Dayan Viciedo

[Guest AG/DC]

Been a Cuban big leaguers since 15, and has now defected at 19 with a lot of career ahead of him.

MIAMI (Reuters) - A top Cuban baseball player has defected to the United States in the latest move by a promising young athlete to abandon the communist-ruled island.

http://www.cubasi.cu/beisbolcubano/sitio-web/dayan-viciedo-villaclara2.jpg

Dayan Viciedo, a hard-hitting, 19-year-old third baseman from Cuba's central Villa Clara province, left his homeland late last month and has settled in south Florida, local media said on Sunday.

El Nuevo Herald, the Spanish-language edition of the Miami Herald, was the first to report the defection of Viciedo, who started playing baseball in the Cuban majors when he was just 15.

A report on the newspaper's Web site said Viciedo was considered one of the most well-rounded players ever to emerge from Cuba's national teams.

Viciedo left Cuba on a boat bound for Mexico on May 20 accompanied by his family. Several days later he crossed the border from Mexico and traveled to Miami to reunite with friends and relatives, El Nuevo Herald said.

"Most Cuban ballplayers dream of playing in the major leagues," Viciedo told the newspaper.

"This is an aspiration that comes with risks but I was willing to take them in order to try out. Inside, you have the desire to know if you have a place among the best in the world, if you belong to the elite."

Viciedo has already reached a deal to be represented by agent Jaime Torres of Puerto Rico, who could not be reached for comment.

Viciedo's defection was preceded, most recently, by that of seven young Cuban soccer players who bolted from their national team in March during an Olympic qualifying tournament in Tampa, Florida.

(Reporting by Tom Brown; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

[Guest OlerudOwned]

He looks like he's playing in a prison jumpsuit.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Don't forget on Tuesdays it's 2-for-1 rentals at Dayan Vicedeo. Be kind! Rewind!

[metirish]

He looks like he's wearing Dutch hand me downs .

[Vic Sage]

can he play 1b? or 2b? or LF?

[Guest AG/DC]

I'm guessing the Red Sox won't need to ask him those questions.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

What are the odds he's actually 19? These defectors have a tendency to be mature beyond their years.

[Frayed Knot]

OlerudOwned wrote: He looks like he's playing in a prison jumpsuit.

Well it's Cuba so he kinda is.



Baseball America quotes some scouts who have seen him, with mixed reviews.
Most see a good bat, but some also caution about a bad body 1B/DH type even though he's played 3B up to now and is still young.

His agent is also trying to claim that because he was in the U.S. prior to the just completed draft then he was technically undrafted and therefore should now be a FA. No one thinks that's going to wash however seeing as he wasn't on any draft-eligible list beforehand.