Major League Baseball

White Sox to sign Cuba's Jose Abreu

Published Oct. 17, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

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The Chicago White Sox are finalizing an agreement with Cuban defector Jose Abreu on a six-year, $68 million contract, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports.

The deal for Abreu would be the largest first-time contract for an international player in major-league history, Rosenthal reports.

The Astros, Red Sox and White Sox recently had emerged as frontrunners to sign the 26-year-old first baseman, who hit .360 (9-for-25) with three home runs and nine RBI in this year's World Baseball Classic.

Abreu would join the Dodgers' Yasiel Puig and Oakland's Yoenis Cespedes as recent Cuban stars to defect and join the major leagues. Considered a prized international prospect, Abreu was named the Cuban MVP in 2010-11 when he hit .453 with 33 home runs and 93 RBI in just 66 games.

According to MLB.com, Abreu defected from Cuba in August and established residency in Haiti last month, and soon after was declared an MLB free agent.

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