TOREY CARRASCO, SS
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Chicago for $8.4M
Carrasco is an excellent defensive shortstop with good speed who projects to be a decent ML hitter, with average contact and power and an above-average batting eye. He's good enough with the glove to merit a spot in a big-league starting lineup someday, but will probably spend his career at the bottom of the batting order.
Season 13 stats: .300/.424/.375, 1 HR, 0 SB in 19 games (Rookie League)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Late Round 1/Supplemental Round
Signing Bonus Value: B-
YUSMEIRO CORTAZAR, RHP
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Scranton for $13.7M
Cortazar is the best reliever to come out of the international market this season, with a 1-2 punch of fastball and curve that both project to be among the best pitches in the bigs someday. He throws them with oustanding control and velocity and is equally effective against lefties and righties. His poor stamina and durability limit how much he can be used, but he's still terrifically effective at getting outs.
Season 13 stats: 2.29 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 10 BB, 46 SO in 39 1/3 innings (Low A)
Player Potential:
Draft equivalent: Mid/Late Round 1
Signing Bonus Value: B
ALBERT CORTES, RHP
Age 18 - Panama
Signed by Scranton for $13.6M
Cortes is another excellent two-pitch reliever. Like Cortazar, he throws very hard and has very good control, and although his pitches (a fastball and palmball) aren't quite as impressive, they certainly have great potential. Unlike Cortazar, Cortes has the durability to see frequent use as a setup man or closer.
Season 13 stats: Did not play (Signed late in season)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Mid/Late Round 1
Signing Bonus Value: B
CESAR GONZALES, 1B/LF
Age 19 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Fargo for $30.0M
Gonzales became the best hitting prospect in the league the moment he signed. What else can you say about someone who projects to have perfect 100 ratings in not one, but two separate hitting categories? He's not much of a fielder or baserunner, but when you can hit like he does, who's to complain? A $30M signing bonus isn't a great value for anybody, but Gonzales almost totally justifies it.
Season 13 stats: .322/.409/.774, 58 HR, 1 SB in 112 games (High A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Top 5
Signing Bonus Value: B+
PEDRO JAMES, DH
Age 20 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Helena for $4.3M
James is one of the best pure hitters to enter the pro ranks this season, either through the draft or free agency. However, when I say "pure hitter", I really mean it: he can't field any position, run the bases, or condition himself well enough to play more than 2/3 of a big-league season. Still, a hitter like James will have a place in the majors someday, no matter what his deficiencies.
Season 13 stats: .444/.563/.937, 22 HR, 0 SB in 56 games (Rookie League)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Supplemental Round/Round 2
Signing Bonus Value: A
JIN-CHE KATOU, RHP
Age 18 - Japan
Signed by Minnesota for $16.0M
A high-school star in Japan, Katou bypassed the J-Leagues altogether to play in the states - a wise choice considering his potential. A finesse pitcher with excellent control and a killer sinkerball, Katou will make a great #2 starter someday so long as his low makeup doesn't hinder his development too much.
Season 13 stats: 2.45 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 14 BB, 60 SO in 62 1/3 innings (Rookie League)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Top 10
Signing Bonus Value: A-
PASCUAL LEE, SS
Age 18 - Mexico
Signed by New York for $15.0M
Lee is very good at a lot of things, but not truly great at any of them. He projects to hit for good contact and power, have good speed, and should be a good fielder at his position; about the only tool he has that's truly outstanding is a great eye at the plate. He should be a good everyday SS someday, but don't count on him being a truly distinguished one in any way.
Season 13 stats: .316/.430/.480, 6 HR, 10 SB in 77 games (Low A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Early/Mid Round 1
Signing Bonus Value: B
GERONIMO LOPEZ, LF/RF
Age 22 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Washington for $6.0M
Lopez is a near-ML-ready prospect who is already a top power hitter with very good speed. He's a free swinger who has mediocre contact-hitting and batting-eye skills, but he can slug with the best of them. There's not much room for Lopez to grow as a player, but he should make an impact at the big-league level very soon.
