Given the struggles on the field in 2009, many Nationals fans had circled June 9 on their calendars. It was on that date the Nationals selected right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg with the first overall selection in the Rule 4 Draft.
What most fans do not realize is that July 2 is almost as critical a date for the future of the organization.
On July 2, major league baseball teams can begin to sign the cream of the crop internationally. These are the players not covered by the Rule 4 draft (those being the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the other US territories). MLB’s rules dictate that international players who are 16 years old are eligible to sign with major league teams during the international signing period, which lasts from July 2 to Aug. 31. Any player who is 16 as of July 2 is eligible for selection on that date (players who turn 16 years old during the international signing period are eligible to sign with teams on their birthdays).
After the whole fiasco with Jose Rijo, Jim Bowden, Smiley Gonzalez, and allegations of bonus skimming, the Nationals have had to re-establish their international presence. After leaving Rijo’s academy in Loma del Sueño, the Nationals dropped one of their two teams in the Dominican Summer League (DSL), relocated to Boca Chica (reportedly temporarily), and brought in a new set of personnel to oversee their Latin American operations. After a week or so of being the story of the Nationals, the story there went to the back burner until the DSL season kicked off at the end of May with a handful of new names on the roster.
Nationals Acting General Manager made it known in April that, “[the Nationals] definitely plan on being active. We are going to sign prospects. We are going to be bigger players in July. With Fernando [Ravelo] knowing as many people as he does, we’re going to be fine. I think we’re highly respected down there. Now we have to go and put the resources down to sign the players.”
But early indications coming out from Latin America are that the Nationals are not linked to any of the bigger names available to sign on July 2. The rumors are that the Nationals are going to have to spend the bulk of their budget on Strasburg, leaving little for the bigger names from Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and elsewhere.
For those interested, here are a list of some of the more heralded names on the international market (gathered from Baseball America, ESPN’s La Esquina, and Kiley McDaniel):
- Dominican SS Miguel Angel Sano - Right-handed; Considered the top overall prospect internationally; already 6′3″ 190-lbs with “advanced speed and power for his age”; compared to Evan Longoria; Most think he’ll end up as a corner IF or OF; Pirates are the name most mentioned, but the Yankees, Orioles, Indians, & Cardinals (among others) have also been mentioned … he’s going to get a huge payday, some reports have it at $3.5M
- Dominican OF Wagner Mateo – Left-handed; top OF on the market; line-drive hitter; likely to move to corner OF but playing CF now; plus speed; Cardinals, Giants & Cubs linked to him with a $2M+ bonus
- Dominican SS Jose Vinico – Switch-hitter; skinny kid but projectable frame; likely to stick at SS; linked to Red Sox with a $2M bonus(can’t sign until July 10)
- Dominican CA Gary Sanchez – right-handed; plus bat speed & power; great athleticism behind the plate; linked to Yankees with $2.5 to 3M bonus
- Dominican OF Guillermo Pimentel – left-handed; short swing, advanced approach for his age, good power; linked initially to Rangers but latest reports have him with Mariners for $2M bonus
- Dominican CA Jacob Beltre – big kid (6′5″), might not stick at CA but has strong arm (was a 3B); can hit for power to all fields; not linked to any specific team but rumors have him seeking a seven-figure bonus
- Domincian SS Santo Luis Aybar – right-handed; likely to move off SS (3B or OF); athletic but needs to work on mechanics; linked to Padres
- Dominican SS Jairo Kelly – switch-hitter; not a toolsy guy, line-drive hitter but no power; perhaps better as a 2B; linked to Mets
- Dominican SS Rosel Herrera – switch-hitter; below average speed but good power; likely an OF as he develops; not linked to any team
- Venezuelan SS Luis Sardinas – lanky SS with good hands; Yanks & Red Sox
- Venezuelan SS Humberto Valor – solid but not spectacular with good hands; not linked to any team
- Dominican SS Jorge Luis Polanco – switch-hitter; not eligible until July 5; above-average speed with hands/arm to stick at SS; tier below Sano/Vinicio but still solid
