The Red Sox may soon have another Dice-K situation on their hands.
Boston is likely to meet with Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman, a 21-year-old with a 100-mph fastball, according to Boston.com. The left-hander is expected to draw the same type of interest Daisuke Matsuzaka received when he decided to ditch Japan for Major League Baseball.
Chapman is scheduled to arrive in New York as early as Wednesday, according to his agent, Edwin Mejia. The Red Sox and Yankees are among those reported to be interested in signing him.
“Aroldis is very excited to be coming to the States and plans to spend some time in the cities of the teams interested in him, exploring the sights and meeting with the fans in addition to the team representatives,” Mejia wrote to ESPN.com via email.
Chapman is considered by some to be the best Latin amateur to ever enter the free-agent market. His contract could land him anywhere between $40 million and $60 million.
Sources told ESPN.com that other large-market teams such as the Dodgers and the Angels have yet to show serious interest in Chapman.
Because the commissioner’s office has yet to verify the age and identity of Chapman, teams interested in signing him are likely to use upcoming meetings to conduct an extensive review of documentation in order to verify his personal information.
