Yoenis Cespedes took the baseball world by storm with a bizarre scouting video uploaded to YouTube, but he isn't the only Cuban defector to make noise this winter. Jorge Soler, a 19-year-old outfielder, can't match the hype that surrounds Cespedes, but many teams believe he is the better prospect.
According to Jim Callis of Baseball America, Soler is a young athlete with five-tool potential. He stands at six-foot-three, 205 pounds, while also carrying explosive bat speed and power potential. He also has plus speed and arm strength and profiles as a classic right fielder, though he has the speed to play center.
Due to his youth, he will need some time to develop, but Callis believes he is worth the wait. Callis believes that Soler compares favorably to 2011 fifth overall selection Bubba Starling, and believes the team signing Soler would immediately add a top 11-20 prospect in all of baseball.
Additionally, the new cap on international free agents does not go into effect until July 2nd of 2012, so this may be the Yankees' last opportunity to use their wealth as an advantage in the international market without getting penalized.
Finally, the Yankees' outfield depth in the minor leagues is less than stellar. Mason Williams is their best outfield prospect, and some Major League executives have opined he may be the number two prospect in the system. However, he has yet to reach High-A ball, making him a high-risk since he is so far away from the majors.
Slade Heathcott is a former first round draft pick of the Yankees, but has yet to show he is capable of staying healthy and putting up consistent numbers. He has played just one game at High-A.
A quick scan around the Yankees minor league system does not show much else with regards to outfield talent. With Soler, the Yankees have an opportunity to use their financial advantage to add a high-end talent to their minor league system, and that is exactly what they should do.