White Sox, Elijah Tatis agree to deal (source)

April 10th, 2019

The White Sox have agreed to a deal with Elijah Tatis, a source confirmed to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez. The club has not confirmed the deal, which was initially reported by ESPN’s Enrique Rojas.

The 17-year-old Dominican prospect is the son of former Major Leaguer Fernando Tatis and the brother of Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.

The youngster is known for his strong and accurate arm, and he has impressed scouts with the way the ball jumps off his bat, as well as his ability to square up fastballs.

Tatis Jr. was originally a member of the White Sox farm system as well, signing with the club in 2015 before being sent to the Padres alongside right-hander Erik Johnson in a 2016 trade for righty James Shields.

Tatis Jr., who was just 17 years old and hadn’t played a professional game at the time of the trade, has gone on to become the No. 2-ranked prospect in baseball. Tatis Jr. made his MLB debut on Opening Day this year.

The younger Tatis brother is eligible to sign during the current 2018-19 signing period, but could also wait until the 2019-20 period begins on July 2 to make the $500,000 agreement official.