According to a report via Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Chicago White Sox are close to signing Cuban defector Jose Abreu, to the biggest contract ever shelled out to an international player.
Jose Abreu finalizing terms on six-year, $68M deal. Club expected to be #WhiteSox. Deal will be largest first-time contract for int’l player
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 18, 2013
Abreu’s average annual value of $11.33M will be nearly twice that of Puig’s $6M. Cuban first baseman represented by Praver-Shapiro.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 18, 2013
Abreu hit .360 while contributing 3 home runs and 9 RBIs in six games during this year’s World Baseball Classic. Several teams were said to be vying for his signature but recent reports suggested that he had settled on the White Sox, Boston Red Sox, and the Houston Astros.
The Cuban slugger defected from Cuba in August and had gained residence in Haiti to be considered a free agent by Major League Baseball.