How Many of the TOP International Signings Make It?

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.

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• 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.

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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.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/international-affairs/2007/264683.html

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/international-affairs/2006/262506.html

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