The Dodgers have a long and storied history on the international market and are once again proving to be a formidable player.
:: 2018 International Signing Period ::
According to industry sources, the club agreed to a $2,500,000 bonus with catcher Diego Cartaya of Venezuela, the top ranked prospect on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospects list. The Dodgers also agreed to deals with right-handed pitcher Jerming Rosario for $600,000 and infielder Alex De Jesus of the Dominican Republic for $500,000.
The club has not confirmed the deals.
An advanced hitter, Cartaya displays plus contact skills and has been praised for his pitch recognition and feel for the strike zone. He has shown some power to the gaps. On defense, Cartaya has a reputation as a great receiver with very good hands. He handles pitchers well and has a high baseball IQ.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he had a chance to briefly see Cartaya, but has yet to watch him play.
"Didn't see any video," Roberts said. "Didn't see him hit or anything, but from what I understand from our scouts, very excited about him. The body is a very mature body. Really talented kid from what I understand, and so I know we're excited."
Rosario is best known for his 90-mph fastball, but his changeup and curveball are not that far behind and both could eventually develop into his strikeout pitches. He has good makeup and strong presence on the mound.
Along with Cartaya, Rosario and De Jesus, the Dodgers announced seven additional international signings Monday -- infielders Ender Avenado, Miguel Droz, and Luis Izturis, right-handers Jerami Rodriguez and Rafael Tua, left-hander Christian Suarez, and outfielder Gregory Pereira.
"I'm looking forward to digging in on these guys," Roberts said.
According to the rules established by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, clubs that received a Competitive Balance Pick in Round B of the MLB Draft received a pool of $6,025,400, while clubs that received a Competitive Balance Pick in Round A of the Draft received $5,504,500. All other clubs, including the Dodgers, received $4,983,500.
Teams are allowed to trade as much of their international pool money as they would like, but can only acquire 75 percent of a team's initial pool amount. Additionally, signing bonuses of $10,000 or less do not count toward a club's bonus pool, and foreign professional players who are at least 25 and have played in a foreign league for at least six seasons are also exempt.
The Dodgers also signed Venezuelan position players Ender Avendano (INF), Miguel Droz (INF), Luis Izturis (INF) and Gregory Pereira (OF), while also signing pitchers Christian Suarez (LHP), Jerami Rodriguez (RHP) and Rafael Tua (RHP).
Kaelen Jones provided additional reporting.