"LUIS ROBERT TO THE YANKEES" APPEARS VERY REAL

The never-ending Giancarlo Stanton saga continues to dominate sports media, and frankly, it’s exhausting. Every day brings a new rumor, a fresh speculation, or yet another bold claim that the Yankees "NEED" a right-handed bat. It must be true, right? After all, Alex Verdugo and Anthony Rizzo—both lefties—have been available, yet the Yankees haven’t doubled back on that market.

And now, the latest name tossed into the rumor mill? Luis Robert of the Chicago White Sox.

According to MLB insider Robert Murray, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is working the phones, exploring trade options to bolster the roster ahead of the 2025 season. AIBat fuels the speculation, stating, "Is Luis Robert on the New York Yankees' radar? It sure looks like it! The Yankees are considering adding a right-handed power hitter to their starting lineup."

Robert, while not actively demanding a trade, is well aware that his time with the White Sox could be coming to an end. Stuck in a brutal rebuild after a disastrous 121-loss season, Chicago seems poised to move its most valuable assets.

“From the business perspective, yes, I know there is a big chance of me being traded because it makes sense for the team and for the situation,” Robert told MLB.com. “I understand that. That’s something I have to live with and I will have to accept.”

Athlon Sports adds to the conversation, noting, "It’s probably not a great sign that Robert admitted he expected the White Sox to trade him. Then again, sportsbooks widely believe the White Sox will lose over 100 games again, so any positives on the South Side are few and far between."

So, is this actually happening? Is Luis Robert destined for pinstripes, or is this just another week of speculation leading to nothing? With Opening Day here, the Yankees are on the clock—if something’s brewing, when will it happen? Or are we just bracing for another round of empty noise? Stay tuned.

TRACKING CUBAN LUIS ROBERT

Back in February, our fearless leader Robert Casey asked me to write up a piece about a kid from Cuba named Luis Robert. Read ANOTHER "CUBAN SENSATION" WE NEED TO HAVE for more on that.

This past weekend, Robert was finally able to sign with any team since officially being declared a free agent in April. According to the rules of international signing, a number teams would not be in contention for his services. Teams like the Yankees, Dodgers, and Red Sox among others, were only able to sign an international player to a contract of up to $300,000. You can read more about the International Signing Rules in this piece from Baseball America.

Photo: redbirddaily.com

According to this article on MLB.com, Luis is finalizing a deal with the Chicago White Sox.

"The deal is expected to be worth more than $25 million, and likely in the $26-27 million range, according to the source, and it will be the second-highest bonus for an international amateur under the current signing guidelines. Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada set the record when he signed for $31.5 million with the Red Sox in 2015."

Photo: MLB.com

With the signing of Jose Abreu in 2013 and the acquisition of Yoan Moncada this past offseason, the South Side of Chicago now has 3 of the highest touted Cuban Defectors in recent years. Fascinating!

Good Luck to Luis as he makes his way to the Majors!!!!

--Michael Carnesi
BYB Writer
Follow me on Twitter: @sevn4evr

ANOTHER "CUBAN SENSATION" WE NEED TO HAVE!

Since the 1990's, there has been a steady influx of Cuban players, defecting to the USA to try their hand in professional baseball. Many of them have been highly touted and gone on to have prominent careers. I was recently asked by Casey to do a write-up about a kid that is supposed to be the next great one.

He is a 19 year old outfielder by the name of Luis Robert.

Scouts that flock to his workouts believe Robert has the talent level to be labeled as one of the best ever. One American League scout called the 19-year-old "the best player on the planet, and that's no exaggeration", MSN writes.

Source: On Cuba Magazine

Standing at  6'3" weighing 205, Robert is said to be better than Yoenis Cespedes. He became a star player in Cuba at the age of 14, playing in the 16 and under league. At the age of 15, his first year in the under 18 league, he hit a robust.325 while leading the league with 21 stolen bases. This kid definitely has all the tools needed to make it in the MLB.

In November, Robert left Cuba and has since established residency in Haiti. He now awaits to be cleared by the commissioner so that he can become a free agent. Where he will end up and for how much could very well come down to the date he's cleared. I found some of this Baseball America piece is a little more in-depth.

"What will dictate Robert’s future goes beyond his talent. Robert left Cuba in November. Soon after his departure, MLB and the union agreed to a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that overhauled the international signing rules. The rules from the previous CBA remain in effect until the current 2016-17 international signing period ends on June 15. Until then, international amateur players like Robert are subject to bonus pools, though teams are allowed to exceed their pools and pay penalties (in both future signing restrictions and tax money), something many of them have done."

Is there any chance we could see this kid in pinstripes one day? As you know, there is always a chance when it comes to free agents and, the Yankees. The way things have been playing out in the Bronx these days though, I'm not so sure.

I was having a conversation with BYB fellow writer Dan Lucia about Luis.  During our conversation, he gave me the idea of including this video of him in action.  Thanks for the tip Dan. Check this out guys.



Good Luck, Luis wherever you end up.

--Michael Carnesi
BYB Writer

Twitter: @sevn4evr