July 2nd IFA Signing Thread

[ace3113]

 

 

 

If anyone wants to read scouting reports or watch video on the top prospects go here:

 

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

[flafson]

So we just need to figure out who that 4 that aren't taken yet and we will know who we bought, easy.

[flafson]

[ace3113]

Finally

[ace3113]

[ace3113]

[flafson]

Why do we only take SS, do they really think that every SS from Latin America is the next Reyes?

[ace3113]

The mystery of the other two IFA's finally solved. I'll have to check my BA articles but I'm pretty sure they're not listed.

 

 

[ace3113]

[DuckDuckGose]

Ace sent me these a little bit ago, they've already been posted but, to save people from digging;

 

 

 

8. Yeltsin Gudino, ss, VenezuelaBorn: Jan. 17, 1997. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 155. B-T: R-R.

 

The top prospect this year from Carlos Guillen’s academy, Gudino was the shortstop and leadoff hitter for the Venezuelan youth national team that hosted the Pan American Championship in August 2011. One year later, he won a gold medal in Mexico at the 15U World Championship, where he hit .458/.611/.833 with a double, three triples, 10 walks and three strikeouts, with five stolen bases in six attempts.

Gudino doesn’t have one true plus tool but is a polished player, a true shortstop who hits in games and should see his tools improve once he adds strength to his thin frame. He stays inside the ball with a short, efficient swing and good bat path. He shows strong strike-zone discipline with the ability to lay off pitches off the plate, and good bat control. He will never be a big power threat and lacks strength, which makes some scouts wonder how much impact he will have. He’s more of a line-drive hitter who uses the middle of the field and will work the gaps.

Gudino’s high baseball IQ and awareness are evident in all facets of the game. He’s a smooth fielder with good hands who reads hops well and has sound fundamentals. He is an average runner with an average arm. He’s advanced enough that he should be able to jump to the U.S. next year without much difficulty. Some scouts think Yrziarri has louder tools, but consider Gudino a safer bet. The Blue Jays have zeroed in on Gudino as one of their top targets this year.

18. Freddy Rodriguez, of, VenezuelaBorn: Nov. 15, 1996. Ht: 6-1. Wt.: 180. B-T: L-R.

 

Rodriguez is one of several players from Carlos Guillen’s academy who stand out for their baseball instincts and ability to perform in games, including Yeltsin Gudino, Carlos Talavera and Nestor Tejada. Rodriguez earns praise for his hitting, with a solid approach and a compact swing with good bat path from the left side, though he some scouts think he misses too many hittable fastballs. He’s a gap hitter with the size to project more sock in the future. He has advanced baseball skills and solid tools.

Rodriguez has run above-average times in the 60-yard dash, so he has the present speed to play center field and a chance to stay there. His weakest tool is his arm. He doesn’t throw well and pushes the ball with a strange arm stroke. If he slows down, he would have to move to left field, which would place a greater demand on his bat. Rodriguez has been tied to the Red Sox and then the Rockies, but now some sources believe the Blue Jays might be the team that signs him.

[ace3113]

Does anyone else feel as underwhelmed with our IFA signings as they were with our draft cause I do.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like Gudino, I'm luke warm on Rodriguez, but it seems like every other team signed three or four consensus top guys (I could be mistaken).

[flafson]

They are all a roll of the dice anyway, only time will tell.

Maybe they think rolling the dice on 2 good guys and 12 not so good guys is better than 3 good guys and 0 not so good guys.

[ace3113]

I hope so. Just looking at last year when we signed the #1 ranked guy and the #12 ranked guy by BA and they seem to be doing pretty well. At least we got two guys considered to have relatively polished bats, particularly Gudino.

[flafson]

I still want to know why everyone in the DR is a SS, if they all wanted to be like Reyes they would have come to us for pennies.

[ace3113]

A complete list of players who have or haven't signed.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/international/where-the-top-30-international-prospects-have-signed/

[ace3113]

There are 30 teams, and Gudino and Rodriguez are consensus top 30. So it seems we did pretty well I guess?

 

I'm going to have to see/read more about Rodriguez I guess. Gudino is the gem so far of our signings, hopefully the rest are just diamonds in the rough.

[DuckDuckGose]

Does anyone else feel as underwhelmed with our IFA signings as they were with our draft cause I do.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like Gudino, I'm luke warm on Rodriguez, but it seems like every other team signed three or four consensus top guys (I could be mistaken).

 

I don't know enough about the other guys but I like the sounds of Gaudino. Up the middle talents who can do everything fairly well are always hard to get a hold of.

 

Plus the concentration on high upside bats makes up for going so pitching heavy this draft.

 

Now sign Tellez, Brentz and Bickford AA

[DuckDuckGose]

There are 30 teams, and Gudino and Rodriguez are consensus top 30. So it seems we did pretty well I guess?

 

Take out all the guys the Rangers and Cubs signed and it probably looks like AA did even better.

[ace3113]

Did the Rangers and Cubs get more good guys or were they just the first to strike on lesser prospects?

 

Both also grabbed only two top-30 BA guys. People are acting as if they've plundered the market and that's not the case.

 

I think the Rangers & Cubs got 3 each 4 if you count other scout sites.

 

Cubs:

(BA) 1. Eloy Jimenez

(BA) 2. Gleyber Torres

(BA) 16. Erling Moreno

(Sickels) 22. Jefferson Mejia

 

Rangers:

(BA) 6. Marcos Diplan

(BA) 7. Yeyson Yrizarri

(MLB) 13. Jose Almonte

(BA) 26. Michael de Leon

[Angrioter]

Thanks God we signed 4 guys today.

[DuckDuckGose]

I think the Rangers & Cubs got 3 each 4 if you count other scout sites.

 

Cubs:

(BA) 1. Eloy Jimenez

(BA) 2. Gleyber Torres

(BA) 16. Erling Moreno

(Sickels) 22. Jefferson Mejia

 

Rangers:

(BA) 6. Marcos Diplan

(BA) 7. Yeyson Yrizarri

(MLB) 13. Jose Almonte

(BA) 26. Michael de Leon

 

I'm interested to see just how far over their respective budgets they went. That's a haul for both those teams given the new amateur IFA rules.

[DuckDuckGose]

Did the Rangers and Cubs get more good guys or were they just the first to strike on lesser prospects?

 

Both also grabbed only two top-30 BA guys. People are acting as if they've plundered the market and that's not the case.

 

I really have no idea, Twitter was blowing up like they were the only two teams to sign big name guys.

[imsorry4beatinU]

Anybody know who are the 10 other players?

[flafson]

Anybody know who are the 10 other players?

 

I kinda think when they said 14, it was a typo and they meant 4, but we will see.

[Angrioter]

Freddy "CarGo" Rodriguez

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MyoRguJTWM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV43-Fq8WpQ

 

Yeltsin "Vizquel" Gudino

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqKRrU3h4GU

[flafson]

Freddy "CarGo" Rodriguez

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MyoRguJTWM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV43-Fq8WpQ

 

Yeltsin "Vizquel" Gudino

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqKRrU3h4GU

 

They look pretty good. Gudino has the Bautista leg kick.

[ace3113]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Angrioter]

Edited July 3, 2013 by Angrioter

[ace3113]

 

Those are pretty high bonuses for guys most of the prospect guys have never heard about. Hopefully they're sleepers like Oscar Cabrera was.

[ace3113]