Per Steve Adams (MLB Trade Rumors), the Rays are set to sign 27 year-old Cuban outfielder Dayron Varona. It is speculated that he’ll be placed in Triple-A once he procures a visa. It isn’t known whether he may transition to the big leagues this season or not, although his skill set could make him an apt replacement for any of the outfielders currently on the roster — the injured Desmond Jennings included.
Adams writes,
The Rays have signed Cuban outfielder Dayron Varona to a Minor League contract, reports Baseball America’s Ben Badler. The signing bonus on the deal for the 27-year-old isn’t known at this time, though ESPN’s Keith Law recently wrote in a scouting report that he expected Varona to receive an eight-figure bonus when he eventually signed. Badler notes that Varona’s bonus isn’t believed to be a “high-level investment.”
Varona has been working out for clubs since January, and Badler shares Law’s view that his best tools are his defensive capabilities. Badler notes that Varona has above-average speed and enough arm strength to play all three outfield spots. In the above report from Law, he notes that while he didn’t personally see Varona cover enough ground to definitively say that he could handle center field, his speed seems to indicate that he can do just that. Law says that Varona’s arm is strong with a quick release, grading it at least a 60, if not a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale.
As Badler notes, Varona does not yet have his visa, so he must first obtain that before jumping into the Rays’ Minor League ranks. Some scouts have pegged him as Triple-A depth, per Badler, while others feel that he can be a viable fourth outfielder at the Major League level. One would assume the Rays, of course, fall into the latter camp. In seven seasons in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, Varona is a .312/.376/.470 hitter that has averaged a homer ever 39.5 plate appearances.
The Rays have already exceeded their 2014-15 international signing pool, so it makes sense to see them add some additional talent before their penalties begin in the subsequent signing period. However, because they’re already in the maximum penalty bracket, they’ll need to pay a 100 percent overage tax on each dollar spent on Varona.
Obstructed View recently scouted Varona:
Dayron Armando Varona Suarez stands 5’9″ and weighs 170 pounds. There’s not much information out there about him, but he appears to have a particularly strong arm, and he has a scrappy look about him.
Former teammate Dariel Alvarez actually seems like a pretty good comparison. Alvarez struck out at a much lower rate in Cuba, but Varona is in all likelihood a better defender, as Alvarez was restricted to playing corner spots while Varona primarily played center. Alvarez signed with the Orioles last summer for $800k, which is as good an estimate as any for Varona. His offensive numbers are OK, but not great. Some team may want to give him a look at the AAA level and possibly use him as a utilityman. He has played around the diamond a fair bit, making appearances at 2nd, 3rd, and even one game at catcher.