Padres sign Cuban lefty Osvaldo Hernandez to minor-league deal

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Cuban left-hander Osvaldo Hernandez has agreed to a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres.

The 18-year-old had a 0.92 ERA in 68 2/3 innings in Cuba's under-18 league last year, striking out 84 and walking 23. At the U-18 Pan American championship in October, he allowed three runs and five hits over 9 2/3 innings in two appearances against the U.S.

"He's a 5-foot-10 left-hander, but it's really good delivery, good arm action. He's a strike-thrower. His velocity kept increasing from when we've seen him over the last five or six months," Padres general manager A.J. Preller said. "We do see him as a starting pitching option.

"When he's able to come to the States and come into the country and pitch, he'd be a guy that we'd be looking to move through the system and see where he stacks up."

Preller said he hopes Hernandez can start pitching in the minors by early June.