Report: Teen Cuban prospect Lazarito Armenteros eligible to sign with team
Lazaro Armenteros, a 16-year-old prospect from Cuba, is eligible to sign with an MLB team starting on Feb. 10, reports Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.
The Cuban teenager, nicknamed “Lazarito,” will be declared a free agent and subjected to the league’s international signing guidelines due to his age and experience. Armenteros, who is 6’2”, 205-pounds, played in the 15U World Cup in August 2014, batting .462 with three doubles, five triples and eight RBIs in nine games for Cuba.
According to the league’s guidelines, all international players born after Sept. 1, 1995, are required to register with the league’s office by May 15 in order to sign during the following international signing period that starts on July 2. Armenteros is one of 13 players to be given an exemption after missing the cutoff date, reports MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez.
“My goal is to sign with a team and make it to the Major Leagues one day,” Armenteros told Sanchez back in September. “I’m confident I can make that happen. Make an impact. I’m working hard every day to reach that goal.”
On Friday, Armenteros had his first open showcase with 140 scouts in attendance at the Padres' academy in the Dominican Republic.
