July 2nd IFA Signing Thread

Since a pictures worth a thousand words, here's some videos of the players in question.

Updated videos and scouting reports at the link.

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2013/6/11/4259454/2013-international-free-agents-updated-rankings-video

Eloy Jimenez, OF, 6'4" 200lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic

Rafael Devers, 3B, 6'0" 185lbs, L/R, Dominican Republic

Luis Encarnacion, 3B, 6'2" 185lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic

Willy Castro, SS, 6'0" 150lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic

Carlos Herrera, SS, 6'0" 145lbs, L/R, Venezuela

Jefferson Mejia, RHP, 6'7" 220lbs, Dominican Republic

Carlos Hiciano, SS, 6'2" 175lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic

Rafelin Nunez Guzman, C, 6'1" 195lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic

Lucas Tirado, SS/2B, 6'2" 175lbs, S/R, Dominican Republic

Leonardo Molina, OF, 6'3" 165lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic

Johnny Sims, OF, 6'3" 175lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJaH5rDIMuE

Bryan Lizardo, 3B, 6'1" 185lbs, S/R, Dominican Republic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkVHABzZ0A8

Eduard Pena, OF, 6'1" 200lbs, L/R, Dominican Republic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTvALbrRF_I

Yeffri Deaza, SS, 6'0" 170lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX6H3isoHcg

Luis Asuncion, OF, 6'3" 180lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZRjoPq9CJo

Roni Tapia, 3B, 6'3" 175lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JVWLZhnCT0

Jeramias Portorreal, OF, 6'2" 180lbs, L/L, Dominican Republic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqMBTi-qCzU

Ronald Rosario, OF, 6'2" 160lbs, L/L, Dominican Republic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxNs1twzQp0

Michael De Leon, SS/3B, 6'1" 160lbs, S/R, Dominican Republic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulkkCXvzLZQ

Great Job man! is the SS Guidino the only guy Blue Jays are rumored to be on?

ace3113 · June 12, 2013

Great Job man! is the SS Guidino the only guy Blue Jays are rumored to be on?

I hope not. There's a ton of other guys I'd love to sign. I hate these new bonus rules. We'd be signing 4-5 of these guys without them.

GD · June 12, 2013

Great Job man! is the SS Guidino the only guy Blue Jays are rumored to be on?

So far, yessir.

GD · June 12, 2013

I hope not. There's a ton of other guys I'd love to sign. I hate these new bonus rules. We'd be signing 4-5 of these guys without them.

It really is stupid, but hey, you can trade 50% of your pool, so we could probably poach someone's pool.

Gudino would be nice, though.

imsorry4beatinU · June 12, 2013

It really is stupid, but hey, you can trade 50% of your pool, so we could probably poach someone's pool.

Gudino would be nice, though.

how does that work tho? and what can you trade to the other team? prospects and money?

GD · June 12, 2013

how does that work tho? and what can you trade to the other team? prospects and money?

I would assume it's like any other trade, and the money can just be thrown in.

GD · June 12, 2013

I think there's a max amount a team can acquire too, all of the new CBA rules are very inflexible like that.

The Jays will spend their whole allotment as well as the non-crippling penalty amount. They'll get other guys in addition to Gudino.

50% of your pool can be traded. No more.

I don't doubt we'll get other guys, Latin signings we've been very good with. Barreto, Tirado, Lugo, Osuna, Beccera.. nice. I like Perez and de Aza and Asuncion and encarnacion this year.

imsorry4beatinU · June 12, 2013

50% of your pool can be traded. No more.

I don't doubt we'll get other guys, Latin signings we've been very good with. Barreto, Tirado, Lugo, Osuna, Beccera.. nice. I like Perez and de Aza and Asuncion and encarnacion this year.

but as a team. How much can you get? only 50% of your pool?

ace3113 · June 12, 2013

50% of your pool can be traded. No more.

I don't doubt we'll get other guys, Latin signings we've been very good with. Barreto, Tirado, Lugo, Osuna, Beccera.. nice. I like Perez and de Aza and Asuncion and encarnacion this year.

What sucks is last year we signed 3 top names: #1 Franklin Barreto (1.45mm), #9 Luis Castro (800k), and #13 Richard Urena (757k). Castro's contract was voided cause he failed the physical, but I'm not sure if we redistributed that 800k on anyone.

The player I want most this year is Luis Encarnacion. He's the best offensive prospect in this class IMO. He's has the look of a guy who's going to hit for power and average, and he hits in games right now. I don't even care if he sticks at 3rd or not, I want that bat. Here's the scouting report from Sickel's site:

Luis Encarnacion, 3B, 6'2" 185lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic
Trainer: Juan Herrera
Age: 15.10 years

A third baseman with a big strong athletic build, Encarnacion has the look of a future middle-of-the-order hitter and run producer. Physically imposing in the batter's box he uses simple swing mechanics, and a slight leg lift to generate plus raw power. The ball simply explodes off his bat with natural lift. Encarnacion hit one of the deepest homeruns during the MLB International Showcase. More than just a batting practice monster, Encarnacion was one of the few top prospects to perform well during games at the MLB showcase going 4-7 with a double. His barrel awareness and ability to consistently square up pitches suggest that he will not just be an all-or-nothing slugger, but a good all-around hitter. Recorded a very respectable 60 time(7.02) for a corner infielder, but not a smooth runner at all. Arm looks to be about average but accurate and online for the most part. Has the tools and bat to profile at third but is not a certainty to stick there long term. Okay moving left to right on grounders but range is only average. Reactions and hands need to improve as he seems to have difficulty with balls hit directly at him. Bat should be enough to play at first base if a position shift becomes necessary though. The Phillies are believed to have the most interest, offering as much as 1mm according to a recent report out of the Dominican.

