Long and lean, the 17-year-old Vazquez has a lot of room to grow. He projects to be an everyday shortstop with a plus hit tool and average power in the big leagues one day. There’s a belief he will hit around 15 to 20 home runs and sport a batting average somewhere in the .285 range while hitting at or near the top of the batting order. For now, he makes a lot of contact with his smooth and repeatable swing.
On defense, he shows good hands and projects to be a plus defender because of his range and a plus arm. He features a quick release and the ability to throw from all angles. He also shows average speed and projects to be an above-average baserunner.
According to the rules established by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, clubs that receive a Competitive Balance Pick in Round B of the Rule 4 Draft have the most money to spend on international prospects, with a pool of $6,431,000. Clubs like the Royals that receive a Competitive Balance Pick in Round A of the Rule 4 Draft receive the second most at $5,889,600.
Unlike in previous years, teams are not allowed to trade any of their international pool money. 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 years of age and have played in a foreign league for at least six seasons are also exempt.
