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International Signings Update for 2012

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The top of this list is as strong as it has been in years. It was a very good year for international talent.

Yasiel Puig
Yasiel Puig
Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Looking at International signings is very difficult. Honestly, I'm not sure if some of these guys signed in 2011 or were in 2012. I don't put a date on these guys when they sign, so I may have missed one or two guys or I may have added guys who were 2011 guys. It's something I need to improve on but it's hard to follow closely because they come from all over the world and many are under the radar signings. Though most of these guys got some press. The top of this list is very good and I'm sure many of these guys will be prospects, though this may be the only time you ever read some of these names. It really can be a shot in the dark with these guys.

Rank

Name


POS


Team


AGE 7-21-13


1


Jorge Soler


OF


Cubs


21.42


Big power potential, future star potential.

2


Hyun Jin Ryu


P


Dodgers


26.34


A chubby lefty for the Dodgers from another country. C'mon, you gotta be excited.

3


Jairo Beras


OF


Rangers


17.58


Big power potential but very raw.

4


Yasiel Puig


OF


Dodgers


22.64


Could be the best of the bunch but hard to say until anyone sees him in action. Tools are huge.

5


Gustavo Cabrera


OF


Giants


17.50


Solid overall package of tools. A lot of potential with the bat.

6


Luiz Gohara


P


Mariners


17-18


Fastball up to 94 with a nasty slider. Watch him for Brazil in the WBC.

7


Amaurys Minier


3B


Twins


17.48


Quick bat creates power. Not sold on the contact ability. Good defense at 3B.

8


Frandi Delarosa


SS


Cubs


17.50


Huge ceiling. Good actions up the middle will be plus at 3B or really good at SS. Bat will play at corners. Enormous potential if he can stick at SS.

9


Franklin Barreto


SS


Blue Jays


17.41


Good bat with very good speed. Could be an impact player if he is a plus defender in CF.

10


Nathanael Javier


3B


Giants


17.79


Nice swing, athletic. Has a few bad habits defensively. Could be very good all around player.

11


Luis Barrera


OF


Athletics


17.69


RAW. He has a lot of potential with the bat but is RAW in all parts of his game. Just awkward defensively. Swings out of his shoes.

12


Hiroyuki Nakajima


SS


Athletics


30.99


Might be the A's starting short stop, might be Tsuyoshi Nishioka part 2.

13


Luis Torrens


3B


Yankees


17.23


Very good defensively. Solid bat with a lot of offensive potential.

14


Yeralf Torres


P


Braves


17-18


Small framed guy with a big arm. Could gain a few ticks with strength and be an impact arm.

15


Wendell Rijo


SS


Red Sox


17.89


A bit older for a J2 guy, he has interesting tools across the board. One to watch.

16


Deivy Grullon


C


Phillies


17.44


Better defensively than offensively. Bat has potential. If he can hit .260 with 15 homers, he could be a top 15 MLB catcher.

17


Omar Luis Rodriguez


P


Yankees


19


Usually sits in the upper 80's, he has poise and has pitched well on the big stage of international competition. Has a breaking ball and a curveball but neither are polished pitches. Not officially signed yet.

18


Alexander Palma


OF


Yankees


17.77


Smooth swing, good power potential. Solid defensively. One of the more polished players in this years crop.

19


Hersin Martinez


OF


Mariners


18.41


Big framed corner outfielder that has a long ways to go to develop. He could add a lot of strength to his frame. The biggest question is if he will hit.

20


Yancarlos Baez


SS


Yankees


17.84


The best defensive outfielder of the class has room to grow at the plate and could be an average or better CF.

21


Richard Urena


SS


Blue Jays


17.50


Has a strong swing. Looks like a solid ss defensively. He has a big arm as well.

22


Grofy Cruz


SS


Indians


17-18


Solid overall package. Likely a 3B so bat will have to play up.

23


Mauricio Silva


P


Twins


17-18


Silva has a heavy sinker in the 90-93 range. He flashes a plus curve which is actually pretty rare in 16 year olds.

24


Ronny Carvajal


OF


Rangers


17.79


Will grow into a monster. Should add 40-50 LBS in a few years in the states. Who knows what that will do to him. Power will be his game.

25


Alex Reyes


P


Cardinals


18-19


New Jersey born player moved to Dominican and signed after waiting a year. Up to 94.

26


Amed Rosario


SS


Mets


17-18


Big bonus from Mets wasn’t consensus on him. I don't have a good feel for him.

27


Branly Crisotomo


P


Royals


18.75


Polished for a Dominican, he only hits upper 80's on the gun. Need to see what happens before expecting a lot.

28


Euri Minaya


OF


Padres


17.79


Has one swing and the ball needs to find his bat. Needs a lot of AB's but could pay off if he can figure things out.

29


Gustavo Perinan


SS


Blue Jays


17-18


He won't have prototypical power wherever he plays, as he has very little but he can hit and has a professional approach.

30


Jose Pujols


OF


Phillies


17.82


Big athletic RF with good arm and range. Plus bat speed will create power but will swing and miss a lot with current swing.

31


Leury Vargas


1B


Mariners


16.90


Massive kid and not overly athletic. Bat plays well and will have to play really well because he is a 1B all the way.

32


Luis Guzman


OF


Rockies


17.87


Good hitter, big bat potential

33


Manolo Reyes


P


Yankees


23.70


Can hit 99 MPH. Not officially signed yet.

34


Daniel McGrath


P


Red Sox


17-18


LHP up to 91. Will stay in Austrailia until graduation.

35


Jose Mujica


P


Rays


17.07


Good arm action. Nice movement on fastball. Not sure about the rest.