Cuban right-handed pitcher Yoan Lopez has been cleared by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control to sign with the MLB team of his choice, per a report by MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez. This comes as good news for a Los Angeles Dodgers team interested in his services.
According to Sanchez, "the D-backs, Dodgers, Padres and Yankees are among the teams to express strong interest in the 21-year-old starter, although other clubs could be in the mix now that the pitcher can officially sign a contract."
Lopez has quite the array of pitches in his arsenal, with a cut fastball, curveball, changeup, and slider, along with a straightaway fastball that averages 93-95 mph but has touched 100 mph before.
The young righty impressed scouts in his three seasons for Isla de la Juventud in Cuba's top league, Serie Nacional. He posted a 3.12 ERA with 28 strikeouts and 11 walks in 49 innings in his final season before defecting.
Lopez held a showcase for all teams in November, and held private workouts after that. He has been working out of the Dominican Republic since his defection.
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