2012-13 International Reviews: Milwaukee Brewers

Top signing: RHP Yosmer Leal, Venezuela, $375,000.

Other six-figure signings: None.

Milwaukee had a fairly quiet year with international signings, then changed personnel after the season. Fernando Arango, who had been the team’s Latin American coordinator since the conclusion of the 2003 season, had been reassigned to the team’s director of Dominican scouting before the 2012 season began, with former Rangers scout Manny Batista put in charge of Milwaukee’s Venezuelan scouting.

After the 2012 season, the Brewers dismissed Arango, who is now with the Cardinals as a southeast crosschecker. The Brewers promoted Batista to Latin American scouting director and named Eduardo Brizuela, who had been the team’s coordinator of administration for Latin American operations the past three seasons, as the team’s new director of Latin American operations/scouting.

As a result, the Brewers brought in very few international players last year and only one six-figure signing, Venezuelan righthander Yosmer Leal for $375,000 on July 2. Leal, 16, is 6-foot-4, 175 pounds, with long, looping arm action, sits at 86-88 mph and touches 90 mph with plenty of projection left to throw harder. He has shown feel for his changeup, his best secondary pitch right now, as his curveball still needs work.