2013 International Signings Overview

Here’s a quick look at each team’s significant international signings in 2012. Ben Badler has produced much more detailed reports on each team’s signees, which are available for Baseball America subscribers.

Baltimore Orioles

Top signing: LHP Yi-Hsiang Lin, Taiwan, $150,000.

Six-figure signings: OF Carlos Rodriguez (Venezuela), 2B Yariel Vargas (Dominican Republic).

Notable Cuban signings: OF Henry Urrutia.

Quick Take: Baltimore’s international scouting made an immediate impact on their big league team last year. They botched the signing of Korean high school lefthander Seong-Min Kim and were relatively quiet again in Latin America, though they were active in small countries without much baseball tradition.

Boston Red Sox

Top Signing: SS Tzu-Wei Lin, Taiwan, $2.05 million

Six-figure signings: RHP Simon Mercedes (Dominican Republic), RHP Jose Almonte (Dominican Republic), SS Wendell Rijo (Dominican Republic), CF Luis Alexander Basabe (Venezuela), 2B Luis Alejandro Basabe (Venezuela), LHP Daniel McGrath (Australia), RHP Heri Quevedo (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: The Red Sox were aggressive both before and after July 2 across the globe. Their two prized shortstops, Tzu-Wei Lin from Taiwan and Wendell Rijo from the Dominican Republic, were two of the better hitters in the class.

New York Yankees

Top signing: C Luis Torrens, Venezuela, $1.3 million.

Six-figure signings: OF Alexander Palma (Venezuela), SS Yancarlos Baez (Dominican Republic), RHP Manolo Reyes (Dominican Republic), LHP Corby McCoy (Nicaragua), LHP Carlos Diaz (Dominican Republic).

Notable Cuban signings: LHP Omar Luis, OF Adonis Garcia, OF Yeral Sanchez.

Quick Take: The Yankees added two of the top Venezuelan hitters from last year’s July 2 class and were busy before July 2 too, adding a power arm from the Dominican Republic and making aggressive moves in the Cuban market.

Tampa Bay Rays

Top signing: LHP Jose Castillo, Venezuela, $1.55 million.

Seven- and six-figure signings: RHP Jose Mujica (Venezuela), C David Rodriguez (Venezuela), C Eric Maria (Dominican Republic), LHP Frehumar Rivas (Venezuela), OF Angel Moreno (Dominican Republic), RHP Deivy Mendez (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: The Rays added a huge haul of talent, especially from Venezuela. They also went well over their allotted $2.9 million signing bonus pool, which means they’re going to be subject to harsh penalties set forth in the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Toronto Blue Jays

Top signing: SS Franklin Barreto, Venezuela, $1.45 million.

Six-figure signings: SS Richard Urena (Dominican Republic), LHP Jonathan Torres (Venezuela), RHP Yonardo Herdendez (Venezuela), LHP Oscar Cabrera (Dominican Republic), RHP Jose Brito (Dominican Republic), OF Andres de Aza (Dominican Republic), SS Ronniel Demorizi (Dominican Republic), LHP Wilfri Aleton (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: Venezuelan shortstop Franklin Barreto, the top prospect in last year’s July 2 class, leads the Blue Jays international signings. Richard Urena was one of the top true shortstops in Latin America, while an $800,000 deal with Venezuelan shortstop Luis Castro fell apart after his physical.

Chicago White Sox

Top signing: OF Hanleth Otano, Dominican Republic, $550,000.

Six-figure signings: 3B Luis Castillo (Dominican Republic), SS Johan Cruz (Dominican Republic), OF Antonio Rodriguez (Dominican Republic), RHP Victor Done (Dominican Republic), RHP Yelmison Peralta (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: In their year July 2 under Marco Paddy, the White Sox spent the majority of their international money on Dominican prospects.

Cleveland Indians

Top signing: Hector Caro, Dominican Republic, $1.1 million

Six-figure signings: SS Grofi Cruz (Dominican Republic), C Francisco Mejia (Dominican Republic), C Yoiber Marquina (Venezuela), RHP Naoki Hashimoto (Japan).

Quick Take: The international scouting community was not nearly as high as the Indians were on Hector Caro, who signed for $1.1 million. The Indians also added a pair of strong-armed catchers and ventured into Japan to add three young players.

Detroit Tigers

Top signing: SS Willy Adames, Dominican Republic, $420,000.

Six-figure signings: SS Domingo Leyba (Dominican Republic), SS Zac Shepherd (Australia), OF Ignacio Valdez (Dominican Republic), RHP Oswaldo Castillo (Venezuela), SS Adrian Alfaro (Venezuela), OF Victor Cortez (Venezuela), OF Ariel Serrano (Panama), OF Jose Azocar (Venezuela).

Quick Take: The Tigers didn’t sign one premium prospect, but they spread their international money around to a high volume of players from Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Panama ana Australia.

Minnesota Twins

Top signing: SS Amaurys Minier, Dominican Republic, $1.4 million.

