More than six weeks after the Braves agreed to terms with Cuban free-agent outfielder Dian Toscano, the four-year, $6 million contract was finally confirmed by Major League Baseball on Wednesday.
“We are very excited to come to terms with a player of Dian’s ability,” said John Hart, Braves president of baseball operations, in a news release. “As we look to add depth to our organization, the international market is very important to us and expanding our search into Cuba is a significant step.”
To make room for Toscano on the 40-man roster, the Braves designated outfielder Jose Constanza for assignment.
If Toscano, 25, pans out out even remotely as well as some other recent Cuban imports in the major leagues, the Braves will have themselves a bargain. The contract includes a fifth-year, $1.5 million option.
He hits and throws left-handed and could help the Braves in 2015 as a fourth or fifth outfielder or perhaps in a larger role in left field, although the plan is to start him out at Triple-A Gwinnett to get more seasoning after not playing much in the past year.
The Braves signed veteran Jonny Gomes last week and plan to use Gomes in left field at least against left-handed pitchers. Gomes could begin the season in a platoon with Zoilo Almonte, another offseason acquisition.
Toscano hit .356 with a .440 on-base percentage and a .452 slugging percentage during the 2012-13 season, when he played for Villa Clara in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, the nation’s premier league. In five seasons in that league, he had a .300 average and .396 OBP with seven triples and 13 homers in 614 at-bats.
Toscano has played mostly left field but has enough speed to play center, some scouts have said. The Braves want to see him in center field during spring training. The general consensus so far has been that he lacks the desired arm strength for right field.
