during the 2021 season and threw 114 innings for the Reds, all while posting a 4.74 ERA. That doesn't seem significant, but he was only seven percent below the league average for first-year players, so you had to think there was some improvement on his way. Then came the 2022 season, where Gutierrez saw his elbow pop and thus went under Tommy John to miss the entire 2022 and most of 2023 seasons. He made some minor league appearances later in the year but was shut down in August, so it is unclear if he was shut down due to injury or what the real issue was. It's unclear whether or not Gutierrez is healthy, but given that he is still young and has previous MLB experience, some team will give him a chance and the Cubs could be one of them. When right, Gutierrez sits in the 95 MPH range with his heater while mixing in a nice slider and change-up combination. Adding him to your farm system as a depth option may not be a bad idea.
Yoan Lopez: A bit older than you tend to see in an International piece, Lopez is 31 years old and is looking for a similar deal to Gutierrez. The big difference with Lopez is that his contract could have an early opt-out tied into it where if he doesn't like his situation or reaches the majors by a certain point, he can choose to be released to pursue better options.
Although he may not be a familiar name to most, Lopez did have a decent run with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he was a successful reliever until the end of the 2020 season. Following his rough go of things for the final few years of his career, Lopez wasn't about to give up and landed in Japan for the 2023 season.
Across 22 games in Japan this season, Lopez posted an 0-1 record and an ERA right around 4.00. He only pitched in 15 innings, but he did show the overpowering stuff the Diamondbacks fell in love with during his time. Lopez has always been known for his heater, and that continued to be the case this season, where his heater was sitting in the 96-98 MPH range.
Even if he didn't pitch a ton in the NPB this season, we have seen this before where a pitcher goes to Japan to fix a few things in an effort to try and make an MLB comeback. That may be the case for Lopez, as his velocity is more than MLB-ready. Given the history the NPB has had with pitchers in the past, someone is going to take a look at him, and they will invite him to spring to see what he can do. If the Cubs are interested in both of these guys, they would be no-risk signings that, if they work out great, and if they don't, it costs you nothing.
