New York Yankees Star Robinson Cano Reportedly Fires Agent Scott Boras

New York Yankees superstar and potential prized free agent Robinson Cano has fired high-profile agent Scott Boras, reports Buster Olney of ESPN: 

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New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, who is in line to become the most sought-after free agent next fall, has decided to change agents and walk away from Scott Boras, according to sources.

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The second baseman is scheduled to hit the open market after the season should he not sign an extension with the Yankees. It's unclear how the move impacts his status with the club, but the report states contract talks had stalled with Boras serving as his agent.

UPDATE: Tuesday, April 2 at 12:05 p.m. ET by Tim Daniels

Darren Rovell of ESPN posted a picture of Cano and Jay-Z signing the second baseman's new representation deal.

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UPDATE: Tuesday, April 2 at 12 p.m. ET by Tim Daniels

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News passed along some comments from Cano about the switch in agents.

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UPDATE: Tuesday, April 2 at 11:05 a.m. ET by Tim Daniels

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports Cano will hire CAA to provide his representation and Roc Nation (an agency headed by Jay-Z) to take care of his marketing.

Darren Rovell of ESPN adds that Cano will be the first client of the newly created Roc Nation Sports.

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Whether that lack of progress was the main reason for Cano deciding to split with Boras is yet to be known. It's a crucial season for him at age 30 as he seeks what could be the last massive contract of his career.

There's no doubting Cano's value. He's one of the league's best pure hitters, as illustrated by his .308 career average, and has tallied at least 25 home runs in four straight seasons. He's done it all at a premium position with very few elite offensive stars.

He's also carrying a heavy burden for the Yankees in the early going of 2013. New York is missing Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez due to various injuries, leaving Cano to keep the team afloat until it returns to full strength.

The slugger enters the season in fantastic form after starring in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic. He helped his country win the WBC and took home the tournament's MVP award, boosting his value even more before Opening Day.

While it may take some time for the reasons behind the Boras breakup to emerge, it's clear they were on different pages and Cano felt the need to make a change before it was too late. It will be interesting to see if talks with the Yankees pick back up.