If we can get him and Gudino I'll be pretty happy with our haul.

From the video and reports I've seen I also really like outfielders Luis Asuncion and Jeremias Portorreal, and infielder Roni Tapia. They all have really pretty swings, and look like they can hit in games (Asuncion already has).

Luis Asuncion, OF, 6'3" 180lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic
Trainer: Nube
Age: 16.4 years

Lean projectable build with some thickness to lower half. Average runner, but faster than his 60 time (7.07). Massive kid, but should be able to handle left field. Bat would profile anywhere regardless. Plus raw arm strength, with quick release. Easy power, obvious strength in hands, gets good extension. Balanced approach at the plate with a nice consistent swing path. Simple swing, makes contact. Leg lift trigger. Patient approach in games, has an idea. Hit 19 homeruns at the DPL Power Showcase. Huge power potential, can really drive the ball, but doesn't sellout to pull and lift the ball. Lets the ball get deep and drives it to all parts of the field. Impressed scouts with his showing in the MLB Amateur Prospect League where he went 3 for 7 with a homerun, two rbi, a walk, and a stolen base.

Jeramias Portorreal, OF, 6'2" 180lbs, L/L, Dominican Republic
Trainer: Banana
Age: 15.10 years

The youngest player in the 2013 international free agent class, Portorreal has pretty swing mechanics from the left side and an advanced feel for hitting. One of the best left handed approaches among the young Dominican players available for July. Fast whippy swing and good weight transfer. Looks like he could develop into a very good all-around hitter down the road with the potential to hit for power as well as average. He looks to be a future left fielder or first baseman defensively so his bat will have to carry.

Roni Tapia, 3B, 6'3" 175lbs, R/R, Dominican Republic
Trainer: Banana
Age: 16.3 years

Big rangy infielder with impressive tools. Long and lean body with much projection remaining. Speed is above average to plus for size (6.89-60) with a long effortless gait. Gliding actions at third, moves really smoothly on the infield. Throwing arm also projects to above average or plus. I hate to make this comparison, but reminds me a little of A-Rod at the hot corner with his size and build. Could possibly play short with his actions as well, but given his size and his current age, is likely to outgrow it sooner rather than later. Young and inexperienced but shows good foundation and instruction. Simple and balanced hitting approach that is likely to carry over into games. Excellent bat speed with projectable power. Lots of linedrives and hard contact right now.

GD · June 12, 2013

but as a team. How much can you get? only 50% of your pool?

You can get up to 50% of the pool of the team you're trading with, I think.

The player I want most this year is Luis Encarnacion. He's the best offensive prospect in this class IMO. He's has the look of a guy who's going to hit for power and average, and he hits in games right now. I don't even care if he sticks at 3rd or not, I want that bat. Here's the scouting report from Sickel's site:

Sounds a lot like his namesake haha.

ace3113 · June 13, 2013

Ben Badler ‏@BenBadler 1h

Still hearing them on Gudino RT @SJE32 Jays seem to be unusually absent in rumored signings. True or just stealthy.

Ben Badler ‏@BenBadler 1h

Twins, Indians, Cubs & Dodgers scouts have been active in Asia. Will one of them be the team that signs Jen-Ho Tseng? http://bit.ly/12mkYMP

In South Korea and Taiwan, the bonus pools have had a different impact. Major League Baseball allows teams to sign international players beginning on July 2 if they are 16, which creates a flood of Latin American signings every year on that date.

By MLB rules, teams are allowed to sign players at 16 out of Taiwan and South Korea as long as they perform the standard status check protocol, but teams generally wait until the players graduate from high school to avoid incurring the wrath of the baseball governing bodies in those countries. While signing a Korean or Taiwanese player before he graduates from high school wouldn’t cause MLB to invalidate a signing, the baseball governing body in the player’s native country could ban scouts from the signing team, punish the player should he ever want to return to coach or play in his home country and punish his high school and his teammates.

One of the wrinkles the bonus pools have created is that top high school prospects from South Korea and Taiwan have unusual signing windows. MLB has created a “closed period” from June 15 through July 1 in which teams are not allowed to sign any players, which was done to give the commissioner’s office time to run the final numbers on international spending from the previous signing period to determine what taxes teams would have to pay for exceeding their pools and what spending restrictions they might face for the following signing period.

