Yankees agree to terms with No. 9 int’l prospect (sources)

January 15th, 2023

The Yankees are once again proving to be one of the busiest and most productive teams on the international market.

According to industry sources, the club has agreed to a deal worth an estimated $4.35 million with outfielder Brando Mayea, the No. 9 prospect on the international top 50 list.

The Yankees, who have a base signing pool of $5,284,000, have not confirmed the agreement. The deal is pending a physical.

Mayea is a premium athlete with advanced tools for his age, and he is considered one of the most exciting players in the class.

Here’s why scouts refer to him as electric:

First of all, Mayea has uncommon bat speed and power. One evaluator described him as a “mini Gary Sheffield,” while others praised his advanced approach at the plate. He’s very aggressive in the batter’s box, and he's getting a better understanding of the strike zone.

Physically, Mayea has a mature frame, and there is still plenty of upside because he is strong and twitchy. On defense, there’s a chance he could stay in center field, but a move to a corner spot could be possible because of his size and athleticism.

He’s one of the gems in this year’s class.

Mayea trains with Jaime Ramos in the Dominican Republic, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program.

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.