Six-figure signings: LHP Lewis Thorpe (Australia), RHP Chih-Wei Hu (Taiwan), C Rainis Silva (Venezuela), RHP Johan Quezada (Dominican Republic), OF Antonio Tovar (Venezuela).

Quick Take: Minnesota added power-hitting Dominican infielder Amaurys Minier to their improving Latin American pipeline as well as an Australian lefty Lewis Thorpe, one of the best prospects to come out of the country in years.

Kansas City Royals

Top signing: 3B Samir Duenez, Venezuela, $425,000.

Six-figure signings: RHP Julio Pinto (Venezuela), 3B Ryan Dale (Australia), OF Alberto Saez (Panama), LHP Junior Reyes (Venezuela), RHP Ofreidy Gomez (Dominican Republic), SS Jose Martinez (Venezuela).

Notable Cuban signings: OF Roman Hernandez.

Quick Take: After making aggressive moves in the Dominican Republic in 2011, the majority of Kansas City’s top international signings last year came from Venezuela, including third baseman Samir Duenez and righthander Julio Pinto.

See also: Complete Royals 2012 International Review

Houston Astros

Top signing: OF Luis Payano, Dominican Republic, $500,000.

Six-figure signings: SS Kristian Trompiz (Venezuela), OF Edward Santana (Dominican Republic), Edward Santana (Dominican Republic), LHP Junior Garcia (Dominican Republic), SS Jean Estrella (Dominican Republic), OF Hector Roa (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: The Astros changed international directors and didn’t have as much money as usual to spend on July 2, but they did come away with a toolsy Dominican outfielder.

Los Angeles Angels

Top signing: OF Natanael Delgado, Dominican Republic, $280,000.

Six-figure signings: OF Ricky Martinez (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: The Angels kept the pocketbook tight for international signings, so their scouts tried to find undervalued players in the Dominican Republic.

Oakland Athletics

Top signing: OF Luis Barrera, Dominican Republic, $450,000.

Six-figure signings: OF Jhonny Rodriguez (Dominican Republic), Yairo Munoz (Dominican Republic), C Robert Mullen (Panama), RHP Jesus Zambrano (Venezuela).

Notable Cuban signings: Yoenis Cespedes.

Quick Take: Yoenis Cespedes was Oakland’s marquee international signing. Among amateur players, the A’s came away with two Dominican outfielders who impressed them with their hitting.

Seattle Mariners

Top signing: OF Hersin Martinez, Dominican Republic, $1.1 million.

Six-figure signings: LHP Luiz Gohara (Brazil), 1B Leurys Vargas (Dominican Republic), RHP Pablo Lopez (Venezuela), LHP Alexandre Roy (France).

Quick Take: The Mariners acquired Brazilian lefthander Luiz Gohara, who some scouts thought was the best pitcher on the international market. Perhaps more notable was went on behind the scenes as they overhauled their international scouting department.

Texas Rangers

Top signing: OF Jairo Beras, Dominican Republic, $4.5 million.

Six-figure signings: 3B Juremi Profar (Curacao).

Quick Take: The Rangers didn’t wait until July 2 to get arguably the top prospect for July 2, signing Jairo Beras for $4.5 million on Feb. 29 when he claimed to be 17 instead of 16. After July 2, they stayed relatively quiet with many of the top players off the board.

NL EAST

Atlanta Braves

Top signing: RHP Yeralf Torres, Venezuela, $550,000.

Six-figure signings: OF Kelvin Estevez (Dominican Republic), RHP Gabriel Henry (Panama), OF Juan Reyes (Dominican Republic), LHP Felix Falcon (Dominican Republic), LHP Jhon Martinez (Venezuela), OF Ledernin Tejada (Dominican Republic).

Notable Cuban signings: OF Alejandro Piloto, LHP Adrian Rivero.

Quick Take: The Braves added to a promising collection of Latin American talent in the lower levels of their farm system, led by the signing of Venezuelan righthander Yeralf Torres, a potential power arm.

Miami Marlins

Top signing: 3B Alberto Sanchez, Dominican Republic, $85,000.

Six-figure signings: None.

Quick Take: Ownership continues to handcuff the Marlins overseas, where the team has to try to find undervalued without a budget to compete for the majority of the market’s top players.

New York Mets

Top signing: SS Amed Rosario, Dominican Republic, $1.75 million.

Six-figure signings: LHP Adrian Almeida (Venezuela), RHP Ronald Guedez (Venezuela), SS Franklin Correa (Dominican Republic), SS Miguel Patino (Venezuela), RHP Nicolas Debora (Dominican Republic), RHP Marcos Molina (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: Dominican shortstop Amed Rosario landed the biggest bonus ($1.75 million) of the 2012-13 international signing period. The Mets supplemented his signing with a host of intriguing arms.

Philadelphia Phillies

Top signing: C Deivy Grullon, Dominican Republic, $575,000.

Six-figure signings: OF Jose Pujols (Dominican Republic), RHP Lewis Alezones (Venezuela), SS Willerker Isava (Venezuela), C Gregori Rivero (Venezuela).

