Article: How Many of the TOP International Signings Make It?

[jorgenswest]

Download attachment: Sano_Miguel_Landscape.jpg The Yankees gamed the international signing system this year. With a limit of $2.2 million to spend, they poured over $13M at top signees - on the first day. In doing so they gave up the right to sign players to more than $300,000 over the next two years and must pay a 100% tax.

 

This is in stark contrast to the Twins strategy. The Twins top signee is pitcher Huascar Ynoa, who they signed for $800,000. Is the Yankees strategy worth it? How easy is it to determine the best players to have signed at age 16? Should the Twins look at something similar?

 

In order to help answer that question I went to look at the top signings of the 2007 and 2006 seasons. Players signed in those seasons have now had 7 or 8 years to develop. They needed to be put on 40 man rosters or exposed to the Rule 5 draft by 2011. They have used some of their options.

 

This is a list from Baseball America of the top 20 signings in 2007.

 

[TABLE]

PLAYER, POS.

ORGANIZATION

AGE

COUNTRY

SIGNING BONUS

 

Michael Almanzar, 3b

Red Sox

16

DR

$1.5 million

Kelvin De Leon, of

Yankees

16

DR

$1.1 million

Jharmidy DeJesus, ss

Mariners

16

DR

$1 million

Julio Teheran, rhp

Braves

16

Colombia

$850,000

Gabriel Noriega, ss

Mariners

16

Venezuela

$800,000

Arodys Vizcaino, rhp

Yankees

16

DR

$800,000

Elio De La Rosa, 3b

Yankees

16

DR

$750,000

Jonathan Spraut (Galvez), ss

Padres

16

DR

$750,000

Wilmer Flores, ss

Mets

16

Venezuela

$700,000

Henry Pena, of

Yankees

16

DR

$600,000

Martin Perez. lhp

Rangers

16

Venezuela

$580,000

Wilson Suero, ss

Rangers

16

DR

$558,000

Jefry Marte, 3b

Mets

16

DR

$550,000

Eduardo Sosa, of

Yankees

16

Venezuela

$500,000

Ryde Rodriguez, of

Cardinals

19

Cuba

$460,000

Hitaniel Arias, of

Brewers

16

DR

$450,000

Efrain Nunez, of

Mariners

16

DR

$450,000

Cesar Puello, of

Mets

16

DR

$400,000

Angel Joseph, of

Giants

16

DR

$350,000

Kevin Moscatel, c

Cardinals

16

Venezuela

$350,000

[/TABLE]

 

• It would be great to have Julio Teheran.
• Martin Perez has started 34 games in the majors and has a pitch to contact profile. He is out with Tommy John surgey.
• Arodys Vizcaino has been traded twice and missed two seasons due to serious injury. He is now a reliever in the Cubs system.
• The Mets put Wilmer Flores and Cesar Puello on the 40 man roster in 2011. Flores may make it as a SS, but he may never hit. Puello is struggling mightily to hit as a corner OF in the PCL.

 

Those are the success stories. They are the players that made it to the 40 man roster. Some of the rest are still playing ball, but they have become available in the Rule 5 draft. There were two players that I was not able to find any record of having played any baseball. One is Wilson Suero who probably really wasn’t Wilson Suero. The other was Angel Joseph. Go to Baseball Reference and do a search for Angel Joseph. You won’t find him either. They do lead you to another player.

 

You probably noticed that there were no Twins on the list. Jeremy and Seth can correct me but I believe that Oswaldo Arcia, Danny Santana and Liam Hendriks were international signings in 2007.

 

How about 2006? These players are at least 24 years old now.

[TABLE]

Player, Pos.

Organization

Country

Signing Bonus

 

Angel Villalona, 3b

Giants

DR

$2.1 million

Jesus Montero, c

Yankees

Venezuela

$1.65 million

Esmailyn Gonzalez, ss

Nationals

DR

$1.4 million

Carlos Truinfel, ss

Mariners

DR

$1.3 million

Young Il-Jung, rhp

Angels

South Korea

$1 million

Larry Suarez, rhp

Cubs

Venezuela

$850,000

Francisco Pena, c

Mets

DR

$750,000

Balbino Fuenmayor, 3b

Blue Jays

Venezuela

$725,000

Mario Martinez, of

Mariners

Venezuela

$600,000

Engel Beltre, of

Red Sox

DR

$600,000

Oscar Tejada, ss

Red Sox

DR

$525,000

Manuel Solis, 3b

Rangers

DR

$525,000

[/TABLE]

A few of these guys have played in the majors.

 

• Jesus Montero is looking for a position and trying to figure out how to hit major league pitching well enough to be a DH.
• Carlos Triunfel has played in the majors. He was DFA’d when he ran out of options this years and is now in the Dodger organization
• Francisco Pena has played a game in the majors. The Royals acquired him as a minor league free agent.
• Engel Beltre is on the 40 man roster with the Rangers and played a few games last year. He is currently on 60 day DL.

A few other notes…

 

• Angel Villalona was arrested on suspicion of murder and lost two years due to visa restrictions. He is on the 40 for the Giants and playing AA.
• Esmailyn Gonzalez is really Carlos Alvarez and made it to rookie ball as a 27 year old in 2013.

 

How about the Twins? Josmil Pinto was a 2006 signing. Any others make it?

 

Two years of top signings and so far only Julio Teheran stands out. Were the Yankees correct in their strategy? Volume gives them a chance. It is hard to tell which 16 year old is going to be Julio Teheran so they threw their money at a lot of 16 year olds. Will they be lucky enough that some of their money landed on a Teheran?

 

http://www.baseballa...007/264683.html

 

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 [/hr]Twins beat up Seattle last night, so on Thursday you can get a half price large or extra-large pizza from PapaJohns.com by using the promo code 'TWINSWIN'.

 

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