Latin American Prospects Reaping Huge Signing Bonuses

USA - The 2008 international signing period will go down in history as the most expensive shopping spree in Major League Baseball history. And, even with clouds of controversy overshadowing the large signing bonuses being given to Latin American prospects, the good times are here to stay for top prospects in places like the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

The Oakland Athletics inked 17-year-old outfielder Robin Rosario for $350,000 - a franchise record for a bonus spent on an international player - in February before giving a $4.25 million signing bonus to 16-year-old Dominican pitcher Michel Inoa in early July. The bonus was nearly $2 million higher than the previous record for a Latin amateur prospect not from Cuba.

The San Francisco Giants inked Rafael Rodriguez, an outfielder from the the Dominican Republic, for a $2.55 million signing bonus on his 16th birthday which is the largest ever for a Latin American hitter not from Cuba.

Rodriguez possesses multiple tools (above-average arm and above-average runner) and has a hitter’s frame with good raw power. At 6-foot-5 and almost 200 pounds, the right-handed hitter is a scout’s dream.

“He is one of the better position players on the international market this year,” Giants scouting director John Barr said in a press release. “We scouted him extensively this season with many people on our staff evaluating him. To a man, we all agree that Rafael is the type of player that we want to bring into the Giants organization.”

Cincinnati made a big splash in the Dominican Republic, giving a $2 million signing bonus to 16-year-old outfielder Juan Duran, a player who many thought would not be eligible to sign until July 2.

Duran, bats and throws righthanded and is roughly 6-foot-6, 190 pounds. He will likely not play a game this year, because at his age he would be by far the youngest player in the league. The Reds cannot assign him to the Gulf Coast League, since the season ends on Aug. 27, so sending him to this league would void his contract.

The $2 million bonus that Duran received was $500,000 more than the Red Sox shelved out to Dominican third baseman Michael Almanzar, who received the highest bonus of the 2007 international signing period.

In 2006, the Giants gave Dominican first baseman Angel Villalona that year’s top bonus at $2.1 million. It is the highest international bonus in Reds history, and tied for the third-largest signing bonus given to any player in club history.

Top Signing Bonuses:

2008 Rafael Rodriguez, of, Giants $2.55 million
1999 Wily Mo Pena, of, Yankees $2.44 million
2001 Joel Guzman, ss, Dodgers $2.255 million
1999 Byung-Hyun Kim, rhp, Diamondba $2.25 million
1999 Chin-Hui Tsao, rhp, Rockies $2.20 million
2006 Angel Villalona, 3b, Giants $2.1 million
2008 Juan Duran, of, Reds $2.0 million
2000 Chien-Ming Wang, rhp, Yankees $1.91 million
1999 Miguel Cabrera, 3b, Marlins $1.8 million
2006 Jesus Montero, c, Yankees $1.65 million

Toronto inked Dominican shortstop Gustavo Pierre whom the majority of scouts expects the infielder to move to the outfield. The signing bonus was believed to be around $700,000.

The Seattle Mariners grabbed outfielder Julio Morban, who international scouts said was one of the better pure hitters on the market with superior skills. Morban reportedly signed for a seven-figure bonus in the $1.1 to $1.2 million range. The Mariners also inked Nicaraguan righthander Jose Valdivia, a 6-foot-3 righthander with a low-90s fastball.

The St. Louis Cardinals got Dominican righthander Santo Franco who scouts sais was seeking a $1 million bonus. A lanky 6-foot-5 frame at around 185 pounds, he has a fastball that has been up to 92 mph, with the potential for considerably more velocity as his frame fills out.

The Reds signed Dominican shortstop Junior Arias, a strong-arm athlete with significant upside.

“He’s a good-looking kid,” one scout told Baseball America. “He’s got good hands, he’s a good athlete and he’s got good body control. He’s a line-drive hitter with a short stroke to the ball.”

The Chicago Cubs made a wave in South Korea, signing 17-year-old high school shortstop Hak Ju Lee, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound lefthanded hitter who runs from home to first in 3.9 seconds with above-average range in the field.

Lee’s bonus surpassed the money the Cubs gave last year to righthander Dae-Eun Rhee, who signed for $525,000, though it still does not exceed the bonus the Cubs gave to fellow Koreans Hee-Seop Choi ($1.2 million in 1999) and righthander Jae-Kuk Ryu ($1.6 million in 2001).

The Blue Jays signed Dominican shortstop Gustavo Pierre whom the majority of scouts expect the middle infielder to move to the outfield. The signing bonus was believed to be for at least $700,000.

Finally, the Texas Rangers signed Venezuelan lefthander Vicente Escobar, a cousin of Brewers shortstop Alcides Escobar, for $350,000.

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