As first reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Cardinals have agreed to a major league contract with Cuban infielder Aledmys Diaz. Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reports that it’s a four-year deal.
Diaz will arrive at Cardinals camp in Jupiter, Florida on Monday morning. No word on the financial terms.
The Cardinals already have their Opening Day infield set with Matt Adams at first base, Matt Carpenter at third base, Jhonny Peralta at shortstop, and a platoon of Kolten Wong and Mark Ellis at second base. So Diaz is more of a luxury than a necessity and may open the 2014 season in the minor leagues to get properly acclimated to professional baseball.
Diaz, 23, batted .315/.404/.500 with 12 home runs and 11 stolen bases across 313 plate appearances during his final year in Cuba. He established residency in Mexico after defecting in the summer of 2012.
The Yankees, Blue Jays, Mariners, Padres, and Giants all expressed interest in him this winter.
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UPDATE, 5:21 p.m. ET: FOX Sports’ Jon Morosi says the four-year deal is worth less than $20 million.
UPDATE, Monday, 12:18 p.m. ET: Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has the figure: $8 million.
