Louie Eljaua first saw Jorge Soler back in 2009 and was impressed with the then-teenage outfielder's size and skills.

Soler, 22, has made a smooth transition to the Chicago Cubs and was motivated by all the Cuban players (five) at this year's All-Star Game.

"[Soler] felt he could be as good or better as those guys," said Eljaua, special assistant to the general manager and director of international operations for the Cubs. "He said, 'Maybe I'll be there next year.'"

Eljaua was in Venezuela scouting a junior national baseball tournament in September 2009 when he first saw Soler, who was starting in left for the Cuban team. Bryce Harper and Manny Machado were on the United States squad.

"He was impressive from a baseball standpoint, a tools standpoint," Eljaua said. "We see all kinds of players, all shapes and sizes, but when you see a kid that physically impressive and strong with the tools, it gets your attention. He played third base at the time. When we were scouting him in the Dominican, we let him take ground balls at third because it was his favorite position at the time."

The Cubs eventually signed Soler to a nine-year, $30 million contract in June 2012.