The 2008 & 2009 Latin American signees

[William]

Could we finally be seeing the dawn of the two big name signings out of Latin America from 2008 & 2009? Yorman Rodriguez, as it has been previously stated, is having a much improved year, and the less talked about Juan Duran seems to have come into his power a little bit.
Yorman Rodriguez's stats from Pensacola (as of August 10)
.270/.335/.376/.711, 9 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 17 RBI
Juan Duran's second half stats from Bakersfield (as of August 10)
.263/.320/.526/.846, 7 2B, 1 3B, 9 HR, 36 RBI
Juan Duran's last 10 games are even easier on the eyes
.270/.357/.676/1.033, 0 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 13 RBI

Duran has struck out quite a few times (115) and 15 times in the last 10 games, but he has put up a lot better numbers than last year at Bakersfield. He's already hit 2 more home runs and has an average 19 points higher. I haven't been able to watch Duran and even if I did, I'm not a scout so I can't tell if there is a different player up there than there has been in years past, but it seems like here lately, every time I look at Bakersfield's box score Duran has hit another home run.His body sure is built to be a big power hitter at, 6'7", 205 lbs. Yorman Rodriguez has always had the raw talent and has always had tons of potential but people said he had a tendency to be lazy. I am really hoping that the Reds adding him to the 40 man roster during the offseason showed him that the organization still had faith in him, and still believed that if he woke up and decided he was going to play baseball that the opportunity was still there for him to make the big league club one day. Yes, I admit to being one of the people who gave up on both of these guys last year even though they were both still very young, but both of them have renewed my faith in them a little with their production this year. But if there is something I am missing please feel free to comment and correct me if I'm wrong about either player.

[bubbachunk]

It has been a ton of fun to follow these kids as they have grown up and a bit frustrating at the same time because it is hard to remember when they were 16 or 17. They were far from being finished products and often times the stats did not show what their true talent level is. Now the talent is beginning to transfer and if they can continue to build on the improved production we have been seeing then there is a very bright future ahead.

[Benihana]

Big question to me is whether Yorman should start in Pensacola next year (Clearly Duran will.) I'm guessing yes with an early summer promotion to Louisville if he can maintain an OPS in the .800 range.

[dougdirt]

Big question to me is whether Yorman should start in Pensacola next year (Clearly Duran will.) I'm guessing yes with an early summer promotion to Louisville if he can maintain an OPS in the .800 range.

I have no idea if he WILL start in Pensacola next year, but I think he should. He can still learn things at this level.

[bellhead]

I have no idea if he WILL start in Pensacola next year, but I think he should. He can still learn things at this level.

He just turned 21 or will this month, so another year at AA or a 1/2 year there isn't anything to worry about..