Report: White Sox, Cardinals favorites to sign top Cuban prospect Robert
The latest top Cuban prospect is on the verge of finding a major-league home.
Luis Robert is expected to sign within the next few days, and the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals are believed to be the favorites, sources told Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.
The 19-year-old is eligible to sign Saturday, and Passan's sources believe Robert has already chosen the team he expects to sign with.
The Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, and Cincinnati Reds were among the teams that expressed interest in the outfielder, who's expected to land at least a $20-million deal.
Robert hit .286/.319/.397 with one home run and 15 strikeouts in the CanAm League last year, and .401/.526/.687 with 12 home runs, 12 doubles, and 11 stolen bases in 53 games in the Cuban league.
The White Sox already own one of the top farm systems in baseball, with top-100 prospects Yoan Moncada, Lucas Giolito, Michael Kopech, Reynaldo Lopez, Carson Fulmer, and Zack Collins.
The Cardinals have been known for an ability to produce top-level talent within their own system, but the minor-league depth could use a boost, as they only have two position player prospects ranked in the top 100 by MLB pipeline.