As spring training approaches, teams are looking to settle contract issues with arbitration-eligible players, which the Los Angeles Dodgers did on Tuesday with catcher A.J. Ellis. Also, it's been said the team might make a push for Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada.
According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Dodgers and Ellis agreed on a one-year, $4.25 million contract. The 33-year-old was entering his second year of arbitration eligibility after earning $3.55 million in 2014. Early in April, Ellis tore his meniscus after sliding into home plate and required surgery for the injury, which forced him to miss five weeks of action. He caught 93 games for the Dodgers, but batted just .191/.323/.254 with three home runs and 25 RBIs.
In 2015 he's expected to be the backup for Yasmani Grandal, who was acquired in a trade with the San Diego Padres earlier this offseason. Ellis' best season came back in 2012 when he played in a career-high 133 games and slashed .270/.373/.414 with 44 runs scored, 13 home runs and 52 RBIs. On the other hand, the 25-year-old Grandal had a decent first full season in the MLB with the Padres in 2014 and belted 15 homers and 49 RBIs in 128 games. However, he batted just .225 and struck out 115 times in 377 at-bats.
Los Angeles still has to settle the contracts of closer Kenley Jansen, outfielder Chris Heisey, infielder Justin Turner and pitcher Juan Nicasio, who are all arbitration-eligible.
Also on Tuesday, the Dodgers missed out on Cuban prospect Yoan Lopez, who ended up signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks for $8.27 million. According to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com, the 21-year-old right-hander had a $9 million offer on the table, but chose the D-Backs because he believed they were the better fit. Sanchez also noted the Dodgers were "aggressively"' pursuing Lopez, which means they could have been that $9 million offer.
As a result, Los Angeles "will now shift their attention" to 19-year-old Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada. The infielder is expected to land a $30-$40 million deal once he's cleared by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, but it's unknown when that will be. In the meantime, it looks like Moncada will conduct a private workout with the Dodgers.
Last week it was said the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox were the favorites to sign the Cuban prospect, and now that the Dodgers are involved, we may witness a serious bidding war.