Many high school prospects in South Korea and Taiwan graduate from high school shortly before June 15, which leaves them with only a few days remaining to sign during the current signing period. Some teams still have money left in their 2012-13 bonus pools, but many have already spent the majority of their pool space. It’s also hard for a team to decide on July 2 to save its pool space all year for one big Asian amateur signing who will graduate high school a year later.

That means that a prospect like Taiwan’s Jen-Ho Tseng might wait until July 2 to sign once the new bonus pools kick in for the 2013-14 signing period. The 18-year-old righthander is a senior at Sanmin High in New Taipei and entered the year as one of the top prospects on the international market. However, his roller-coaster showings have made it challenging for some scouts to peg him.

Last September in South Korea, Tseng dominated at the 18U World Championship, where scouts were able to see him pitch in the same tournament as Japanese phenoms Shohei Ohtani and Shintaro Fujinami as well as 2013 first-round pick Ian Clarkin.

Tseng dominated the tournament while shouldering a heavy workload by pitching in six of Taiwan’s eight games. He finished with an ERA of 0.84 in 21 1/3 innings with 22 strikeouts (second only to Fujinami) and two walks, including a nine-inning gem against Colombia in which he allowed one run, struck out 12 and didn’t walk anyone in his only start of the tournament.

From there, Tseng made a brief appearance in the World Baseball Classic qualifier in November, then in December he went to the Asian Championship in Taiwan and threw six scoreless innings there in a 7-0 victory against South Korea, a pivotal game that helped Taiwan secure the silver medal.

Tseng had dominated his peers and now foreign professionals, all while showing the stuff of a first-round pick had he been born in the United States. At 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, he has a broad back, strong legs and, while scouts don’t project him to throw any harder, he was already sitting at 89-92 mph and reaching 94. Some scouts gave him a plus grade for both his changeup and his curveball, a pitch one scout said “he was throwing for strikes whenever he wanted” while mixing in an average slider too.

“He’s way legit,” said a second scout. “He’s better than a lot of high school guys going in the first round (in the U.S.). He’s going to be a four-pitch guy with a wipeout change and a tight-spinning, downer breaking ball. The changeup could be a 70 (on the 20-80 scale). Sometimes he’ll drop and drive and leave the ball up in the zone, but he could be really good.”

That was 2012. This year has been a different story. Tseng’s talent earned him a place on Taiwan’s WBC team, but he struggled at the tournament in March. That’s understandable for an 18-year-old competing against the top professional players from other countries, but his stuff lacked the crispness he had shown a few months earlier. In two relief appearances, he pitched an inning, gave up a run, one hit, two walks and struck out a batter. His fastball parked in the high 80s, his breaking ball got away from him and his control was shaky.

Ever since that point, scouts have been scratching their heads over why they haven’t seen his stuff return. Some have concerns about his durability because of his mechanics, while others think the stuff he showed at the end of 2012 will be there once he’s put on a throwing schedule from a major league organization.

“He’s shown the makings of what you want to see in terms of arm strength, secondary stuff, pitchability, all that,” said a third scout. “Then around that time in the WBC he went through a period of a few months where he wasn’t as good and kind of went backwards, which obviously spread concern among people. It just depends how much history you have on him.”

The Twins ($3.9 million) and Indians ($3.6 million) have the fourth- and fifth-highest bonus pools for the 2013-14 signing period and have been two of the most aggressive teams when it comes to signing players from Taiwan, which is why some scouts believe the Twins could be a fit for Tseng. The Athletics also have a recent history signing Asian amateur players and some teams believe they were involved at one point but may have backed off now. The Yankees and Red Sox don’t seem to be fits either given their ties to prominent Latin American prospects for July 2.

The Dodgers scouts who came from Seattle are well in tune with the market in that area and some think they could involved. The Cubs have been active signing players from that region as well, but they have locked in hard on top Latin American talent. Orioles general manager Dan Duquette and international scout Ray Poitevint were keen on signing Asian amateur players when they were with the Red Sox, and Baltimore hasn’t been linked to any high-profile players in Latin America this year. Some scouts think they may be trying to resurrect their image in Asia after their bungled signing of Korean non-prospect Seong-Min Kim for $575,000 was invalidated after they signed him without performing a status check on him.

After producing righthander Jose Mujica and lefty Jose Castillo last year—both of whom went to the Rays—the Venezuelan pitching market is lighter at the top this year. For many scouts, the best Latin American pitcher for July 2 is Marcos Diplan, a 16-year-old Dominican righthander with a low-90s fastball that has reached 93-94 mph who has shown feel for his curveball and changeup, though at 5-foot-10, 160 pounds his size concerns some teams. Diplan is expected to sign for a bonus a little north of $1 million, with some thinking Texas is the favorite, with the Braves perhaps also in the mix.

At his best, Tseng would rank above any pitcher eligible to sign on July 2, but if his stuff has backed up, it would be hard to put him above Diplan. That’s why he’s one of the biggest wild cards on the international market.

ace3113 · June 13, 2013

Maybe the reason we're not being connected to any other players (other than Gudino) is because we've zeroed in on Tseng. It's wild conjecture at this point but would be interesting. Gudino is expected to sign for close to 1mm which would give us 1.9-2mm to offer Tseng. Not saying I want him over some of the other IFA's but I can't read AA's twisted-ish mind. If we're going for a pitcher I might prefer Diplan.

