Mariners favorites to sign Cuban outfielder

Rodriguez is a talented player who was a member of the Cuba U-15 team in 2022. He showed potential with his bat in the U-15 World Cup

The Seattle Mariners are the favorites to sign Cuban outfielder Maikol Rodriguez when a new international signing period opens on January 15, 2025.

Sources close to the deal say that the estimated bonus for the 18-year-old outfielder will be around $600,000.

Rodriguez is a talented player who was a member of the Cuba U-15 team in 2022. He showed potential with his bat in the U-15 World Cup. He has the ability to produce contact with a quick, short swing. His best tool is his hitting ability, which I estimate to be a 55 on the 80 scale, along with his speed and arm accuracy.

Rodriguez arrived to the Dominican Republic in January 2024. He is 6'1 and weighs 170 pounds. Only 5 months of stay in the Dominican Republic allowed him to agree with an MLB team.

He is a native of Santi Spiritus, one of the regions that has contributed most talent lately to the MLB system, with players like Jairo Pomares, Luis Danys Morales, Miguel Flores, Edelvis Perez, Pedro Santos or Geisel Cepeda.

Maikol Rodriguez will apparently have the athleticism of a corner outfielder, although I do not rule out that he could play center field.

He batted a .304 average with two doubles and a triple, plus 2 RBI in the Pre-World Cup in Venezuela in 2022. Months later, he played in the World Cup of the category that Cuba lost in the final to the United States.

The Mariners had not signed a Cuban in the international signing period since Lazaro Montes, now the #4 prospect in the system. Maikol is another Cuban who has the potential to advance through the minor league system.

Rodriguez belongs to the Sanchez Academy.