5 Reasons Chicago Cubs' Theo Epstein Should Not Chase Jorge Soler

Jorge Soler's name is brought up by many as the next big thing to come from Cuba.

The 19-year-old outfielder is seen as a project that needs developing. But he screams potential, and teams in every sport always seek players who have the word "potential" in their scouting report.

Soler sounds like the perfect fit for the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs are in a rebuilding stage themselves, so why wouldn't the team be interested in a 19-year-old project who can be built up with the foundation that Theo Epstein is putting together?

Not exactly.

While on paper it may be a perfect fit for both parties, here are five reasons why the Cubs are better off not pursuing Soler.

Too Many Unknowns

It has been well-documented on this site that this is the only picture available of Soler. What is seen in this picture may really be all we know about him.

We know he is listed at 6'3'' and 180 pounds. He is just 19 years old. He projects as a corner outfielder and has plenty room to grow.

But that's about it.

So few people have actually seen Soler play. More people have claimed to see Big Foot than have seen Soler. There are no statistics to be found from his Cuban baseball experience. If you Google "Jorge Soler" all you are likely to find are rumors.

It's hard to invest in a rumor.

Some people believe it's worth it to invest in Soler, develop him and play wait-and-see, as the Cubs aren't figured in playoff pictures for a few years.

But Soler isn't seeking a minor league deal. According to ESPN, he is actually seeking $20 million. That's quite the price to pay when you're playing to hit a lucky number in the game of roulette that signing Cuban defectors has become.

Yoenis Cespedes

I believe the Cubs should go after a Cuban outfielder. But not Jorge Soler.

Yoenis Cespedes, who was recently granted free agency, is a more polished player than Soler at 26 years old.

Cespedes, playing in the Cuban League, hit 33 home runs and drove in 99 in 90 games last season while posting a .424 OBP—a number that translates to the type of player Esptein typically likes.

Cespedes is a more sure thing than Soler, and can immediately contribute for the Cubs. With Cespedes, it would give the Cubs flexibility in moving Marlon Byrd and Alfonso Soriano to make room for top prospect Brett Jackson and Cespedes.

While Byrd is a great teammate and a fan favorite, he is not a middle-of-the-order bat, and that's the role he is playing in Chicago. He will earn $5.5 million this season, a year after hitting nine homers and driving in 35 while hitting mostly in the middle of the order.

That's not exactly the production manager Dale Sveum is looking for.

Yes, Cespedes is expected to cost more than Soler. As previously stated, Soler is reportedly seeking around $20 million, while Cespedes is looking for more in the $50-$60 million dollar range, according to ESPN's Bruce Levine.

But investing $30 million more and seeing immediate results is better than investing $20 million dollars just to develop a player. By the time Soler reaches his potential, his contract will be over and he will be looking for even more money.

Cespedes is the way to go.

Outfield Potential Is Not an Immediate Need

The best case scenario for Soler is that he will be Major League-ready in 2015. With how the team projects with its prospects and current roster, outfield is not a major need for the future.

Brett Jackson will be manning the outfield at Wrigley Field sooner rather than later. The Cubs have another outfielder that projects to be a starter in the future in Matt Szczur.

Szczur is an athletic outfielder who could either hit lead-off or further down in the order. He participated in last year's MLB Futures game, and he is still just two years into fully committing to baseball after being viewed as a potential NFL wide receiver out of Villanova.

While you may say that the Cubs are taking just as big of a chance waiting for Szczur to develop as they would for Soler, it's easier to project Szczur than Soler because of his age and what is known about him already.

It also helps that Szczur is making $1 million a year for four years instead of $20 million.

While Jackson and Szczur figure to cover two-thirds of the outfield, there is one spot left. More than likely, another prospect will come around or Epstein will find someone in free agency to take that spot instead of a large and lengthy commitment to Soler.

Money Could Be Spent on 2012

Contrary to popular belief, the Cubs are not as far off as some may think. With the NL Central in a flux, this year the Cubs have a better chance than ever to get in the playoffs by overachieving.

It may only take one or two moves.

Without spending $20 million on the project that is Soler, imagine taking some of that money and signing Roy Oswalt to a one-year deal.

It would give Oswalt a chance to prove he still has something left in the tank, and solidifies a young starting rotation for the Cubs, making them good enough to compete in the division. Oswalt could be a great buy-low option costing somewhere around $5 million.

If the Cubs follow through with my idea of signing Cespedes instead, it would give them a middle-of-the-order bat that they need in order to surprise people this season. Regardless if that results in the departure of Soriano, Byrd or both, the Cubs offense would be improved.

I'm not saying the Cubs will flirt with 100 wins, but the division is more up for grabs than it has ever been in recent years. By spending money that would go to Soler on talent to help the team this year, it could pay dividends immediately.

Doesn't Bode Well with Theo's Track Record

Epstein and his scouting staff have a phenomenal track record for developing players. It is one of the main reasons there is so much excitement surrounding his hiring in Chicago.

But for whatever reason, he hasn't had success developing Central American talent.

Yes, he did great things to develop Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury and Kevin Youkilis, but he doesn't have a Central American that he has developed to his credit.

Boston had success with players like David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, but they were developed more by performing-enhancing drugs than Epstein.

Maybe it makes a difference, maybe it doesn't. But investing $20 million into a player that needs multiple years to become worthy of that contract isn't something I believe Epstein is excited to do.

He is on record as saying he wants to pay players for upcoming performance, not reward players for past history. In this case, Soler is earning this contract while developing before wanting perhaps a higher contract when he reaches his level.

There are plenty of ways to build up a minor league system without unloading money on one project. It's a much better option to draft players in the next few years who will make collectively what Soler is looking to make.

While Soler may turn out to be a fine major-leaguer, and perhaps an All-Star one day, now is not the time for Epstein and the Cubs to take that chance.