GD · June 13, 2013

Maybe the reason we're not being connected to any other players (other than Gudino) is because we've zeroed in on Tseng. It's wild conjecture at this point but would be interesting. Gudino is expected to sign for close to 1mm which would give us 1.9-2mm to offer Tseng. Not saying I want him over some of the other IFA's but I can't read AA's twisted-ish mind. If we're going for a pitcher I might prefer Diplan.

Wouldn't be surprising. Who do you like most, Diplan or Perez? I can't really separate the two in terms of preference. My wishlist:

1.) Diplan/Perez

2.) Diplan/Perez

3.) De Aza

4.) Encarnacion

5.) Tseng

6.) Gudino

7.) Asuncion

I really like the class this year.

ace3113 · June 13, 2013

Wouldn't be surprising. Who do you like most, Diplan or Perez? I can't really separate the two in terms of preference.

I prefer Diplan. He's not as projectable, but he has more now stuff, and a feel for 3 pitches. Seeing what Urias is doing this year for the Dodgers, or even Osuna for us with their advanced stuff pushes me towards the more polished guy. Perez has also not made as much progress in the past year as one would hope. He's still sitting mostly 88-90, and neither his command nor his secondaries have progressed much since his performance at the PG Classic.

My wishlist probably goes.

1) Luis Encarnacion (3B) / Leonardo Molina (OF) *Yes, I know he's probably going to the Yankees.

2) Yeltsin Gudino (SS) / Luis Asuncion (OF)

3) Roni Tapia (3B) / Jeremias Portorreal (OF)

I'd also consider taking a flier on Obispo Aybar-Lara. Best shortstop actions in the class. 5 loud tools. Won't be able to play till he's 19 cause of suspension. In fact, I think we have 800k from voiding our contract with Luis Castro last year. I'm wondering if we can offer that to him right now since he's 19, and not 16 like the other July 2 guys.

Edited June 13, 2013 by ace3113

GD · June 13, 2013

I'd also consider taking a flier on Obispo Aybar-Lara. Best shortstop actions in the class. 5 loud tools. Won't be able to play till he's 19 cause of suspension. In fact, I think we have 800k from voiding our contract with Luis Castro last year. I'm wondering if we can offer that to him right now since he's 19, and not 16 like the other July 2 guys.

Really intriguing but he's the #2 ranked prospect by minorleagueball, gotta figure he gets more than that. It's why I didn't list him, figured that he would be out of our price range.

Angrioter · June 13, 2013

I prefer Diplan. He's not as projectable, but he has more now stuff, and a feel for 3 pitches. Seeing what Urias is doing this year for the Dodgers, or even Osuna for us with their advanced stuff pushes me towards the more polished guy. Perez has also not made as much progress in the past year as one would hope. He's still sitting mostly 88-90, and neither his command nor his secondaries have progressed much since his performance at the PG Classic.

My wishlist probably goes.

1) Luis Encarnacion (3B) / Marcos Diplan (RHP)
2) Yeltsin Gudino (SS) / Luis Asuncion (OF)
3) Roni Tapia (3B) / Jeremias Portorreal (OF)

I'd also consider taking a flier on Obispo Aybar-Lara. Best shortstop actions in the class. 5 loud tools. Won't be able to play till he's 19 cause of suspension. In fact, I think we have 800k from voiding our contract with Luis Castro last year. I'm wondering if we can offer that to him right now since he's 19, and not 16 like the other July 2 guys.

I saw Jeremias Portorreal last week, his swing isn't the best (ends the swing with the bat over his head).....but he smash the ball.

Love the Luis Asuncion pop a lot

ace3113 · June 13, 2013

I saw Jeremias Portorreal last week, his swing isn't the best (ends the swing with the bat over his head).....but he smash the ball.
Love the Luis Asuncion pop a lot

I don't know why we don't hear more about him. I guess cause he's not as toolsy as guys like Eloy Jimenez or Micker Zapata, but I think he's going to be better than Zapata who I don't like at all.

ace3113 · June 13, 2013

Really intriguing but he's the #2 ranked prospect by minorleagueball, gotta figure he gets more than that. It's why I didn't list him, figured that he would be out of our price range.

Actually he's dropped down a lot of rankings since his age revelation and subsequent suspension. Minorleagueball now has him outside their top 30. That's why I think we could get him for cheap. He won't be able to start playing pro ball until he's 20 because of the suspension, and he's already pretty raw at the plate. Jason Parks from Baseball Prospectus says he won't likely get more than 500k.

ace3113 · June 13, 2013

Baseball America debating Luis Encarnacion vs. Raphael Devers

Rafael Devers Vs. Luis Encarnacion: Scouts Weigh In On Top July 2 Bats
June 13, 2013 by Ben Badler

It’s not hard for scouts to find players in the Dominican Republic who yank balls over the fence in batting practice. When it comes to players who showcase promising tools yet remain raw against live pitching, scouts have varying degrees of risk tolerance for prospects who could make adjustments and take off or might never make it out of Rookie ball.

