http://m.mlb.com/news/article/228044602/revealing-top-30-international-prospects-list/?topicid=151437456

and http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2017?list=int

 

Figured this would be a good place for a new thread on the top international players.  Twins have the largest pool, I believe.  Twins are linked to #3, Jeffrey Marte, a short stop.

Yeah only a few guys on this list arn't already connected to a team. Those connections turn out to be pretty accurate. It been nice to see the Twins go after one more blue chipper, but history shows us biggest bonus isn't always the best prospect down the line... Unless your Sano.  

Yeah only a few guys on this list arn't already connected to a team. Those connections turn out to be pretty accurate. It been nice to see the Twins go after one more blue chipper, but history shows us biggest bonus isn't always the best prospect down the line... Unless your Sano.

Looking back at the 2009 class I only recognize Sano, Profar, and Polanco. Any of the other guys doing anything?

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/international-affairs/2009/268478.html

Here's a list of the highest paid international signings. A couple twins in the top 10

 

https://www.google.com/amp/www.baseballamerica.com/international/50-biggest-international-bonuses-of-all-time/%3Famphtml%3D1

 

Looking back at the 2009 class I only recognize Sano, Profar, and Polanco. Any of the other guys doing anything?

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/international-affairs/2009/268478.html

Gary Sanchez finally broke in with the Yankees. That was a strong draft class. Max Kepler was that year too. 

 

Also I forgot about Wagner Mateo. I think he never got out of A ball...

Edited May 5, 20179 yr by maxisagod

How did I not know there was a ball player named Lucius Fox?  And why is he wasting his time in the minors when he should be running Wayne Enterprises?

Gary Sanchez, C, for the New York Yankees has an unbelievably second half last year.

Edited May 7, 20179 yr by Siehbiscuit

How is it possible the Twins, with the largest draft pool, are only linked to one of the top 30, while several teams are linked to three or four?

How is it possible the Twins, with the largest draft pool, are only linked to one of the top 30, while several teams are linked to three or four?

Once you get past the top handful it really, truly is a crapshoot. I don't buy a top 30 international list. Being in on a top 3 guy is a good thing though.

 

Or they're saving their money for Otani...

 

Once you get past the top handful it really, truly is a crapshoot. I don't buy a top 30 international list. Being in on a top 3 guy is a good thing though.

Or they're saving their money for Otani...

 

hahahahaha.

 

good one. It truly did make me chuckle.

 

How is it possible the Twins, with the largest draft pool, are only linked to one of the top 30, while several teams are linked to three or four?

Yeah, that ticked me off too, especially since some of the teams are limited (or so I thought) this year.  How can the Yankees sign #4, 11 and 16?

Twins linked to Venezuelan OF Carlos Aguiar. Reported by Doogie Wolfson on his podcast last weekend, and Ben Badler of Baseball America. Not much out there, he born 8/28/01, so he'll be young for the signing period. He's already 6-3 190. Left handed power bat. Looks like a corner outfielder. Domincan Prospect League calls him a "toolsy outfielder with an athletic frame, strong arm, and lots of raw power...has a loose swing, with a lot of torque, which he is able to control. His swing mechanics are very similar to that of Oscar Taveras." 

Link to that article:

http://dplbaseball.com/player/carlos-aguiar/

 

Aguiar wasn't on top 20 mlb.con prospects, but if Badler is on him he's probably a significant prospect. Rankings after the top couple of international guys are relatively pointless in my mind.

 

Link to that article:
http://dplbaseball.com/player/carlos-aguiar/

Aguiar wasn't on top 20 mlb.con prospects, but if Badler is on him he's probably a significant prospect. Rankings after the top couple of international guys are relatively pointless in my mind.

 

15 years old: 6'3", 190.

 

Repeat.

 

For comparison's sake, Sano did not reach those numbers until he was 17...

 

15 years old: 6'3", 190.

 

Repeat.

 

For comparison's sake, Sano did not reach those numbers until he was 17...

 

My guess is he'll have a body closer to a NFL Tight End or a Defensive End, then a Offensive tackle or Running Back.  The videos show more of an athletic build. Right Fielder is a good projection. Center Fielder, no, not at all. 

Edited June 2, 20179 yr by maxisagod

Ben Badler profiled servral DR prospects inculding a "Twins target". Who was it? Jelfry Marte or a new name? 

 

Ben Badler profiled servral DR prospects inculding a "Twins target". Who was it? Jelfry Marte or a new name? 

Mauro Bonifacio, of, Dominican Republic

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF6jLoJI2kQ

 

It’s hard to miss Bonifacio. He’s built like a tight end in football at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds and he moves well for his size, running the 60-yard dash as fast as 6.7 seconds, which is above-average speed at his best. A righthanded-hitting corner outfielder, Bonifacio shows promising power potential and can take balls out to his pull side in BP, but his swing isn’t the most fluid and he will need to make adjustments to perform better against live pitching. He’s also the youngest player in the class, eligible to sign once he turns 16 on Aug. 31 (had he been born on Sept. 1, he would have had to wait until July 2, 2018 to sign). Bonifacio trains with Wellington Gonzalez and has been linked to the Twins.

