The Padres Sign 11 Players as International Period Opens
The San Diego Padres are still under penalty from their 2016-17 spending spree on the international market.
While under this restriction, the team is not allowed to spend over $300,000 on a single player.
What this really means is that the team will need to do their homework when it comes to signing players and evaluating talent. Certain teenagers have all the fan fare and are considered top prospects already, even though they have never played baseball outside their country.
We all know that there is no guarantee when it comes to baseball evaluation. Especially when it come to 16 and 17-year-old kids.
Even though the Padres are under penalty, they can still add some quality young players in the next year. Look what the team did last year. Luis Paez, Frank Lopez, Jarryd Dale, Luis Patino and Angel Solarte were all signed for $300, 000 or less and each has decent upside. Patino is already considered a top prospect within the organization.
The Padres made their splash on Monday, with the opening of the international signing period.
Even though the Padres did not sign a Baseball America Top 50 prospect, they still seemed to get some real talent from mostly the Dominican Republic.
Alberto Fabian has easy power. Skip to the 1:50 mark and you can see for yourself against live pitching. They signed him as an outfielder but it will have to be seen if he can stay at that position, either way, the bat is the tool here.
Fabian was signed by the Padres today for $300k.
Alberto Fabian, 2018 OF, Dominican Republic https://t.co/dyY2w1F3Kt via @YouTube
— Patrick Cusick (@TheProfessorPQ) July 2, 2018
Euribel Angeles has some characteristics that is reminiscent a little bit of Javier Baez. The build and the swing seem very similar to the Cubs infielder, and he looks to have some pop to his bat. At shortstop, his fundamentals seem sound with a quick and smooth transfer to the throw.
Angeles was signed by the Padres today for $300k.
EURIBEL ANGELES, 2018 SHORTSTOP, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC https://t.co/g2zifxkMTv via @YouTube
— Patrick Cusick (@TheProfessorPQ) July 2, 2018
Paula is a left-handed shortstop with a build that can be filled out. He has a smooth swing and has a chance to be the prize of this signing class.
Paula was signed by the Padres today for $300k.
Wilmert Paula, 2018 International Prospect https://t.co/7lVG0Rlyi0 via @YouTube
— Patrick Cusick (@TheProfessorPQ) July 2, 2018
Others players from the Dominican that signed were Charlie Aquino who is a shortstop that stands at 6-foot-2 and has plus speed. Reginald Dowston is a center fielder known for his speed. Axcel Peralta, 6-foot-6, and Enmanuel Roriguez, 6-foot-4, are big outfielders who got $300,000 bonuses. Jose Miguel Velez, outfielder, Justin Diaz, shortstop and Eddyson Moreno round out the ten Dominican athletes signed today.
Edwin Rojas was the lone player signed outside of the Dominican. The Venezuelan outfielder was not linked to the Padres earlier in June so it might have been a surprise signing by the Friars.
The Padres did not have much to work with at the deadline but they seemed to still find value for what they did have.
Time will tell on who works out but for now, it seemed to be a successful day. There will be more signings. In fact as we post this the team has announced a few more. We will continue to update this piece throughout the week as the team builds up the lower farm system.
Update (9:51 PM): The Padres signed five other Venezuelan players: Alex Ramirez – catcher, Nerwilliam Cedeno – shortstop, Wilfredo Tovar – catcher, Eduardo Hidalgo – outfielder, and Victor Duarte – catcher. Ben Badler of Baseball America tweeted tonight that the Padres have spent their entire allotment once again, even though they are under penalty.
The Padres are in the penalty box. But it looks like they're going to spend their whole bonus pool again. They added Euribel Angeles, Dominican SS with a nice RH swing and quick bat speed.
All the Padres agreements here ? https://t.co/YaXTsiQ1Mr pic.twitter.com/rIAhclKoeP
— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) July 3, 2018
Since he was a little kid he wanted to be one of those guys at the game who had the headset on, listening to the Colonel and Uncle Teddy, he has grown out of that, but the love is still there. Padres’ coverage will be biased at times, but mostly an honest dissection of the team he loves.