Interest in Lazarito intensifying ahead of showcase

With the new year quickly approaching, it's never too early to look toward the future.

For 16-year-old Cuban prospect Lazaro Robersy Armenteros Arango -- known simply as "Lazarito" in international baseball circles -- the next step toward what everyone expects to be a grand future is nearing.

• All about Lazarito Armenteros

Armenteros, an outfielder, will hold a showcase on Jan. 8 in the Dominican Republic, as MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez tweeted in November. Armenteros, who is 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, is likely best suited for a corner-outfield spot and is highly regarded by scouts.

"He's a great-looking kid with lots of tools, size, strength and potential," one American League scouting director said. "He is a front-line guy."

It's not just Major League teams that are interested in Armenteros. A Japanese team is willing to pay him $15 million to play in Nippon Professional Baseball, according to a report by USA Today earlier this week. But as Armenteros told MLB.com in September, he's intent on signing with a Major League club.

"My goal is to sign with a team and make it to the Major Leagues one day," Armenteros said in Spanish from his home in Haiti. "I'm confident I can make that happen. Make an impact. I'm working hard every day to reach that goal."