One year after signing top international prospect Jhailyn Ortiz to a multi-million dollar deal, the Phillies have once again proven to be an active force on the international market.
According to industry sources, the Phillies agreed to a $900,000 deal with right-handed pitcher Francisco Morales, ranked No. 16 on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospect list, and shortstop Brayan Gonzalez, ranked No. 26, for $800,000.
• Complete list of all Top 30 international prospect signings
Additionally, the club agreed to a $665,000 deal with shortstop Nicolas Torres of Venezuela. The Phillies also confirmed they have agreed to deals with catcher Juan Aparicio of Venezuela and shortstop Jose Tortolero of Venezuela.
Morales, the top pitcher from Venezuela, has the type of fastball that turns heads and the pitch has improved since the beginning of the year. His fastball has been clocked in the 92-96 mph range with movement, but his curveball could end up being his best pitch. He also throws a changeup and has shown better control.
As for Gonzalez, he has displayed solid infield actions with soft hands on defense. At the plate, Gonzalez has shown a mature approach and can drive the ball into the gaps. He could hit for average as a right-handed hitter and is still developing as a hitter from the left side.
In accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each team is allotted a $700,000 base and a bonus pool with four slot values based on the team's record in 2015 for the international signing period, which started Saturday. Philadelphia's overall pool total for this year's signing period is $5,610,800.
Last year, the Phillies signed Ortiz to a $4 million signing bonus.