- Dominican SS Jean Carlos Valdez – ability to hit for power; likely a 3B/OF moving forward
- Venezuelan LHP Juan Urbina – The son of former major leaguer Ugueth reportedly throws “88-89 mph and up to 91 with a feel for a curveball”; he’s been linked to the Mets with a $700K bonus
- Venezuelan RHP Daniel Sanchez – Has a “91-92 mph fastball that touched 93 … throws hard [but] several scouts said they don’t expect him to gain much more velocity. He also shows a 77-80 mph breaking ball”; linked to Brewers
- Curacaoan RHP/SS Jurickson Profar – Most famous from his appearance in the 2005 Little League World Series; only 5′11″ but throws in the “low-90s with an 88-92 mpg fastball and a solid-average curveball, though some teams are concerned about his durability”; linked to the Rangers (possible high six figure bonus)
- Dominican RHP Leonardo Perdomo – “Throws 85-89mph”; also linked to Rangers (possible high six figure bonus)
- Dominican RHP Johendi Jiminian – “Fastball sits at 88-89 mph and touched 90-91 … with an advanced feel to spin a curveball … and an occasional sinker’; linked to the Rockies, Padres & Yankees
- Dominican LHP Victor Payano – “throws in the mid- to high-80s with good life on his fastball”; linked to Red Sox with a $900K bonus
- Dominican RHP Jochi Ogondo Bosio – “[H]as a power arm and power frame at 6′4″, 200-lbs’; linked to Yankees
- Dominican LHP Edgar Ferreira – 90-91 mph FB but raw; no links to any team
- Dominican RHP David Perez – 86-89mph FB w/ CB & C/U; no links to any team
And one European … German OF Max Kepler … left-handed; projectable with plus arm and above average speed; BA stated that Red Sox, Mets & Reds have all signed Germans before.
Bottom line is one week from today, the Nationals will have their first real opportunity to show if they are going to live up to the statement of ”definitely … being active” and actually begin the long-promised pillar of international growth. They might sign the Sanos or Sanchezes on the market, but it’s not unreasonable to expect them to be in on the next tier of international free agents.
#1 by expo_ram - June 25th, 2009 at 11:03
Given the FO track record, I just don’t see it……and it’s a shame.
#2 by cjrugger - June 25th, 2009 at 11:07
I dont want to be involved with the 2+ million guys, but Id love to see us pick up a couple of the 300-700K guys
#3 by mjames - June 25th, 2009 at 11:48
Really an uplifting report on the international draft. What else is new with these flaming dolts we call ownership and the FO. I wish these fools would take a (expletive) flying leap off the nearest bridge.
Oh – one other thing – we will not be signing Strasburg. – That you can take to the bank – onwership does not give a (expletive) because they save money and get the second pick next year. It never stops – just incompetence after incompetence while the Lerners make money. The Lerners and Kasten are playing the fans for suckers.
#4 by Dick - June 25th, 2009 at 12:15
Sano gets that money assuming his age checks out. There are rumblings about him.
#5 by Andrew Z. Stebbins - June 25th, 2009 at 12:29
Any organization that says they’re committed to building from within NEEDS to be active in the foreign talent-pool markets. This is a great opportunity that the Nationals should really take advantage of, every year. I’d be disappointed if they fail to sign two players on that list. They could use any of them.
#6 by Chris - June 25th, 2009 at 13:32
Care to make a wager on the Strasburg signing mjames?
#7 by VladiHondo - June 25th, 2009 at 13:56
Last year’s high was, I think, $90k spent on (again guessing) Alex Romero. Don’t see them going much higher for anybody, don’t see alot of signings – this is the toughest bit of info to get. Hopefully Brian can “influence” the Nats to giving the list – previously, we had to “divine” it.
#8 by Mark - June 25th, 2009 at 13:59
Sign Strasburg and the FO will be labeled as a Boras-buddies, ruining the team budget, weak minded, and market destroyers. Don’t sign him and be viewed as money pinching control freaks hell bent on destroying the franchise.
#9 by Mark - June 25th, 2009 at 14:16
Seems the int’l signing is one made up of long term one-on-one relationships and insider information sharing. I’m not sure how much of an “in” our guys have down there, or how experienced they are, but it helps to have those contacts within the orginzation – contacts I suspect we threw out the door along with J.Bowden. I believe it will take years to establish a solid reputation with inside contacts down there.
