MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers' initial 29 additions during this international signing period feature an electric bat and two athletic middle infielders.
The club has agreed to deals with outfielder Yophery Rodríguez, the No. 22 overall prospect on the Top 50 International Prospects list, for $1.5 million; shortstop Filippo Di Turi, who ranks No. 33, for $1.3 million; and No. 35 Kevin Ereu, a shortstop, for $1.4 million. The Brewers have a base signing pool of $6,366,900 and have not confirmed the money attached to each player, but sources confirmed the figures to MLB.com.
Rodríguez has an advanced hit tool, and he looks mature beyond his years when he steps into the batter’s box. He has a good feel for the strike zone and it shows, said Brewers manager of international scouting and player personnel James Armstrong.
"If I had to sum up his game in one word, it's discipline," Armstrong said. "It feels like every action with him is very deliberate. He takes his craft very seriously."
Rodríguez also has a knack for putting the bat on the ball consistently and with authority. There is still room for more power in the future. He will start in center field and should stay there as he develops. Rodríguez trains with former Major League infielder Carlos Guillen, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program.
As for the switch-hitting Di Turri, he is an exciting prospect to watch and shows lots of potential on both sides of the ball. He has a smooth and mechanically sound swing from both sides of the plate and makes hard contact to all fields, yet even more power could be on the way.
On defense, Di Turri makes the routine and difficult plays look easy. He’s defensively sound and will likely stay at shortstop as he develops because of his soft hands, good footwork and strong arm. He’s been praised for his makeup and work ethic, his strong throwing arm and advanced pitch recognition. The teen trains with the Blasini Academy, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program.
The athletic Ereu plays with flair, and his passion for the game shows on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he has a chance to be an above-average shortstop because of a solid defensive package and upside. He has good hands, an emerging arm and consistently handles routine plays easily because of his advanced footwork.
At the plate, Ereu shows solid raw power and the ability to hit the ball to all fields with authority.
"High-energy, super-athletic shortstop," Armstrong said. "He's a quick-twitch athlete who stands absolutely on the defensive side. And despite being listed as 5-foot-10, there's a lot of power in that package. We feel there's a pretty interesting defense-power combination here. He has a chance to be a dynamic player."
All told, the Brewers' signees on opening day of this international period included 13 players from Venezuela, 10 from the Dominican Republic, four from Nicaragua, one from Colombia and one from Mexico. Sixteen are position players and 13 are right-handed pitchers, including Aldrin González, a 6-foot-1 righty from Venezuela who has topped out at 95 mph as a 16-year-old.
"Something that stands out from this group is that the pitching has been important to us," Armstrong said. "The pitchers don't get as much media coverage on these [prospect] lists [which] are dominated by position players. But we have pitchers from Nicaragua, Venezuela, Mexico, and in this group they really stand out for us. It's a good group of young pitching that we can project on."
"This is a very talented group of players and reflects the hard work of our scouts," said Luis Pérez, the Brewers' assistant director of international scouting. "It is a well-balanced class representing five different countries. For my part, I think we have a group of players with all the potential to become big leaguers, and I am excited for them to begin their journey in our player development system."
An international player is eligible to sign with a Major League team between Jan. 15 and Dec. 15. He must turn 16 before he signs and be 17 before Sept. 1 the following year -- in practical terms, that means players born between Sept. 1, 2005, and Aug. 31, 2006, will be eligible to sign in the upcoming signing period. Players have to be registered with Major League Baseball in advance in order to be eligible to sign.
Teams are allowed to trade international bonus pool money starting Jan. 15.