Making the Case for Oscar Colás For the Detroit Tigers

The latest Cuban deflector is the newest two-way player looking to hit it big in the majors would be a great fit for the Detroit Tigers.

Per Francy Romero, outfielder/pitcher Oscar Colás is making his way to the majors.                        The left-handed bat had a solid stat line of .302/.350/.516 with Softbank in the Japanese Pacific League last year, and reportedly he can throw up to 95 mph from the mound. When he first arrived in Japan, he was asked to focus on hitting, which he discussed in Cuba in a video that was released this past November.  (The interview is in Spanish but he mentions it around the 0:51 mark and includes hitting highlights) For the Detroit Tigers, there is some sound logic behind the idea.

Prior to his time in Japan, he was the youngest player for the Cuban National Series team, Santiago de Cuba, playing for them for a season at the age of 17. He will no doubt draw interest from across the league, with early speculation centered on the Chicago White Sox, who have several Cuban players and have a rich history of Cuban players that goes back to Minnie Miñoso, who was a five-time All-Star with the club.

Can the Detroit Tigers Make A Push For Colás?

Colás may be eligible for last year’s signing period, depending on when he establishes residency in a different country, but it makes more sense for him to wait to sign until July 2nd of this year because most teams have already depleted their 2019 bonus pools. That said, teams also tend to come to agreements with international players years in advance. The Tigers have reportedly already agreed to hand out a seven-figure bonus to the class of 2020 shortstop Cristian Santana  so it’s hard to know how much money clubs have available to sign Colás. But I think they should definitely make the push for him. His age, skills, and success in Japan suggest he could reach the majors relatively quickly, which could provide a quicker turnaround for the Tigers, as opposed to signing risky 16-year-olds who could take 5 to 7 years to develop. He would also help fill the Tigers void in the outfield, and if things don’t work out it sounds like his arm strength gives him a potential fallback option as a pitcher.

For Al Avila, this would be a bold and risky move, but one with tremendous upside. His experience with international talent in the past with the Marlins, and current Cuban prospect Roberto Campos, could give the Tigers a small edge in the Colás sweepstakes, but he will likely sign with a team that can give him a big bonus and a chance to be a two-way player.