When a player can drive the ball in BP and take it to the game, he’s going to move to the top of teams’ boards.

This year scouts have consistently remarked that two of the best game hitters in Latin America for this year’s July 2 class are Rafael Devers and Luis Encarnacion, a pair of Dominican third basemen who play in the International Prospect League.

While several teams are high on Dominican outfielder Eloy Jimenez for his all-around potential and some like Micker Zapata for his outstanding raw power, Devers and Encarnacion earn widespread praise for their game hitting, with both expected to sign for more than $1 million.

Devers (video), a 16-year-old who trains with Javier Rodriguez and Rudy Santin, is around 6-foot-1, 215 pounds with above-average bat speed and a compact lefty swing. He’s flashed average running times this year in the 60-yard dash and he has an average arm, but with his body type, some scouts worry that he might end up at first base. Several teams are high on Devers, but the Red Sox have one of the biggest bonus pools for 2013-14 and have been strongly tied to him.

“He’s probably the most advanced bat on the market,” said one international director. “I’ve seen him hit righthanders, I’ve seen him hit lefthanders, I’ve seen him hit lefthanded breaking balls out of the zone and drive them. He has good bat speed, feel for the bat head, the whole deal. All the attributes to hit, they’re all right there. The only question is if he can stay at third base, and I think he can. If you look at Addison Russell, two years ago he had a bad body. He was soft and couldn’t run. He completely re-did his body. Now you look at Devers—if he’s able to keep his body in check, then you’re looking at a legitimate third baseman.”

A second international director also preferred Devers to Encarnacion both for his bat and because he felt Devers had a better chance to stay at third base even if he could eventually end up at first.

“Devers has a real nice stroke and feel for hitting,” said the second director. “I thought he had one of the best approaches of guys for July 2.”

In 1999, Hank Blalock signed with the Rangers out of high school as a third-round pick. After signing, Blalock quickly showed advanced plate discipline, good bat control and the ability to hit offspeed pitches with projectable lefty power, mostly to the gaps as a teenager. He too started out his pro career as a third baseman with questions from scouts about whether he would move to first base or a corner outfield spot.

As he got into his early 20s, Blalock’s power emerged, his defense improved and he became the No. 3 prospect in baseball after the 2001 season when he was 20. Devers has some similarities to Blalock, albeit a less athletic version and a potentially heavier body type.

“He has hitting instincts for sure,” said a third international director. “I have concerns about strikeouts in the future, but he can hit. I don’t know where he’s going to play because I think he’s going to get heavier, but he has a smooth, level swing and he’s got bat speed.”

Encarnacion (video) is still 15, so he won’t be able to sign until he turns 16 on Aug. 9, but sources believe the Phillies have become enamored of his righthanded bat. Plenty of other scouts have taken notice as well. In January, Encarnacion was the top performer at the MLB showcase in the Dominican Republic, where he went 4-for-7 with a double, a walk and one strikeout. When MLB organized a game between Dominican prospects for July 2 against Canada’s 18U junior national team, Encarnacion went 2-for-2, while Devers went 1-for-1 and drew a walk. Encarnacion takes an aggressive swing and it works for him in games.

“He has a better approach in games than what I gave him credit for initially,” said a fourth international director. “I thought he was a straight pull-hitter, but he was better than I thought.”

Encarnacion has more present power than Devers, with some scouts already giving him plus raw power. At 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, Encarnacion has some scouts projecting him as a player with the potential to be a plus hitter with at least plus power.

“He hits the ball with authority, even if he mis-hits it,” said a fifth international director. “For me, he may not have as much bat speed as Devers or shortness to his swing, but he’s going to have more power down the road. They’re two good bats, it’s just a matter of where you can project them to play.”

Encarnacion trains with Juan Herrera, who is known in the Dominican Republic as “Mon.” While Encarnacion earns high marks for his bat and power, scouts see little chance of him staying at third base. He’s a below-average runner who lacks actions for the position, has a below-average arm and a shot-put throwing stroke. While Devers has a chance to stick at third base, scouts would be stunned if Encarnacion spent much time there in pro ball.

“Him and Devers are probably the best game hitters,” said the first international director. “He’s consistently racked up doubles and home runs. To me, he’s probably No. 2 behind Devers as far as a pure bat. But he has to play left field or first base, and my guess is first base.”

If everything breaks right for Encarnacion, he could end up along the lines of Billy Butler or Allen Craig, a pair of righthanded hitters with similar size who earned praise for their ability to hit for average and power to all fields as prospects. Both Butler and Craig started their careers at third base but had major defensive questions, with Butler quickly moving to the outfield in the minors before becoming a first baseman/DH in the big leagues, while Craig became a first baseman/outfielder in St. Louis.

He could also end up going the way of Bobby Borchering, a 6-foot-2 high school third baseman lauded for his ability to hit for average and power who also seemed destined for first base or left field when the Diamondbacks drafted him with the ninth overall pick in 2009. He played his way off third base in the Arizona system, though a trade to the Astros last July restored Borchering to the hot corner. Still, his propensity for striking out has proven to be higher than scouts expected when he was an amateur.

