2019 International Signing Period Preview

Thanks for the early look at who the Twins may be signing next week, Cody.

Look at the Twins current roster.  Of the 15 position players on the team, I'm including the three on the IL as of yesterday, 8 are from Latin America and Kepler is from Germany.  

With 60% of the Twins position players signed as International Free Agents (not all signed by the Twins) it appears to me this is THE most important method of obtaining future talent.   

I like that the Twins are typically always in on at least one of the top ranked guys but they also have done pretty well with no name guys as well.  Here's hoping we grab some good ones this year.

It's always been a relationship-building exercise rather than a pure scouting and signing exercise in the D.R. That's why MacPhail, Smith, and Jim Pohlad badgered old Carl until he finally coughed up the multi-million dollar budget in the 90's that allowed the Twins to finally and very slowly establish a beachhead in the D.R.

This required both human and physical infrastructure. It began with building relationships and a good reputation with those buscones who were what you might call beneficent exploiters. It culminated in the establishment of that fabulous 45-acre facility jointly operated by the Twins and McPhail's Phillies. Kids who live and train there receive educational and cultural benefits as well as on-field training and development.

The various Top IFA prospect lists have always been a bit of a farce once you get past a few extraordinary athletic specimens. But it's not a complete crapshoot either, despite the immaturity of the prospects.

Teams with reputable and honest relationships and a physical presence like the Twins will be privy to what's going on outside of their own complex. They see these kids up close and interact with them over time because of their relationships with the buscones.

Dicey stuff happens, but not all teams are cutting deals. Sometimes it's simply a buildup of trust that a buscone is transparent and that a club will take a modicum of care in their treatment of a kid.

I like that the Twins are typically always in on at least one of the top ranked guys but they also have done pretty well with no name guys as well. Here's hoping we grab some good ones this year.

I really like a number of the no name guys from this years group.

IMO Fangraphs didn't like his physical tools (athleticism, frame).  Important predictors for star players to be sure but not always accurate especially for players this young.  

Twins and MLB site see future growth in the body and a very strong hit tool.  From what we have on the MLB site he runs above average and throws above average so its not like he lacks tools he just doesn't appear to have any really standout tools at this point which is what Fangraphs looks for and seems to give extra credit for.

Not that any of these write ups mean anything as they are best guesses but I am pretty sure Fangraphs and MLB didn't have Arreaz in their top 40's and it looks like he made it over a lot of guys predicted to have better tools\frame\athleticism etc.

The Twins went with a top guy they feel will have an elite hit tool in time.  I like the pick and he wouldn't have gone for 2 million plus if other teams didn't think he had a decent future as well.  It is not an exact science but the Twins have gotten good players at the top and the bottom of the international system so I'll go with what they think over the experts for IFA.

I wonder how Yankees was able to sign #1 and #18 and a few others with its limited international bonus pool this year.

Odds are he agreed to sign with the Twins two years ago, so whatever his body looks like now is probably different.... Most of these high price guys have been training since they were ten or twelve, almost professionally. We don't really know what they would sign for, or how teams feel about them, if they were really only signed right now.

What a crazy system.

I edited my post, I think he'll slide in lower than I initially thought at Pipeline.
38th seems really bearish though... is Fangraphs always conservative with international signees, or are they just much lower on him specifically?

I don't think 38th is too conservative for a 16 year old but Fangraphs does have him at 19th in their international rankings instead of the 8th he was in mlb.com.

The whole international signing period reminds me, though the players are younger, of college football recruiting. Except, of course, that money is involved. [unless we are talking SEC and then money is definitely involved. I kid, I kid].

More than the draft, you are talking about recruiting and personal connections and ATTEMPTING to project athleticism, build and development on a different scale than a college player or HS player...couple years older than these signings...which have usually attended various camps and tournaments.

In the draft, there are dealings and relationships that deal with slot value, but you still get to draft who you want when your spot is up. This is so much more about trusting in your scouts and what they believe the future holds.

Love how this process has been imporved in the last CBA.  No longer allows for big teams beating the system...just ask the Braves.   This process means so much to the Twins as Polanco, Sano, Kepler, Arraez, Astudillo and Thorpe were all International players they signed.  Take them out of the organization and it is a different team.  

Others such as Cruz, Adrianza, Gonzalez and Schoop were International, but not signed by the Twins.

Love how this process has been imporved in the last CBA.  No longer allows for big teams beating the system...just ask the Braves.   This process means so much to the Twins as Polanco, Sano, Kepler, Arraez, Astudillo and Thorpe were all International players they signed.  Take them out of the organization and it is a different team.  

 

Others such as Cruz, Adrianza, Gonzalez and Schoop were International, but not signed by the Twins.

Don't know how, but bad actually forgotten Thorpe was an international signing.

Sano, Polanco and Kepler were all signed in '08-09. Rosario was drafted the same time frame. Berrios, I believe, a year or two later. Say what you want about the previous FO, but they did a hell of a job in those couple of years.