Come To Think of It: Welcome to the Big Leagues, Aroldis Chapman

Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman has officially applied for free agent status in major league baseball, ESPN.com reports. Chapman is considered to be one of the best young pitching prospects in the world. But which team will assume the risk?

Despite a fastball that was clocked at 102 mph in the World Baseball Classic, the 21-year-old has not pitched at any American baseball level, including minor leagues. There will be some risk in signing Chapman to what will almost certainly be a huge, mega-bucks deal.

Meanwhile, for those of you who hate on the kid, insisting that the rules be fixed so that all players have to go through the draft, settle down. Players that come from other countries don't have the power of the media behind them like a lot of our American kids do.

Furthermore, they often live in poverty. This is their one chance to escape a world that would make most of us run away, too.

Still, the risk is there.

But there was also risk in signing Japapene imports like Kosuke Fukudome and Daisuke Matsuzaka. Some work out, some do not.

Consider the signing of Stephen Strasburg, who had never pitched a professional game in his life.

Chapman is certainly not the first player to come to the majors from Cuba. Kendry Morales, Jose Contreras, and Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez are among the most popular. Rene Arocha was the first to defect, though he never had much success.

Baseball is by far the most popular sport in Cuba, and the continuing defection of its players to the United States is a vexing problem to Cuban officials. It also raises controversy here in the U.S.

Chapman defected from the Cuban national team in August during a tournament in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and has been living in Barcelona, Spain.

Meanwhile, their loss may be our gain. If Chapman is as good as advertised, some team will be getting an ace without having to sacrifice any players in return. It is a chance some teams will gladly take.

By establishing residency outside the United States, the 21-year-old Chapman avoids being subject to baseball's amateur draft. MLB must study his residency and legal paperwork before declaring him a free agent.

Once the lefty gets approved by MLB, expected to be only a few short weeks from now, there will be a bidding war for his services.

The Yankees, of course, are considered among the teams interested in bidding. The Angels, Red Sox, and Dodgers are also said to be among the teams that will at least kick the tires.

Teams will have to travel to Europe to work him out. But consider this part of the  continuing international influence that Commissioner Bud Selig is so interested in focusing on.

How will this all play out? Stay tuned.