The New York Yankees have agreed a $30m four-year deal with Cuban defector Jose Contreras, it was announced on Tuesday.

The Yankees beat off competition from the Boston Red Sox to sign the 31-year-old Contreras, who was declared a free agent by the league on Monday.

The right-handed pitcher was a seven-year veteran of Cuba's national team before defecting in October during a tournament in Mexico.

Contreras is certainly the premier amateur pitcher in the world and may be the best ever in amateur play Gordon Blakeley New York Yankees

"This is a great Christmas present for Yankee fans everywhere and was a total team effort by our organization," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

Contreras is the second big name to arrive in New York this off-season after the Yankees signed Japanese outfielder Hideki Matsui last week.

Contreras compiled a 117-50 career record for Cuba with a 2.82 earned run average and was 13-4 in 2002 with a league-leading 1.76 ERA.

"Contreras is most certainly the premier amateur pitcher in the world and may be the best ever in amateur play," said Gordon Blakeley, the Yankees' vice president of international and professional scouting.

"He has an exceptional fastball and breaking ball. We expect him to have great success at the major league level."