Aroldis Chapman has been called “one of the three great pitchers in the world right now who are not in the majors”.
Chapman, 21, appears to be on a collision course with stardom without even throwing a pitch in Major League Baseball.
Why all the hype?
Legend has it, that Chapman, who recently played for Cuba in the Word Baseball Classic, has been clocked at an astonishing 102 mph.
Interest has peaked for the 6’4″ lefty, who has participated in numerous bullpen sessions, and as recently as this past Tuesday, performed in front of 15 MLB teams.
Due to inclement weather, the session took place at the Baseball USA complex in Houston.
Reports indicate Chapman’s pitches consistently touched 92-93 mph, and occasionally topped out at 97 mph.
Since his workout, several teams have thrown out offers to the free agent, including the Boston Red Sox, who have reportedly offered 15.5 million.
The offer getting the most attention is from the Florida Marlins who have offered a five-year deal worth 13 million.
Staggering numbers for someone who has yet to prove himself against established major league hitters, and whose secondary pitches have been called “merely average” by MLB scouts.
Will Chapman live up to the hype? Who knows, but the rumors of who will win this bidding war, will continue to gain steam as the 2010 season approaches.
Devon Teeple is an author for the Business of Sports Network, which includes the Biz of Baseball, the Biz of Football, the Biz of Basketball and the Biz of Hockey. He is a former professional baseball player with the River City Rascals & Gateway Grizzlies. Devon is also available for hire or freelance opportunities.
Devon is a former student within Sports Management Worldwide’s Baseball General Manager Class. Devon is the founder of The GM’s Perspective and is a intern with The Football Outsiders and contributor with the Plymouth River Eels.
Currently, Devon is a Branch Manager at a financial institution in Southern Ontario Canada. He can be reached at devon@thegmsperspective.com or devon@businessofsportsnetwork.com
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