“He can really, really hit,” said a sixth international director, who preferred Encarnacion to Devers. “He’s a young kid, too. For me, he’s the purest bat of them all. I think the bat will play, and he’s got some power. Whoever gets him is getting a pretty good player.”

GD · June 13, 2013

Actually he's dropped down a lot of rankings since his age revelation and subsequent suspension. Minorleagueball now has him outside their top 30. That's why I think we could get him for cheap. He won't be able to start playing pro ball until he's 20 because of the suspension, and he's already pretty raw at the plate. Jason Parks from Baseball Prospectus says he won't likely get more than 500k.

Damn, had no clue, I would LOVE him at that rate as it's pretty risk free. How polished is he? That's my one concern, 19 is a bit old for unpolishedness but if he's got 5 loud tools then sign me up haha. I do need to watch some more video on him though before I can make much of an opinion.

ace3113 · June 14, 2013

Old article about trading for Bonus Pool space.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/targeting-likely-international-trade-partners/

THE SELLERS

Marlins (Pool: $3,395,200)

The Marlins typically don’t spend $3.4 million in the international market in two years, let alone one. While the Marlins might have a more competitive budget than they did last year, when their top signing was $85,000 Dominican third baseman Alberto Sanchez, it would be shocking if they spent their full pool allocation. They could have anywhere from $1 million to $2 million in pool space available to trade.

Rockies (Pool: $4,213,800)

Latin American scouting has been one of the strengths of the Rockies organization over the last decade under international scouting director Rolando Fernandez, but Colorado’s international spending is usually in the middle of the pack or lower. The Rockies have the third-highest pool space in baseball, but it would be surprising if they spent it all. Based on what they have done historically, the Rockies could be willing to trade $1 million to $2 million of pool space.

Rays (Pool: $1,976,500)

Most teams willing to trade away pool space have the biggest pools, but the Rays are in a different situation. After exceeding their current 2012-13 bonus pool by more than 15 percent, the Rays won’t be allowed to sign a player for more than $250,000 during the 2013-14 signing period. So despite having the 21st-highest bonus pool next signing period, the Rays might be willing to deal some of it away, although that’s certainly not a lock. Consider that in 2011, the Rays spent an estimated $1.79 million on international amateur players and their most expensive signings—Venezuelan righthanders Jorman Duarte and German Marquez—each signed for $225,000. The Rays also have to sign more players than most teams because they have to fill out rosters for both their Dominican Summer League and Venezuelan Summer League clubs.

Astros (Pool: $4,943,700)

Why would a rebuilding team like the Astros, who have the highest international signing bonus pool, trade away pool space? Because no team needs to spend $5 million to be successful in the international market. Between their $700,000 base allocation and the No. 1 overall international slot value ($3.246 million), the Astros already have $3.946 million—only the Cubs and Rockies have more money available in their entire pool space. The values of their other slots (No. 31, 61 and 91) add up to $997,700. So the Astros could keep the No. 1 overall slot, roll with a bonus pool of nearly $4 million, then have around $1 million in slot values to trade away to bring back other assets to help the organization.

Twins (Pool: $3,908,600)

The Twins spent $3.15 million on Miguel Sano in 2009 and they have increased their presence in Latin America in recent years. Sano was a special case, however, and even in 2011—the last year before MLB implemented international spending restrictions—the Twins spent an estimated $2.31 million on international amateur signings. Are they really going to spend nearly $4 million all of a sudden on international players? Perhaps, but the No. 4 slot alone ($2,250,700) leaves them with close to $3 million, so the rest of their slots could give them another $1 million to trade.

Indians (Pool: $3,636,900)

Cleveland is in a similar boat as Minnesota as a team that typically doesn’t spend as much as its pool allocation, although the Indians seem more likely to hang on to their slot values. In 2011, the Indians spent an estimated $3.58 million on international amateur players, so it’s possible that they will use their entire $3.64 million pool space. That’s beyond what they typically spend, however, so if the Indians are one of the teams that see the 2013 class as a down year, they might be willing to trade off some of their slot values.

THE BUYERS

Given that the MLB reduced the aggregate international bonus pools from the 2012-13 signing period and left all but seven teams with less than $3 million for their pool allotments, several teams could try to trade for additional pool space. These teams in particular seem like strong candidates to try to acquire other teams’ slot values.

Rangers (Pool: $1,942,700)

Between Nomar Mazara ($4.95 million), Jairo Beras ($4.5 million) and Ronald Guzman ($3.45 million), Texas has paid three of the four biggest international amateur bonuses of all-time (Oakland’s $4.25 million for Michael Ynoa is the interloper) in the last two years alone. The Rangers could get up to a little above $2.9 million with a trade, which seems an avenue they’re likely to pursue.

Yankees (Pool: $1,877,900)

The Yankees finished with the third-best record in baseball in 2012, which means their international bonus pool ranks 28th in baseball. The good news for them is that the difference between their pool and a non-playoff team like the Dodgers at No. 18 is just $235,000, so the significant gap in pool space is mostly between them and the teams at the top of the charts, not the ones in the middle. The Yankees can increase their pool space to up to around $2.82 million through trades.

