LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers have jumped back into the pool of elite international talent with a resounding splash.
The Dodgers signed outfielder Yasiel Puig to a seven-year, $42 million contract on Friday, a record deal for a Cuban defector and a clear indication the team has rediscovered its traditional aggression in pursuing international players.
“This signing is really one snapshot of a much bigger vision, a much bigger plan,” Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said. “We needed to get re-invested in international signings, obviously Asia as well, but Latin America at this time. This represents the first of many. It’s a long-term plan for us to continue to build the farm system from every place we can.”
Just a few days after getting a look at the 21-year-old Cuban who hasn’t played competitive baseball in about a year, the Dodgers persuaded Puig to choose them from among several major-league suitors. The signing is the latest bold financial move by the team’s new ownership group, fronted by Magic Johnson and backed by billionaire Mark Walter, to restore the Dodgers to their traditional high-profile status.
“I think the message should be that we need talent in the system,” said Logan White, the Dodgers’ assistant general manager in charge of scouting. “Did it cost money? Certainly. But if you want to play in the game and make the Dodgers great, it’s going to cost money, and it feels great to be able to do that again.”
The Dodgers paid top dollar for this particular talent: Puig gets a $12 million signing bonus and will make $2 million in each of his first three seasons. He’ll make $4.5 million, $5.5 million, $6.5 million and $7.5 million in the final four years of his deal.
Puig, who is waiting for a visa in Mexico City, will get half of his signing bonus within 30 days after he reports to the Dodgers’ camp in Arizona and his contract is approved by Major League Baseball. The other half is payable next Jan. 15.
“To compete at the highest levels for the best players. whether it’s Latin America or Asia, to be able to compete and have your scouts go out and do their jobs, that’s how this organization really made its mark in the ’60s and ’70s and onward in the ’80s,” Colletti said. “It was able to scout and develop some of the best players.”
Colletti is putting no timetable on his high-priced acquisition, saying the Dodgers “will let his talent dictate” how quickly Puig makes the majors. He’s more interested in getting Puig into the country to see what he can do to restock the Dodgers’ talent base.
