Another Cuban pitcher is on the market as right-hander Dalier Hinojosa has been cleared to sign with an MLB team, according to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez:
Sanchez brings a lot to the table and will no doubt garner a lot of interest from clubs.
According to Sanchez, “Hinojosa, 27, throws a fastball in the low-to-mid 90s, and his repertoire also features a slider, a curve, a two-seam fastball and a changeup.”
Being 27, his value could take a hit, especially if he’s still a few years away from being ready for the big leagues.
But he does have something to his credit that not many pitchers can claim.
Two Perfect Games
One thing Hinojosa has over any Cuban player looking to sign with MLB is that he already has a perfect game to his credit. In fact, he has two, both of which came in 2010.
According to the International Baseball Federation, Hinojosa recorded perfect games in international competition against Sri Lanka and Hong Kong.
Some people will point to the fact that Hinojosa only threw 12 combined innings in those games (due to the mercy rule). Others will point to the level of competition Hinojosa faced.
However, to throw a perfect game twice at any level is an accomplishment within itself.
If it was so easy, then we would have seen stud high-school pitching prospects throwing perfect games against far inferior teams.
Potential Suitors
According to Sanchez, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are among the teams interested in Hinojosa.
The Dodgers interest is obvious considering the reasons given for their interest in Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez in a story I wrote Monday.
If the Dodgers lose out on Gonzalez, don’t be surprised to see them go hard at Hinojosa. They’re looking to pair a fellow countryman with Yasiel Puig, giving the team an even larger fan base.
The Cubs and the Red Sox have interest as well, as they look to shore up their pitching staffs for 2014 and beyond.
The Yankees are an interesting case considering they’re trying to drop payroll. But if they can get Hinojosa at a decent rate, they’ll no doubt be looking to add him.
The Los Angeles Angels are another team I’d look at as trying to add Hinojosa. With a relatively weak pitching staff after their top two, the Angels will look to make strides in that department.
I don’t believe Hinojosa signs before Gonzalez as his price will be driven up by teams who lose out on Gonzalez.
More will be known about Hinojosa when he throws for scouts, but there’s no doubt there’s talent there.
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