Skip to content

Report: Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada free to sign with a MLB team

Denny Medley / USA TODAY Sports

Another Cuban player appears set to take Major League Baseball by storm.

Yoan Moncada has received notification from the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) that he can take advantage of a new process to obtain a general license as an unblocked national in order to play in MLB, reports MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez.

New guidelines for a general license, which were amended earlier in January by the league, should now speed up the application process for unblocked nationals coming out of Cuba. Moncada established residency in Guatemala back in October in order to meet the general license requirements.

Moncada's agent David Hastings said:

I'm pleased that the Administration has relaxed the process for Cubans leaving their island to pursue a career in baseball in America. I will be interested to see Major League Baseball's reaction to the Department of Treasury's statement to me today saying that my player is, in fact, licensed to be signed by a team effective immediately and we no longer have to wait for the U.S. Treasury to clear my player because he has already complied with regulations that became effective on Jan. 16, 2015, in accordance with the president's announced policies to relax relationships between our two countries.

The 19-year-old will be subject to the usual international signing guidelines because he is not 23 years old, and has already worked out for the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers

Several other teams have also shown interest and the infielder could command a contract worth at least $30 million.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox