Jorge Soler: Where Cubs' New Toy Ranks Among MLB's Top Outfield Prospects

On Monday afternoon, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported that Jorge Soler agreed to a nine-year deal worth $30 million with the Chicago Cubs.

It had long been rumored that the Cubs were the front-runners to land the 20-year-old Cuban outfielder, though other teams such as the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox were also in the mix.

But how does Soler compare to many of the other top outfield prospects in the game?

The tool that makes him such an intriguing and highly coveted prospect is his raw power, which is a product of his plus bat speed and natural strength. According to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (subscription required), Soler’s power has received 70-plus grades from scouts on the 20-80 scouting scale.

However, while his power gives scouts something to dream on, there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding Soler’s hit tool, which is only average at the moment. As with most young power hitters, there’s a considerable amount of swing-and-miss to his game, which will need to be refined in the instructional league and lower minors.

However, the bat speed and power are already present, which means Soler’s greatest initial challenge will be improving his plate discipline and pitch recognition.

In the outfield, the 6’3”, 205-pound Soler profiles as a prototypical right fielder due to his athleticism, slightly above-average speed and strong arm. Additionally, his raw power and power frequency are tools best suited for a career in right field.

He’s not as advanced as many have been led to believe, so Soler will need considerable time in the minor leagues to both adjust to stateside baseball, as well as hone his raw skills. Realistically, he may not make his full-season debut until 2013, when he’ll likely begin his professional career with the Cubs’ Low-A affiliate.

Therefore, it’s doubtful that Cubs fans will see him manning right field in Wrigley anytime before 2015, at the earliest.

Given his age, athleticism and tools, Soler will inevitably rank within Prospect Pipeline’s top-10 outfielders once the rankings are updated in early July. But given his lack of professional experience within the United States, age and the fact that his overall exposure has been limited, he’ll likely garner a No. 8 or 9 ranking among all outfield prospects.