Santo Domingo.– A 16-year-old boy who would have received the largest contract ever awarded to a Caribbean amateur by the St. Louis Cardinals said Saturday he is confident he will be signed again. Wagner Mateo credited the education his family has given him for keeping him strong.
"At one point I felt bad because St. Louis didn't even call me to talk about what was happening," he told the press. "They only sent me a letter, but I am working hard and trust that I can sign again."
Mateo had signed a $3.1 million contract with the Cardinals in July, but the team said it was contingent on a physical exam and revoked the contract nearly three months later over what it called "pre-existing injuries and physical defects."
The teen has myopia in his right eye and 20/30 vision, but he will fly to Miami on Monday to undergo more physical exams, agent Edgar Mercedes said. "We believe his eyesight problem can be fixed," he said.