Dodgers (Pool: $2,112,900)

The Dodgers’ new ownership group has opened up the vault. After years of frugality in the international amateur market, the Dodgers have started to invest more overseas, not just on players but by overhauling their international scouting staff as well, led by the hire of Bob Engle. They could work out trades to tack on a little more than an extra $1 million to their pool space and get their pool close to $3.17 million.

Blue Jays (Pool: $2,817,000)

Toronto already has the ninth-highest bonus pool, but Alex Anthopoulos has made the Blue Jays one of the most aggressive spenders on amateur talent since he became general manager. In 2011, the Blue Jays spent an estimated $7.57 million on international amateur signings. Through trades, the Blue Jays could get up to around $4.23 million for their total pool.

Cubs (Pool: $4,557,200)

The Cubs are in a similar starting position as the Astros. They could keep their top slot, trade away their bottom three slots and still have a $3.573 million pool. Or if they wanted to just stand pat, they could spend $4.56 million and have the second-highest pool space of any team in the league. When Theo Epstein was general manager of the Red Sox, Boston spent liberally on Latin American amateur free agents like Jose Vinicio, Michael Almanzar, Oscar Perez, Engel Beltre and Oscar Tejeda, along with big bonuses for Jose Igelsias, Adalberto Ibarra and Juan Carlos Linares in the Cuban market. For the most part, it doesn’t look like the Red Sox are going to get much return on those investments (although Xander Bogaerts has so far been a smashing success), but the desire to spend heavily on international free agents will likely continue in Chicago. Based on certain market indications, the Cubs might be willing to trade for additional pool space—they could get up to $6,835,800 in pool space—to spend on what they feel are the best players on the market.

ace3113 · June 14, 2013

Latest BA article on July 2 free agency.

How Teams Can Stretch Their International Budgets

June 14, 2013 by Ben Badler

As with any rule in baseball, when the the new bonus spending limits for international signings became public in November 2011, people immediately started looking for ways to work around them.

Aside from paying money under the table, one of the ways for teams to spend more than their $2.9 million allocation (last year’s limit) without having to face penalties was to sign a player from a trainer before July 2 as an advance payment for that trainer’s current prospect. Since the inaugural bonus pools didn’t kick in last year until July 2, teams could throw unlimited money at players and trainers before that.

This year things are a little bit different because the 2012-13 spending limit is in place, and this year’s spending limits will be variable for each team. But the same advance payment method is something teams could try if they have money remaining in their 2012-13 pool. The current signing period ends on June 15, and then there will be a “closed period” when teams are not allowed to sign any international players until the 2013-14 signing period begins on July 2. There is no rollover of pool space, so on June 15 it is gone forever.

What a team could do (or could have done at any point) is use remaining money in its current pool to essentially pay a trainer now for one of his 2013-14 players. This might be a particularly appealing option for one of the 10 teams with a pool of less than $2 million for 2013-14–the first year with varying budget limits. Teams were assigned budgets based on theoretical draft slots this year (even though there is no international draft), and 22 teams have less pool space in 2013-14 than the $2.9 million MLB gave every team for 2012-13.

When Baseball America pointed out last year that teams could use this method to get around the bonus pools, a senior Major League Baseball official said the league would view such a practice as an attempt to circumvent the bonus pools and would respond with penalties. It’s not clear how MLB could realistically apply such a penalty, however.

Last year several teams had Venezuelan shortstop Franklin Barreto ranked as the No. 1 international prospect for July 2 and expected he would command $2 million. Yet his $1.45 million bonus from the Blue Jays wasn’t the highest in Latin America (the Mets gave Dominican shortstop Amed Rosario $1.75 million) or even in Venezuela, where lefthander Jose Castillo got $1.55 million from Tampa Bay.

In March 2012, the Blue Jays signed lefthander Jonathan Torres for $520,000, the biggest bonus for any Venezuelan player signed in 2012 before July 2. Like Barreto, Torres also trained with Ciro Barrios, and their combined bonuses were $1.97 million. Several teams said they did not consider Torres to be a high-level prospect, while the Blue Jays said they saw Torres touch 93 mph as a 17-year-old but said he had an arm issue after he signed. Torres pitched in 11 games (four starts) last year in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, where he posted a 4.29 ERA with 24 strikeouts and 21 walks in 21 innings.

But teams and scouts have always tended to sign players from the same trainers or agents, for reasons that have nothing to do with bonus pools. The Blue Jays have signed a slew of Barrios’ players in recent years, including $1.3 million outfielder Wuilmer Becerra, $700,000 outfielder Jesus Gonzalez and $250,000 righthander Jesus Tinoco in 2011 alone. Plenty of other teams have similar patterns with other trainers.

“If I sign a guy tomorrow for $600,000,” one international director said last year, “how are they going to tell me that I don’t view him as being worth $600,000? They can’t prove that. That’s my scouting department’s opinion. So there’s no way they can stop that loophole.”

It’s also hard to see why MLB would expend a lot of energy investigating such deals because the bonus pools already restrain aggregate spending on international amateurs.

