Cuban super-utility player Rodelvis Santiesteban has agreed to sign with the Chicago Cubs during the current international signing period for a $20,000 bonus.
Santiesteban, 17, a native of Guantánamo, Cuba, left Cuba in June 2024. He possesses great athleticism and speed (running the 60 yards in 6.3 seconds).
He has been training in Punta Cana with Jorge Luis Toca at GT Baseball Academy. Now he receives a great opportunity to begin his professional career.
Awesome. Look forward to following his progress.
I intend to keep you updated on Cuban players in MLB... so you'll be hearing from them in the future.
Great. Did you hear Yasiel Puig is playing in the Canadian league now?
Yes, it started last month... Puig is truly a great player, with many physical attributes, but his professionalism is nonexistent. He's very undisciplined, and he was like that even in Cuba. As a junior, he went to some international games and was caught stealing some clothes or something like that; I don't remember exactly.
He's very undisciplined, and because of his problems, no other Major League organization wanted to take the risk of signing him, forcing him to wander through leagues in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, South Korea, and finally, this Canadian semi-professional circuit.
Yes. I know he is dealing with some legal issues as well. Very cool to see such a premier player play in the Canadian league. When I used to live in Toronto I went to a number of games at Christie Pitts where the Maple Leafs play and one of my customers was right across the street from there so I was in that area a lot when the ball games were on.
I'm sure he can contribute a lot; he's very talented and, as we Cubans say, he has "mucha chispa" (a flair for the game).
I hope he behaves much better.
It's very sad how he has sabotaged his own career.