The Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a contract with Cuban pitcher Yoan Lopez that includes an $8.27 million signing bonus, according to multiple reports. A hard-throwing 21-year-old right-hander, Lopez is expected to begin his Diamondbacks career in the minor leagues. It has been reported that the $8.27 million bonus is the largest for a young player who resides outside the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico and subject to a team's international signing pool under baseball's collective bargaining agreement. Lopez counts toward a club's signing pool because he is younger than 23 and has played professionally less than five years in a Cuban professional league. Because Arizona would exceed its pool of $2,316,600 by 15 percent or more for the one-year period ending July 1, the Diamondbacks would incur a 100 percent tax on the overage and be barred for the next two signing periods from adding an international player subject to the pool with a bonus over $300,000. The Yankees, Boston, Tampa Bay and Angels have already have gone over their pools by 15 percent or more. The Angels and 20-year-old Cuban infielder Roberto Baldoquin finalized an agreement Jan. 6 for an $8 million signing bonus. Arizona agreed in December to a $68.5 million, six-year contact with 24-year-old Cuban outfielder Yasmany Tomas.
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