Season 13 stats: .297/.355/.590, 22 HR, 10 SB in 79 games (AAA)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Mid/Late Round 1
Signing Bonus Value: A
MARTIN MA, LHP
Age 22 - South Korea
Signed by Huntington for $11.8M
Ma is a hard-throwing left-hander with good control and an outstanding split-finger fastball. However, none of his three other pitches really have better-than-average potential, and he's a bit weak against right-handed hitters. He'll find his way into a major-league rotation someday (and likely soon, given his age), but his potential doesn't seem to match his near-$12M signing bonus.
Season 13 stats: 1.16 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 5 BB, 18 SO in 31 innings (AA)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Mid/Late Round 1
Signing Bonus Value: C
GORKYS MONTANEZ, RHP
Age 22 - Venezuela
Signed by Syracuse for $14.8M
Montanez is a dependable righty reliever with a hellacious sinkerball, a solid changeup, and good control. He's not a spectacular player by any means, but he does have the advantage of already being good enough to contribute at the ML level - no need to wait for him to develop. This was still a high price for the Sandmen to pay for him, though.
Season 13 stats: 1.13 ERA, 0.63 WHIP, 2 BB, 8 SO in 8 innings (ML)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Late Round 1/Supplemental Round
Signing Bonus Value: C+
ARMANDO MORENO, RF
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Vancouver for $17.2M
Moreno is a truly terrific hitter and one of the highest-impact prospects to surface either in the draft or the international market this season. He excels in every way at the plate, and projects to be a fine corner outfielder to boot. It's quite honestly amazing that the Grizzles managed to get their paws on him for less than $20 million.
Season 13 stats: .276/.400/.538, 18 HR, 0 SB in 78 games (High A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Top 5
Signing Bonus Value: A
GIOMAR ORTEGA, SS
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Louisville for $17.0M
Ortega is one of the best all-around shortstop prospects to enter the league in years. He projects to be an excellent fielder at his position, has lots of speed, and hits well for both power and contact with a good eye at the plate. He's not quite "all-world" quality either offensively or defensively, but he's near the top in both categories. This is an excellent signing for the money.
Season 13 stats: .000/.000/.000, 0 HR, 0 SB in 1 game (Rookie League)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Top 10
Signing Bonus Value: A
ALFONSO OZUNA, RHP
Age 18 - Cuba
Signed by San Francisco for $4.3M
Ozuna doesn't quite belong as either a starter or reliever. He projects to have a starter's stamina, but with just three pitches - only one of which is truly good - he would probably do much better out of the bullpen. Overall, nothing about him is truly impressive, and other pitchers this good could be had for half as much.
Season 13 stats: 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 1 BB, 10 SO in 6 innings (Rookie League)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Round 2/Round 3
Signing Bonus Value: C
KENDRY ROQUE, RHP
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by San Juan for $4.9M
Roque is a hard-throwing starter with good control who comes equipped with mediocre L/R splits and an arsenal of good-but-not-great pitches. He projects to have plenty of stamina, but that's not terribly valuable if he's not very good in the first place. At best, Roque has the potential to be a back-of-the-rotation starter.
Season 13 stats: 3.32 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 44 BB, 109 SO in 132 2/3 innings (Low A/High A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Round 2/Round 3
Signing Bonus Value: C-
AL SANCHES, 2B/LF
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by San Juan for $5.7M
Sanches is one of the best values of any IFA signing this season. He projects to be a very good switch-hitting slugger with top-notch speed and a discerning batting eye. He likely doesn't have the fielding ability to stay at second base, but he'll likely make a very good LF someday. Sanches is nearly a four-star prospect, and San Juan brought him in for a two-star price.
Season 13 stats: .326/.404/.639, 20 HR, 12 SB in 74 games (Low A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Mid/Late Round 1
Signing Bonus Value: A+
FAUSTO SOLANO, RHP
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Syracuse for $4.6M
With excellent control and velocity paired with great pitch movement, Solano may have the best fastball of any international free agent this season. Unfortunately, none of his other three pitches are anything to write home about, and his projected L/R splits are merely average. Solano should be a decent back-end starter someday, but that's the extent of his potential.
Season 13 stats: 7.88 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, 4 BB, 14 SO in 8 innings (Low A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Round 2/Round 3
Signing Bonus Value: C
PEDRO TORRES, SS/3B
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by St. Louis for $6.0M
Torres boasts an excellent combination of power and speed and hits left-handers very well, but just about everything else about him is average. He projects to have average power, average batting eye, and should be an average - at best - fielder at the hot corner. (Forget about him staying a shortstop.) In spite of all his flaws, he has a good future and came at reasonable price.
