MLB Free Agent Rumors: Top 5 Teams Still Interested in Jorge Soler

Once Jorge Soler, the 20-year-old phenom from the Dominican Republic, is eligible to sign with a major league ball club, there will be five teams in particular that will likely try to acquire his services. 

Soler has yet to establish residency in the Dominican Republic, which is partly why he has yet to sign a contract. However, once that is taken care of, he could likely receive a contract that is in the same ballpark as Yoenis Cespedes's deal with the Oakland Athletics.

Soler has scouts raving over his freakish athleticism and raw power. He is projected to become a typical right fielder—a solid defender with a plus arm—but as for all international players, he will come with some risk.

Handing a prospect upwards of $25 million is always a risky investment, but it could play dividends if he develops into the player that the majority of the baseball community is projecting.

Nonetheless, once Soler is able to sign with a major league team, here's a list of five teams that will be interested in signing him.

Picture: (h/t BleacherNation).

5. New York Yankees

Anytime a big-name prospect hits the open market, you can always count on the New York Yankees throwing their name into the mix.

And that's exactly what happened this offseason, according to Buster Olney of ESPN, who reported the Yankees are "heavy in interest" in Jorge Soler.

Since $25 million, or however much it will cost a team to acquire Soler, is quite a risky investment for a player who is still years away from The Show, the Yankees are one of those teams that will be able to bite the bullet financially if things don't work out. That's just one of the many perks that comes with being a part of the Yankees' organization.

And with Nick Swisher set to become a free agent at the end of the 2012 season, a spot could potentially open up for Soler in right field come Opening Day in 2013.

Plus, trading away their top prospect, Jesus Montero, during the offseason should make the need for Soler even greater.

4. Philadelphia Phillies

As reported by Jeff Passan, in mid February, the Philadelphia Phillies will be one of the teams pushing hardest for Jorge Soler.

The Phillies general manager, Ruben Amaro Jr., has even come out and said that he and the Phillies scouts "like him".

The Phillies are another big-market franchise that would be able to take on a financial risk of this magnitude. And after trading the farm for Hunter Pence last year, the Phillies should be interested in any move that could bolster their depth in the minor leagues.

3. Cleveland Indians

Paul Hoynes reported that the Cleveland Indians worked out Jorge Soler several times at their academy in the Dominican Republic, which is a pretty strong indication that they are, at the very least, interested in his services. 

The Cleveland Indians are an intriguing fit on paper, as they are in dire need of batting. However, Cleveland isn't the biggest market in the country, and the Indians don't have that big of a payroll, either.

If Soler makes around $6 million annually, which is what some are anticipating that he'll make, it would make him the third-highest paid player in the organization. That's a lot of money to pay an unproven 20-year-old international player.

But if the Indians feel that he could blossom into the player that everyone expects him to, the Indians need to find a way to bring him in.

2. Boston Red Sox

According to WEEI in Boston, Mass., the Boston Red Sox will inquire on Jorge Soler once he's eligible to sign with a major league team.

This should come as a surprise to no one who calls the himself a baseball fan, as every big-name free agent is tied to the Red Sox at one point.

And since left field and right field are both needs for the Red Sox, signing Soler certainly makes a lot of sense.

Don't be surprised to see the Red Sox make a strong push for him once the rat race officially beings.

1. Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are the front-runners to land Jorge Soler once the bidding turns into actual contract negotiations, and most of the baseball world knows this.

The Cubs have been rumored to be the top bidder for Soler at $27 million, but Jed Hoyer, the general manager for the Cubs, stated that "those rumors have no merit," (h/t Chicago Tribune).

But the Cubs' interest in Soler is undeniable.

Theo Epstein was direct when stating the Cubs' need to build depth in the farm system.

“We need more talent; we lack impact talent,” Epstein said. “We have a number of interesting guys, especially at the lower levels, but every organization has a number of interesting guys at the lower level.”

So what better way to do that than add a 20-year-old phenom to the minor league system?