Cuban Pitcher Aroldis Chapman Defects, Eyes Major League

Aroldis Chapman is considering one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in the world. If he was born anywhere else in the world a lucrative contract with the MLB would be a given, but Chapman was born in Cuba. So this week, while the national team was playing in the...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

July 2, 2009

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Aroldis Chapman is considering one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in the world. If he was born anywhere else in the world a lucrative contract with the MLB would be a given, but Chapman was born in Cuba. So this week, while the national team was playing in the Netherlands, Chapman walked out of his hotel room and never came back.

"I walked out easily, right through the hotel door, and I hopped into a car and left. It was easy. Now the plan is to sign with a major league team," Chapman told cubaencuentro.com.

ESPN sources claim that Chapman is scheduled to fly to Miami today. ESPN also predicts that Chapman, regarded as the most talented Cuban defector since Jose Contreras, may net a contract worth anywhere from $30 to $60 million.

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