Season 13 stats: .250/.400/.250, 0 HR, 0 SB in 1 game (Low A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Mid/Late Round 1
Signing Bonus Value: A
TITO WHANG, CF
Age 21 - Japan
Signed by Cincinnati for $31.0M
Once you get past his name (How does someone from Japan get a Hispanic first name and a Chinese last name, anyway?), Whang is a terrifically impressive prospect who only needs a bit of minor-league seasoning before being big-league ready. He projects to be very fast and an excellent hitter and fielder. $31M is almost certainly too much to pay, but players like Whang are few and far between.
Season 13 stats: .357/.427/.704, 40 HR, 44 SB in 142 games (Low A/High A/AA)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Top 5
Signing Bonus Value: B
Draft Equivalent: Top 5
Signing Bonus Value: B+
PEDRO JAMES, DH
Age 20 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Helena for $4.3M
James is one of the best pure hitters to enter the pro ranks this season, either through the draft or free agency. However, when I say "pure hitter", I really mean it: he can't field any position, run the bases, or condition himself well enough to play more than 2/3 of a big-league season. Still, a hitter like James will have a place in the majors someday, no matter what his deficiencies.
Season 13 stats: .444/.563/.937, 22 HR, 0 SB in 56 games (Rookie League)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Supplemental Round/Round 2
Signing Bonus Value: A
JIN-CHE KATOU, RHP
Age 18 - Japan
Signed by Minnesota for $16.0M
A high-school star in Japan, Katou bypassed the J-Leagues altogether to play in the states - a wise choice considering his potential. A finesse pitcher with excellent control and a killer sinkerball, Katou will make a great #2 starter someday so long as his low makeup doesn't hinder his development too much.
Season 13 stats: 2.45 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 14 BB, 60 SO in 62 1/3 innings (Rookie League)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Top 10
Signing Bonus Value: A-
PASCUAL LEE, SS
Age 18 - Mexico
Signed by New York for $15.0M
Lee is very good at a lot of things, but not truly great at any of them. He projects to hit for good contact and power, have good speed, and should be a good fielder at his position; about the only tool he has that's truly outstanding is a great eye at the plate. He should be a good everyday SS someday, but don't count on him being a truly distinguished one in any way.
Season 13 stats: .316/.430/.480, 6 HR, 10 SB in 77 games (Low A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Early/Mid Round 1
Signing Bonus Value: B
GERONIMO LOPEZ, LF/RF
Age 22 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Washington for $6.0M
Lopez is a near-ML-ready prospect who is already a top power hitter with very good speed. He's a free swinger who has mediocre contact-hitting and batting-eye skills, but he can slug with the best of them. There's not much room for Lopez to grow as a player, but he should make an impact at the big-league level very soon.
Season 13 stats: .297/.355/.590, 22 HR, 10 SB in 79 games (AAA)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Mid/Late Round 1
Signing Bonus Value: A
MARTIN MA, LHP
Age 22 - South Korea
Signed by Huntington for $11.8M
Ma is a hard-throwing left-hander with good control and an outstanding split-finger fastball. However, none of his three other pitches really have better-than-average potential, and he's a bit weak against right-handed hitters. He'll find his way into a major-league rotation someday (and likely soon, given his age), but his potential doesn't seem to match his near-$12M signing bonus.
Season 13 stats: 1.16 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 5 BB, 18 SO in 31 innings (AA)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Mid/Late Round 1
Signing Bonus Value: C
GORKYS MONTANEZ, RHP
Age 22 - Venezuela
Signed by Syracuse for $14.8M
Montanez is a dependable righty reliever with a hellacious sinkerball, a solid changeup, and good control. He's not a spectacular player by any means, but he does have the advantage of already being good enough to contribute at the ML level - no need to wait for him to develop. This was still a high price for the Sandmen to pay for him, though.
