International Reviews: Washington Nationals

Top 2016-17 signing: SS Yasel Antuna, Dominican Republic, $3.9 million.

Total signings: 37.

The days of penny-pinching by Nationals ownership on the international market are over. Nationals vice president of international operations Johnny DiPuglia and his staff still managed to procure an impressive volume of Latin American prospects on limited funds, but more investment has led to prospects like Victor Robles ($225,000 in 2013) and Juan Soto ($1.5 million in 2015) entering the pipeline.

The organization made its most aggressive push yet into Latin American amateur talent by blasting past its bonus pool as soon as the 2016-17 signing period opened last year. In addition to their amateur signing haul, the Nationals also added Cuban outfielder Yadiel Hernandez, a potential bargain at $200,000 exempt from the bonus pools who could play in the major leagues in 2017.

Washington’s biggest bonus went to 17-year-old Dominican shortstop Yasel Antuna, who trained with Jaime Ramos and on July 2 signed for $3.9 million, the second-biggest bonus of 2016 for a Dominican player. Antuna popped up early when he was 13 and impressed some scouts early on with his hitting ability from the left side, then started switch-hitting near the end of 2015. He’s a calm, under control hitter with a simple stroke, solid contact skills and the ability to use the whole field, with more power from the right side and more polish lefthanded. His swing path isn’t geared for loft, but he could develop average power.

Antuna hadn’t dominated in games the way scouts from other clubs wanted to see from the top-paid player in the Dominican Republic, especially for a player who lacked fast-twitch athleticism or other standout tools. The Nationals have been encouraged, however, with Antuna’s physical development and the accompanying tick up in his quickness since signing. He ran below-average before he signed, but he’s added more physicality to his frame (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) with broad shoulders and a high waist. He’s worked diligently with Nationals coaches to improve his first-step quickness, turning in average run times now. Shortstop is still probably a long shot, but he has the inner clock for the infield and the arm to go to third base if necessary. Others think Antuna would fit best at second base, though depending how big he gets, the outfield could be in his future too.

While Antuna received the bigger signing bonus, scouts widely preferred 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Luis Garcia, who got $1.3 million on July 2. Garcia, the No. 3 player for July 2 last year, was highly regarded by scouts for his well-rounded skill set, balancing good tools with advanced feel for hitting. Garcia’s father, Luis Garcia, had a brief major league career as a shortstop, going 1-for-9 over eight games with the Tigers in 1999. He handled his son leading up to his signing.

Garcia, who was born in the United States, was one of the best hitters and best athletes available in the 2016 class. He showed his hitting ability after signing with a strong offensive performance during the Nationals’ Dominican instructional league. He’s 5-foot-11, 175 pounds with a compact, flat swing from the left side. He’s an aggressive hitter who will step in the bucket, but he’s a high-contact hitter with the ability to barrel pitches in all quadrants of the strike zone. Garcia has added strength since signing and strikes hard line drives to all fields, showing occasional home run pop now with a chance to develop average or better power. A fast-twitch athlete with plus speed, Garcia has a good chance to stick at shortstop, though he’s still learning to slow the game down defensively. He’s a high-energy player with quick anticipation and an above-average arm. Some scouts liked his range and hands, though others thought he would need to clean up his defensive actions or move to second or center field. Garcia and Antuna are both in the U.S. already and have a chance to follow Soto’s path by staying for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League season.

The best defender of the three top shortstops the Nationals signed last year is Jose Sanchez, who signed for $950,000 out of Venezuela when he turned 16 on July 12. His instincts in all phases of the game are well beyond his years. Sanchez is a smooth, fluid defender with outstanding hands and footwork to go with a strong arm. An average runner, Sanchez is a savvy, fundamentally sound player with a knack for slowing the game down. That polish extends to the plate. At 6 feet, 175 pounds, Sanchez lacks much strength (though he’s added around 10 pounds since signing) so he’s mostly a singles hitter for now, but his quick hands and short, simple swing from the right side help him make contact at a high clip against pitching. He’s a line-drive hitter who stays inside the ball well, goes with where the ball is pitched and is adept at using the opposite field. Sanchez, who trained with Jose Carrasquel, might start in the DSL given the need to get him, Antuna and Garcia all regular playing time.

Venezuelan center fielder Ricardo Mendez, who trained with Carlos Rios, signed for $600,000 on July 2. Mendez, 17, is a skinny lefty (6 feet, 165 pounds) whose speed earns plus or better grades, gliding around the outfield with a chance to be a plus defender. He’s an instinctive player with a quick first step off the bat, tracks balls well and has good range. Mendez has a funky throwing stroke across his body and below-average arm strength, though his throws are accurate. He lacks strength and probably will never hit for much power, but he has a simple swing, a knack for making contact and understands the strike zone well for his age.

The Nationals signed another Venezuelan prospect, 16-year-old catcher Israel Pineda, for $450,000 on July 2. Pineda is an offensive-minded prospect with good knowledge of the strike zone. He’s a righthanded hitter whose strength and ability to stay inside the ball allows him to drive pitches well to right-center field. Pineda has an average arm but will need time for his defense to catch up to his bat and will need to work to maintain his strong, stocky frame (5-foot-11, 190 pounds).

Cesar Porte is an 18-year-old Dominican infielder who signed with the Nationals for $300,000 on July 2. He projects as an offensive-oriented second baseman with a line-drive, pull approach from the right side at 6 feet, 180 pounds.

The Nationals also gave $100,000 each to a pair of Dominican pitchers, including 18-year-old righthander Wilson Severino on July 2. A projectable 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Severino was in the upper-80s when he signed and now reaches 92 mph, with good athleticism, a loose arm and feel to spin a mid-70s curveball. Righthander Jose Plancencio, signed in September, isn’t as big as Severino (6 feet, 165 pounds), but he’s another pitcher with a loose, quick arm, a fastball that touches 91 with projection for more and feel to spin a breaking ball.