On a day that was always guaranteed that the Yankees would sign some free agencies, they definitely started working. With the exciting news that DJ LeMahieu and Corey Kluber will be in the crosshairs next season, it’s easy to overlook the other additions to the organization yesterday. After a delay in the normal opening of the international free agency from July 2 to January 15, numerous young prospects were able to officially join a major league organization.
At the start of the 2019 international signing period, there was great anticipation as the Yankees were willing to pay the highest signing bonus they have ever given to an amateur player in Jasson Dominguez. This year, the Yankees class has far less hype and is even reduced from now on than it would have been if the signing period had started on July 2nd.nd, 2020 as initially planned.
The Yankees entered the second lowest bonus pool in baseball after losing $ 1 million from their bonus pool when they signed Gerrit Cole, who was tied for a rejected qualifying bid. The rules that allow teams to trade for extra bonus pool space have been suspended this year, leaving teams only with their base allocation.
The prize for this year’s Yankees is Dominican shortstop Hans Montero. The Yankees reportedly colored Montero for a $ 1.7 million bonus. The 5-foot 10-short shortstop is 17 years old on Christmas Day and is a right-handed hit.
Baseball America considers him the 23rd best international prospect available this winter, while not making MLB.com’s top 30 prospect list. The Yankees have paid him in line with some of their best prospects of the past year, indicating that they like his skills a lot and are willing to be at the top of the market to secure his signature.
Montero is expected to stay on shortstop, which is a prominent symbol of his athletic ability. Many players draw as short stops, but are quickly moved through the defensive spectrum as their bodies fill up. He is known for having soft hands and a strong arm. Montero also has a plus speed with gaping power that the Yankees will hope to develop into something more.
Dominican fielder Fidel Montero joins Hans with the Yankees (no relationship). Fidel was signed as a shortstop after being named an athletic outfielder in his review of Baseball America. He is said to have great instruments but was not highly regarded due to inconsistent performances in the game action.
To round off the day for the Yankees, they also signed Ramiro Altagracia, a field worker from the Dominican Republic, and Venezuelan shortstop Kleiner Delgado.
One piece missing during the Yankees signing day is Jesus Galiz, who was linked with the team from early last year until recently. Galiz, a Venezuelan catcher ranked eighth by MLB.com, changed his bet at the end of November. He signed for $ 400,000 with the Dodgers, which according to one report was about half of what the Yankees offered him. No specific reason was given for his switch, but the recent success of the Dodgers player development system probably played a factor in the decision.
The Yankees were also linked at some point in the process with leading Samuel Basallo before moving to Baltimore. The 6-foot-4 catcher is a potential impact bat, while its size has raised questions about how long it would stay behind the plate.
The Yankees stand with reported four players signed after the first day of the signing period, and probably still have a significant amount of their bonus pool money to spend. Two top prospects remain free agents. Cuban outfielder Oscar Colás, named the second best international free agent by MLB.com, was officially released as a free agent at the end of December. He is an attractive prospect after playing in Japan for a few years and reaching the highest league as a 20-year-old. We recently presented a piece here at Pinstripe Alley about Colás and the many ways he is a great fit for the Yankees organization. He will soon be training for major league teams, but has also indicated that he is prepared to wait until the next signing period to maximize his bonus.
17-year-old Cuban shortstop Dyan Jorge is also still on the market, ranking MLB.com in 20th place. The youngster noticed in his match against the international competition with the 15U team from Cuba in 2018, and was preferred to sign at Colorado for most of the run-up to the signing day, but he remains available. He is considered a plus defender and runner with excellent instincts.
The Yankees have added at least four new players to their organization with the opening of the international era for free agencies. It is unlikely that they will immediately reach the top prospects, but the Yankees boast a strong international presence at their various positions.