Their are two Cuban infielders who have caught the eye of their organizations and could be due for a breakout year this season in the minors. Reading a Joel Reuter article today in Bleacher Report ratified something to me that I have been thinking about for a while. Yohandy Morales and Dyan Yamel Jorge are two prospects with all the physical tools to make an impact at the big league level in the near future and could thrill next season in the minors.
Morales, who is of Cuban descent was a potential top-15 pick leading up to the 2023 draft and ended up slipping to the second round. The Nationals luckily scooped him up at No. 40 overall and signed him to an above-slot $2.6 million bonus as Reuter stated in his BR article. He hit .408/.475/.713 with 20 home runs and 70 RBI during his junior season at Miami, and continued to swing a hot bat in pro ball with a .349/.423/.494 line in 189 plate appearances in RK to AA ball last season. Morales finished last season AA and could commence their the next campaign.
https://twitter.com/CubanBBZone/status/1726361033298604230?t=Lxm8VB_FK46hoKTWQE97Cg&s=19
Though he did not hit any home runs
last season he has enough raw power to be a 20 homer guy in the majors and his pedigree suggests he can be a big-time player. Yohandy’s father Andy was a Cuban National Team star and one of the key players in Cuba’s win over the Baltimore Orioles in Camden Yards in 1999 during their exhibition game.
Jorge signed for a franchise-record $2.8 million January 2022, the lanky Havana native was an unstoppable force at the plate in the Dominican Summer League in his pro debut slashing .302/.402/.452/.853 with four longballs, 25 RBIs and 13 steals in 53 with the Rockies affiliate.
In his second season in the minors Jorge continued to impress at the plate with the lumber. The infielder hit .306/.375/.421 with 22 extra-base hits and 19 steals in 70 games between rookie ball and Single-A ball. With his wide frame he has room to add strength to an athletic 6’3″, 170-pound body in the coming years. Many scouts have compared him to a young Alexei Ramírez due to their physical similarities.
Coming in at No. 18 on our 2020 Top 30 International Prospects list, Dyan Jorge reminds some scouts of Alexei Ramirez. The #Rockies are the favorites to sign the 17-year-old shortstop: https://t.co/SiiDIdcsbD pic.twitter.com/pw5Dh08cPq
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 2, 2020
Here is my TOP-30 for Cubans in the minors:
1. Yanquiel Fernández OF (COL)
2. Edgar Quero C (CHW)
3. Andy Pagés OF (LAD)
4. Yosver Zulueta RHP (TOR)
5. Pedro León OF (HOU)
6. Luis Dany Morales RHP (OAK)
7. César Prieto INF (STL)
8. Yiddi Cappé SS (MIA)
9. Lázaro Montes OF (SEA)
10. Bryan Ramos INF (CHW)
11. Brando Mayea OF (NYY)
12. Norge Vera RHP (CHW)
13. Dyan Jorge INF (COL)
14. Josimar Cousin RHP (CHW)
15. Malcom Núñez INF (PIT)
16. Christian Vaquero OF (WAS)
17. Víctor Mederos RHP (LAA)
18. Roberto Campos OF (DET)
19. Yoelqui Céspedes OF (CHW)
20. Loidel Chapellí IF-OF (CHW)
21. Kenni Gómez OF (HOU)
22. Jorge Marcheco RHP (LAA)
23. Yohandy Morales IF (WAS)
24. Ariel Castro OF (MIN)
25. Orlando Martínez OF (LAA)
26. Yendry Rojas INF (SD)
27. Víctor Mesa Jr OF (MIA)
28. Jairo Pomares OF (SF)
29. Lázaro Armenteros OF (OAK)
30. Kendry Rojas LHP (TOR)
Some excerpts used from Joel Reuter’s bleacher report article.