In a market where the agents and trainers, rather than the players and their families, are often the key decision-makers, moving money around to make sure the trainers are taken care of seems a likely practice. Doing package deals would be up to each team, trainer and theoretically the players and their families, and it would allow teams to get a deal done and save money in their 2013-14 pool.

Angrioter · June 14, 2013

1) Eloy Jiménez OF: Cubs $2.5-2.8M and scholarship

Padres, Blue Jays, Nats and Royals interested in him.

2) José Almonte OF: Texas $1.5M

White Sox and Yankees interested in him.

3) Rafael Devers 3B: Boston $1.25M

Oakland, Yankees and Texas interested in him.

4) Yeizon Irrizary SS: Texas $1.2M

Royals, Boston and Padres interested in him.

5) Luis Encarnación 3B: Phillies $850K-1M

Mets, Dodgers and M's interested in him.

6) Wilson Amador SS: Blue Jays and Astros $800K

Boston and Bravos interested in him.

7) Maikel Zapata OF: Padres $750K-1M

Cubs and Astros interested in him.

8) Lewin Díaz OF: Yankees and Twins $1.3M

Royals interested in him.

9) Anderson Franco 3B:. Padres and Mets $700K-$900K

Nats interested in him.

10) Lucas Tirado SS: Dodgers $800K

Royals and Angels interested in him.

ace3113 · June 14, 2013

Baseball America on some of the July 2 outfielders.

July 2 Notebook: International Outfielder Bonanza

June 14, 2013 by Ben Badler

The Red Sox have one of the biggest international bonus pools this year and are known to have strong interest in Dominican third baseman Rafael Devers. They have also been connected to Dominican outfielder Yohan Aybar (video), a lefty-throwing switch-hitter who trains with Juan Herrera (known as “Mon” in the Dominican Republic). Aybar can sign when he turns 16 on July 3 and could be in line for a mid-six-figure bonus. Aybar’s 6-foot-1, 150-pound frame offers plenty of projection, and he already shows good bat speed and doubles power now with the potential for more pop down the road. He’s an inconsistent hitter right now and an average runner with a strong arm and good actions in center field, although he could end up on a corner.

“He’s one of the top outfielders in the class,” said one scout. “He has crazy upside. He just kept improving and was trending up. I don’t care what the money says on some of these other guys, to me, he’s one of the top guys.”

• Some sources believed the Red Sox were showing interest in Venezuelan center fielder Freddy Rodriguez, but now the Rockies might be in the lead. Rodriguez, a 16-year-old lefthanded hitter who trains at Carlos Guillen’s academy, is 6-foot-1, 180 pounds with a sound swing, an advanced hitting approach for his age and projectable power. His arm is below-average at best.

• Another one of Guillen’s outfielders drawing attention for his hitting is Carlos Talavera (video), who can sign once he turns 16 on July 3. At 6 feet, 160 pounds, Talavera is a switch-hitter who some scouts like for his bat and ability to play center field. He has shown a bit of power to his pull side, though he mostly works the gaps and might not have as much power potential as Rodriguez. He might end up in a corner, but some scouts say he can play center field, with average to a tick above-average speed and a solid arm, so he could end up along the lines of Angel Pagan. Several sources said Talavera is one of the Cardinals’ primary targets and should be able to draw a mid-six-figure bonus.

• A third outfielder with Guillen, Mikey Edie (video), has been connected to the Giants. Edie, who also turns 16 on July 3, traveled to Williamsport, Pa., to play for Venezuela in the Little League World Series in 2009. He has developed into one of the best athletes and fastest runners in Venezuela this year, with excellent speed and quick-twitch actions. At 6 feet, 165 pounds, Edie has the tools to project as a center fielder, but his righthanded bat and baseball instincts will need time to catch up.

• Several teams felt the Astros were the team most likely to sign Venezuelan catcher Jose Herrera, with the Diamondbacks lurking. Now the belief is that the Diamondbacks are the most likely destination for Herrera, who should command a bonus of around $1 million. The switch-hitting Herrera is 5-foot-10, 180 pounds and has been catching for about a year, so his receiving is still a work in progress. Scouts say he should be able to stick at the position and offers offensive upside.

• Dominican outfielder Micker Zapata is 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and has more raw power than any hitter in this year’s July 2 class, earning a 70 grade on the 20-80 scale from some scouts. Whether he can make contact with enough frequency for it to come out in games is a question. At a May 30 game organized by MLB between July 2 prospects and Canada’s junior national team, Zapata went 1-for-4 with triple to right field, and he just missed a home run in his first plate appearance when it went foul. He’s expected to sign for more than $1 million, with the White Sox the favorites to land him.

ace3113 · June 14, 2013

1) Eloy Jiménez OF: Cubs $2.5-2.8M and scholarship
Padres, Blue Jays, Nats and Royals interested in him.

6) Wilson Amador SS: Blue Jays and Astros $800K
Boston and Bravos interested in him.

Hey Angrioter, do you have a link to someone connecting us to Amador or Jimenez? I Haven't heard us on anyone other than Gudino yet. I'm hoping to hear us connected to more players, notably Asuncion.

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