Quick Take: The Phillies were busier than usual around July 2, led by their signing of a potentially above-average defensive catcher and a power-hitting Dominican outfielder.

Washington Nationals

Top signing: OF Luis Guzman, Dominican Republic, $385,000.

Six-figure signings: 3B Neivy Pilier (Dominican Republic), OF Aldrem Corredor (Venezuela).

Quick Take: The Nationals were a little more active than usual in the international market, but given what their pool money will be this coming year for the draft and international signings, it was somewhat surprising they weren’t more aggressive.

Cincinnati Reds

Top signing: OF Luis Hernandez, Dominican Republic, $160,000.

Six-figure signings: SS Francis Azcona (Dominican Republic), Pabel Manzanero (Venezuela), OF Jose De Luna (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: The Reds didn’t make many big signings in 2012, which left them with plenty of pool space available to sign Dominican lefthander Jacob Constante for $730,000 when he popped up hitting 94 mph in January 2013.

Chicago Cubs

Top signing: RHP Juan Carlos Paniagua, Dominican Republic, $1.5 million.

Six-figure signings: SS Frandy de la Rosa (Dominican Republic), SS Danny Gutierrez (Venezuela), RHP Ramon Valera (Venezuela), RHP Wagner Disla (Dominican Republic).

Notable Cuban signings: OF Jorge Soler, LHP Gerardo Concepcion.

Quick Take: The Cubs made an impact signing with Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler, a mistake with Cuban lefthander Gerardo Concepcion, ventured into the Japanese free agent market for a 32-year-old reliever and signed two of the better amateur prospects out of the Dominican Republic.

Milwaukee Brewers

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

Six-figure signings: None.

Quick Take: In a state of flux with their personnel last year, the Brewers didn’t do much internationally last year and need to get more production from their Latin American program.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Top signing: 3B Julio de la Cruz, Dominican Republic and OF Michael de la Cruz, Dominican Republic, $700,000.

Six-figure signings: C Yoel Gonzalez (Dominican Republic), Jhoan Herrera, (Dominican Republic), SS Samuel Kennelly (Australia), SS Johan De Jesus (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: The Pirates made the majority of their big international signings in the Dominican Republic, where they signed one of the country’s top third basemen.

St. Louis Cardinals

Top signing: RHP Alex Reyes, Domincian Republic, $950,000.

Six-figure signings: C Joshua Lopez (Venezuela), SS Edmundo Sosa (Panama), OF Luis Bandes (Venezuela), OF Henry Alvarado (Dominican Republic), RHP Julio Mateo (Dominican Republic), OF Magneuris Sierra (Dominican Republic), RHP Ronald Medrano (Nicaragua).

Quick Take: After making three key signings on July 2, the Cardinals made their biggest move of the year by signing 18-year-old righthander Alex Reyes for $950,000 when he became eligible to sign in December.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Top signing: OF Ismael Pena, Dominican Republic, $750,000.

Six-figure signings: SS Sergio Alcantara (Dominican Republic), C Oswaldo Garcia (Colombia), OF Jose Ordaz (Venezuela), RHP Rafael Pujols (Dominican Republic), LHP Anthony Basora (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: The Diamondbacks became more aggressive last year around July 2, highlighted by the signing of smooth-fielding Dominican shortstop Sergio Alcantara and a big bonus for the son of one of their Dominican area scouts.

Colorado Rockies

Top signing: LHP Luis Guzman, Venezuela, $200,000.

Six-figure signings: RHP Andres Matos (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: An organization with a strong reputation for identifying Latin American pitchers added two more intriguing arms, along with a Venezuelan shortstop who could be a bargain.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Top signing: LHP Julio Urias, Mexico, bonus unconfirmed.

Six-figure signings: SS Cristian Gomez (Dominican Republic), RHP William Soto (Venezuela), OF Ariel Sandoval (Dominican Republic).

Notable Cuban signings: OF Yasiel Puig.

Quick Take: After being handcuffed by ownership for years in the international market, the Dodgers went to the other extreme, awarding lavish contracts to Yasiel Puig and Hyun-Jin Ryu.

San Diego Padres

Top signing: 3B Carlos Belen, Dominican Republic, $1 million.

Six-figure signings: OF Euri Minaya (Dominican Republic), RHP Starling Ynfante (Domincian Republic), 1B Jonas Lantigua (Dominican Republic), Ronaldo Jose Contreras (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: The Padres are banking on the bat of Dominican third baseman Carlos Belen, whose swing and power potential made him one of the better offensive players in last year’s class.

San Francisco Giants

Top signing: OF Gustavo Cabrera, Dominican Republic, $1.3 million.

Six-figure signings: 3B Natanael Javier (Dominican Republic), RHP Michael Santos (Dominican Republic), OF Raiby Barias (Dominican Republic).

Quick Take: Angel Villalona and Rafael Rodriguez haven’t worked out like they hoped, but the Giants invested heavily in another Dominican hitter (Gustavo Cabrera) with a high-risk profile.