#10 by Greg - June 25th, 2009 at 14:22
“Nationals Acting General Manager made it known in April that, “[the Nationals] definitely plan on being active. We are going to sign prospects. We are going to be bigger players in July.”
It’s statements like these that give me grief.
#11 by Eric - June 25th, 2009 at 14:35
I see this as equivalent to our #10 overall pick Drew Storen… We won’t sign much and when we do “sign” someone they will be at rock bottom prices and won’t perform.
#12 by Chris - June 25th, 2009 at 14:53
NFA’s comment section is quickly becoming as unbearable as Nats Journal’s. It’s a shame – this used to be a place where asinine remarks were the exception, not the norm.
If Mike Rizzo was 1/3 as smart as some of the posters on this site think they are we’d be talking about a possible 5-peat right now.
#13 by VladiHondo - June 25th, 2009 at 15:23
Come on guys! Ravelo is the GM of Tigres de Licey, the top Dominican Winter League team. A man with that responsibility probably has all the insider contacts and relationships one can want.
If you follow the links above and look in comments, one of commenters had this to say about Ravelo:
“I know Fernando and he is an outstanding selection. He is superb at nurturing relationships with Dominican players and has an excellent eye for talent. He has built winners in his time with Licey and his integrity is unquestioned.”
We still might not go very high (max low 6 figures) but give us credit. We sent a damn good group of DSLers to the GCL this year and we found those under the old corrupt/sleazy system. Clean may take a little time, but at least all teams are wary of impropriety. We got a head start on the rest of them.
#14 by souldrummer - June 25th, 2009 at 15:32
Thanks, Brian. This is a really, really helpful post.
Not related, but did anyone see the movie “Sugar”? Gave me a whole new perspective on what life may be like for these players.
I’m not asking for them to bid with the Mets and Yanks for 1M+ prospects but just give us something to hope for.
As always, the info here is really helpful and has kept me weathering the storm with the big league club.
#15 by souldrummer - June 25th, 2009 at 15:52
The new post on Nationals Journal talks about a Kasten interview where he makes the following statement:
Chico Harlen writes, “But Kasten also addressed the Dominican issue, post-Smiley. He said, “we still have not developed the pipeline that we need to have. And this, I will tell you — on the player development level, this has been my biggest disappointment so far.” He then recited the basics of the Smiley story, Bowden’s suggested pursuit of this phenom, the Lerners’ approval of a seven-figure bonus, etc. Kasten then said, “We’ve certainly been set back by the missteps… Because this year we’re so heavily weighted in the draft, we know we won’t be able to make our next international push until 2010.” “
Everything they are doing right now suggests that they work on a pretty strict budget, Strasburg is the lion share of that budget, and they are committed to signing him. If Kasten, does not sign Strasburg, the credibility of this franchise is shot because it makes the signability focus of later picks and the lack of free agent signings all the more conspicuous.
#16 by Brian Oliver - June 25th, 2009 at 16:01
@souldrummer – Just read that myself. And to sumamrize my comment from NJ
Not surprising at all but BOOOOOO
#17 by John - June 25th, 2009 at 16:05
Don’t buy the 2010 line either. They’ll probably have Harper to sign and will go cheaper then as well.
I’ll be surprised if they ever sign a top tier guy. That’s just not the style of Kasten or Rizzo. the most I could see is a $1-2 million second tier guy. Everything in those two’s history suggests quantity over quality. That being said, they seem to have found some good players. Frias, Perez, Sanchez, and possibly a few others. Let’s see how they develop over time.
#18 by Sue Dinem - June 25th, 2009 at 17:14
There are worse things than being friendly with the agent that represents the best talent. I’ve never understood why people hate Scott Boras for doing what he is paid to do: Get the most money for his client. At some level it represents jealousy or ignorance (or probably both).
#19 by Ric - June 25th, 2009 at 21:31
The next international push will be the first. If I’m right, there are exactly three IFAs signed post-move to DC in the AAA, AA, A+ and A levels (Solano @ Syracuse; Martinez @ Harrisburg; Frias @ Hagerstown)