Family of 'Lazarito' explains recent dispute with U.S. agent

The family of 16-year-old Cuban phenom Lazaro "Lazarito" Armenteros has come out to the public with an explanation surrounding a recent death threat made to U.S. agent Charles Hairston.

In an exclusive with Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Lazarito's father, Lazaro Sr., explained that the family is in complete control of their travel documents and free to move as they please.

Earlier reports stated a "buscone" - an investor who assists with training and provides housing and clothing in exchange for a chunk of the player’s future salary - may have been making the decisions on behalf of the Armenteros family.

Hairston, an agent at Culture39, told Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi on Tuesday that a conflict between him and a buscone representing Lazarito arose over the Dominican's desire to have the 16-year-old sign as soon as possible, which led to the alleged death threat.

According to the FOX report, the Armenteros family switched agencies after reading Hairston's comments and are now represented by Octagon Sports.

Rosenthal writes that Lazaro Sr. said the "two primary sticking points between the family and Hairston were an inability for Hairston's agency to produce actual offers from clubs and a refusal to allow Lazarito to resume working with his original trainer."

Hairston, who was said to have already secured sponsorship and endorsement deals for the Cuban youngster, stuck to his story regarding the death threat.

"If we weren't threatened or fired, why on Earth would we step aside from the best prospect in the world? That just doesn't make any sense," Hairston said.

Lazarito was cleared to sign by MLB in early January and has reportedly received interest from at least nine big-league clubs.