Way back in July of 2019, former Detroit Tigers GM Al Avila signed 16-year-old Cuban outfielder Roberto Campos to a $2.85 million bonus. At the time, this was the largest payout to an international free agent in the team’s history. Only the $3.2 million they just paid Dominican teenage outfielder Cris Rodriguez this past January has surpassed it. Progress was slow in his first few seasons stateside, but Campos started to put it together at the plate last year in West Michigan, and now faces a tough jump to the Double-A level in 2025.
Despite the fact that he’s been in the system for five years, one has to remember that Campos still won’t turn 22 until mid-June.