White Sox officially ink Cuban outfielder Robert

Put it in the books, and take Luis Robert off the board.
The White Sox signed the 19-year-old outfielder to a deal with a $26 million signing bonus on Saturday. That's the second-highest bonus issued to an international amateur under current regulations, behind only the $31.5 million the Red Sox paid Yoán Moncada -- now also with the White Sox and MLB.com's top-ranked prospect -- in 2015.
Multiple reports surfaced last week that Robert had agreed to terms with Chicago on the first day he was eligible to sign. He officially inked the contract at a press conference seven days later.

"In adding Luis to our organization, we believe we have added a dynamic, potential impact player," senior vice president and general manager Rick Hahn said during a press conference on Saturday. "He becomes instantly one of our top position player prospects … and one of the top prospects in the game."

Robert, who's allure among foreign-born players is eclipsed only by that of Japanese power hitter and fireballing pitcher Shohei Ohtani, was described to MLB.com by one American League international scouting director as "the best player on the planet." The five-tool center fielder with especially impressive speed and power will report to Chicago's complex in Glendale, Arizona, before receiving an assignment to Class A Kannapolis.
But he is expected to reach the big leagues quickly. He checks in as the No. 3 White Sox prospect and No. 26 overall. 
Speaking to media through a translator, Robert said Chicago, "was the team that scouted me the most, and I felt comfortable with this team and the people that I met with.
"The White Sox tradition for Cuban players was something that motivated me to sign with this team and made me comfortable," he added, referring to the likes of Minnie Minoso, Jose Contreras, Orlando Hernandez, Alexei Ramirez, Dayan Viciedo and Jose Abreu.
He left Cuba and established residency in Haiti in November. Major League Baseball declared him a free agent on April 20, which made him eligible for a deal on May 20.
In addition to Robert and Moncada, the Chicago organization also includes four pitchers counted among MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects -- Michael Kopech (No. 12), Lucas Giolito (No. 31), Reynaldo López (No. 40) and Carson Fulmer (No. 64). Catcher Zack Collins is the No. 73 overall prospect.
With the exceptions of Collins and Fulmer -- selected in the first round in 2015 and 2016, resepctively -- all of those players have come into the system via a pair of trades in the most recent Winter Meetings, as the White Sox aggressively rebuild.