Pepsi Signs Robinson Cano as Spokesperson

Under normal circumstances, athlete endorsement contracts don’t become headline news. From local car dealerships to national fast food ads, all endorsement deals aren’t created equal, but Sunday’s news about Robinson Cano could make some waves.

According to a published report from ESPN’s Darren Rovell, Cano and Pepsi have agreed on terms that will make the New York Yankees second baseman the “face of its national Major League Baseball marketing campaign”. This is front-page news on the heels of Cano’s decision to ditch long-time agent Scott Boras in favor of a lucrative new partnership with Jay-Z and company over at Roc Nation Sports.

Cano was famously the first high-profile athlete to migrate over to Jay-Z’s stable, and it appears (at least initially) as if the move is working out. While financial details aren’t available for this contract, I can assure you that it will be for big-time money (especially as it debuts during Tuesday’s All-Star Game), and this move will surely impact the future client base for Jay-Z as it becomes clear of his buying power in the industry.

In this case, Cano’s stellar baseball numbers (.302/.386/.531 with 21 home runs) don’t even begin to tell the story. It would be a stretch to say that Cano has become the biggest name in baseball, but I can’t think of a player who sits in a better position off the field, and all signs seem to pointing north for his brand.