Dodgers Jump Back into International Market with Puig Signing

by Kevin Zeni

After years of underwhelming activity in the international market, the Dodgers made a bold jump back in with the record-breaking signing of Cuban defector Yasiel Puig (pronounced Yah-see-EL Pweeg).

The Dodgers have reportedly signed the 21-year-old outfielder to a seven-year, $42 million dollar contract, eclipsing the four-year, $36 million dollar deal the Oakland Athletics gave to fellow Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes this past offseason.

Puig, who has been considered the fastest player in Cuban baseball, hasn't played competitively in almost two years after being suspended from the Cienfuegos Elefantes of the Serie Nacional in 2011-12 for multiple failed defection attempts. However, in his breakout 2010-11 season, Puig put up numbers comparable to those of Cespedes (see below).

Player	2B	3B	HR	AVG	OBP	SLG	BB	SO
Yasiel Puig	19	6	17	.330	.430	.581	49	39
Yoenis Cespedes	17	1	33	.333	.424	.667	49	40

(Stats courtesy of FanGraphs.com)

As of June 28, Cespedes his batting .267 with nine home runs, nine doubles, 32 RBIs, a .503 slugging percentage, and an .835 OPS for the A's. While Puig is not likely to have quite the power numbers of Cespedes, his speed will likely nab him more doubles and triples, as well as allow him to play better outfield defense.

Various scouts are predicting that Puig will be with the big league club at some point this season, but until then, it's likely that he will begin his professional career at Double-A Chattanooga, with the possibility of a brief stop at Advanced-A Rancho Cucamonga before that, so that the Dodgers brass could have a first-hand look at the young Cuban.

The signing of Puig may not immediately answer the Dodgers' offensive woes, but it does provide hope for the near future. Just think of the kind of damage an outfield of Puig, Kemp and Ethier could do when all three are healthy and productive. With those three outfielders each signed long term, Los Angeles could potentially have all three members of their starting outfield win Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards in the not so distant future.

Click here to see FanGraph.com scout/writer J.P. Breen's full scouting profile on Puig.