Season 13 stats: 1.13 ERA, 0.63 WHIP, 2 BB, 8 SO in 8 innings (ML)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Late Round 1/Supplemental Round
Signing Bonus Value: C+
ARMANDO MORENO, RF
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Vancouver for $17.2M
Moreno is a truly terrific hitter and one of the highest-impact prospects to surface either in the draft or the international market this season. He excels in every way at the plate, and projects to be a fine corner outfielder to boot. It's quite honestly amazing that the Grizzles managed to get their paws on him for less than $20 million.
Season 13 stats: .276/.400/.538, 18 HR, 0 SB in 78 games (High A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Top 5
Signing Bonus Value: A
GIOMAR ORTEGA, SS
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Louisville for $17.0M
Ortega is one of the best all-around shortstop prospects to enter the league in years. He projects to be an excellent fielder at his position, has lots of speed, and hits well for both power and contact with a good eye at the plate. He's not quite "all-world" quality either offensively or defensively, but he's near the top in both categories. This is an excellent signing for the money.
Season 13 stats: .000/.000/.000, 0 HR, 0 SB in 1 game (Rookie League)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Top 10
Signing Bonus Value: A
ALFONSO OZUNA, RHP
Age 18 - Cuba
Signed by San Francisco for $4.3M
Ozuna doesn't quite belong as either a starter or reliever. He projects to have a starter's stamina, but with just three pitches - only one of which is truly good - he would probably do much better out of the bullpen. Overall, nothing about him is truly impressive, and other pitchers this good could be had for half as much.
Season 13 stats: 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 1 BB, 10 SO in 6 innings (Rookie League)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Round 2/Round 3
Signing Bonus Value: C
KENDRY ROQUE, RHP
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by San Juan for $4.9M
Roque is a hard-throwing starter with good control who comes equipped with mediocre L/R splits and an arsenal of good-but-not-great pitches. He projects to have plenty of stamina, but that's not terribly valuable if he's not very good in the first place. At best, Roque has the potential to be a back-of-the-rotation starter.
Season 13 stats: 3.32 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 44 BB, 109 SO in 132 2/3 innings (Low A/High A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Round 2/Round 3
Signing Bonus Value: C-
AL SANCHES, 2B/LF
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by San Juan for $5.7M
Sanches is one of the best values of any IFA signing this season. He projects to be a very good switch-hitting slugger with top-notch speed and a discerning batting eye. He likely doesn't have the fielding ability to stay at second base, but he'll likely make a very good LF someday. Sanches is nearly a four-star prospect, and San Juan brought him in for a two-star price.
Season 13 stats: .326/.404/.639, 20 HR, 12 SB in 74 games (Low A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Mid/Late Round 1
Signing Bonus Value: A+
FAUSTO SOLANO, RHP
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by Syracuse for $4.6M
With excellent control and velocity paired with great pitch movement, Solano may have the best fastball of any international free agent this season. Unfortunately, none of his other three pitches are anything to write home about, and his projected L/R splits are merely average. Solano should be a decent back-end starter someday, but that's the extent of his potential.
Season 13 stats: 7.88 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, 4 BB, 14 SO in 8 innings (Low A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Round 2/Round 3
Signing Bonus Value: C
PEDRO TORRES, SS/3B
Age 18 - Dominican Republic
Signed by St. Louis for $6.0M
Torres boasts an excellent combination of power and speed and hits left-handers very well, but just about everything else about him is average. He projects to have average power, average batting eye, and should be an average - at best - fielder at the hot corner. (Forget about him staying a shortstop.) In spite of all his flaws, he has a good future and came at reasonable price.
Season 13 stats: .250/.400/.250, 0 HR, 0 SB in 1 game (Low A)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Mid/Late Round 1
Signing Bonus Value: A
TITO WHANG, CF
Age 21 - Japan
Signed by Cincinnati for $31.0M
Once you get past his name (How does someone from Japan get a Hispanic first name and a Chinese last name, anyway?), Whang is a terrifically impressive prospect who only needs a bit of minor-league seasoning before being big-league ready. He projects to be very fast and an excellent hitter and fielder. $31M is almost certainly too much to pay, but players like Whang are few and far between.
Season 13 stats: .357/.427/.704, 40 HR, 44 SB in 142 games (Low A/High A/AA)
Player Potential:
Draft Equivalent: Top 5
Signing Bonus Value: B
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