 

 

 

With Aguiar and Bonifacio, Twins going after some big boys.

 

With Aguiar and Bonifacio, Twins going after some big boys.

 

I've got no problems with this.  Sano has certainly done well for them.  These guys won't be SS, but if they are athletic enough to man a corner spot with competent defense, they could be difference makers at the plate.

Luis Sardinas UT/AAAA player for the Padres

Cuthbert fringe mlb with the Royals

Victor Payano  AAA or AA in Miami's system

Johendi Jiminian, Colorado AAA

Rosel Herrera Colorado AAA one time top 100 prospect a few years ago

Santiago Nes Independent league

 

I guess the Twins won that year for the ranked players

Bogarts , Jose Ramirez, Domingo Santana, Eduardo Rodriguez  and Maikel Franco were not ranked thus giving an impression that these rankings do not mean a whole lot.

They really don't... these are 16 year old kids... way too much can happen simply in terms of life type things... some kids top out at height at 16.  Some don't do it until 20.  Most still have room to grow. 

They really don't... these are 16 year old kids... way too much can happen simply in terms of life type things... some kids top out at height at 16.  Some don't do it until 20.  Most still have room to grow. 

Not merely height, but overall physique. Without bothering to check, I will guess that before/after photos of Ervin Santana in his teens/30s are not nearly as hilarious as of Kent Hrbek. It's not totally unpredictable, especially with some family history to look at, but you can't know for sure at age 16.

Those rankings do not mean that much, esp. for the kids that are unranked.  There are 15 year olds there who just do not look like much at 15, but at 17 and 18 blossom.   It is hard to evaluate High School graduates for the draft.  Imagine evaluating HS freshmen and sophomores, because that's the age comparable.  Thus the bias most prospect evaluators stateside towards players who were drafted and against young IFAs.  Eg. In 2009 The Twins drafted Gibson, Bashore, Bullock (never mind), Tootle with their first 4 picks and signed Sano, Polanco, Kepler.  Here were the Twins 2010 top prospects according to BA (Manuel) :

 

1. Kyle Gibson, rhp
2. Aaron Hicks, of
3. Miguel Sano, 3b/ss
4. Joe Benson, of
5. Ben Revere, of
6. Liam Hendriks, rhp
7. Alex Wimmers, rhp
8. Adrian Salcedo, rhp
9. Oswaldo Arcia, of
10. Carlos Gutierrez, rhp

 

Which included all the past 1st Round picks who did not make it in the majors (Hicks, Revere, Wimmers, Gutierrez)  and only a handful of IFAs (6-8) and Sano, who should had been number 1, of course.

Someone good at data-mining the vast amount of genealogy online and elsewhere could probably make themselves useful with a ballclub. At age 15 I'd go with bloodlines plus demonstrated interest in the game.

 

Those rankings do not mean that much, esp. for the kids that are unranked.  There are 15 year olds there who just do not look like much at 15, but at 17 and 18 blossom.   It is hard to evaluate High School graduates for the draft.  Imagine evaluating HS freshmen and sophomores, because that's the age comparable.  Thus the bias most prospect evaluators stateside towards players who were drafted and against young IFAs.  Eg. In 2009 The Twins drafted Gibson, Bashore, Bullock (never mind), Tootle with their first 4 picks and signed Sano, Polanco, Kepler.  Here were the Twins 2010 top prospects according to BA (Manuel) :

 

1. Kyle Gibson, rhp
2. Aaron Hicks, of
3. Miguel Sano, 3b/ss
4. Joe Benson, of
5. Ben Revere, of
6. Liam Hendriks, rhp
7. Alex Wimmers, rhp
8. Adrian Salcedo, rhp
9. Oswaldo Arcia, of
10. Carlos Gutierrez, rhp

 

Which included all the past 1st Round picks who did not make it in the majors (Hicks, Revere, Wimmers, Gutierrez)  and only a handful of IFAs (6-8) and Sano, who should had been number 1, of course.

 

Hicks and Revere didn't make it in the majors? could have fooled me.

 

that list looks pretty accurate, actually, given how little would have been known about Sano and his likelihood of being great, at that time. 

Ben Badler came out with his 2017 Top 50 International Prospects For July 2.  Jelfry Marte is 13, Carlos Aguiar 30, Mauro Bonifacio 34. From what little I've read there is two guys clearly at the top of this class (Wander Franco and Daniel Flores) after that, things get muddled. There are a few VZ names not attached to anybody, but I'm guessing the Twins have already commited to their big names. Wonder what Auzzies or Europeans the Twins will also sign. 

 

Ben Badler came out with his 2017 Top 50 International Prospects For July 2. Jelfry Marte is 13, Carlos Aguiar 30, Mauro Bonifacio 34. From what little I've read there is two guys clearly at the top of this class (Wander Franco and Daniel Flores) after that, things get muddled. There are a few VZ names not attached to anybody, but I'm guessing the Twins have already commited to their big names. Wonder what Auzzies or Europeans the Twins will also sign.

In other rankings Marte is 3 or 4. Interesting on the spread.

 

Probably another example that after the elite guys (in this case 2 or them) rankings are relatively pointless.