19 year old third baseman playing at Billings. In 5 games he's hit 4 HR's and is batting .435.
Hopefully another promising prospect that will move quickly through the minors.
19 year old third baseman playing at Billings. In 5 games he's hit 4 HR's and is batting .435.
Hopefully another promising prospect that will move quickly through the minors.
Soto's been on the radar for awhile. 6-3 180 pounds, Soto is from Puerto Rico where he broke Juan Gonzalez' HS home run record for PR. He had an .809 OPS in 2007 as an 18 y/o in the GCL and if you like RISP he OPS'd 1.010 with runners in scoring position. He's still raw and has a long way to go and doesn't project to stay at SS. Maybe 3B or left field. He is an intriguing prospect and this year it will be interesting to see if he can show some discipline and keep the strikeouts from getting out of control - he has a wide stance and long swing so discipline will be important.
He tailed off towards the end of last season due to an injury. I can't recall what the injury was, but I seem to remember his name being omitted from box scores for the last week of '07.
There are some videos out there of him hitting in an All-Star home run challenge as a high schooler. He has a very sweet stroke, very smooth.
Why are players from Puerto Rico placed in the draft, while Dominicans and other players from Latin America are part of a free-for-all bidding war? Is it as simple as Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory while the DR and other islands are not?
Then why are players from Canada eligible for the draft and not the free-for-all? I mean, I know the U.S. could take over Canada at any time, but we haven't, at least not yet ;-)
Blitz, the draft rules are stupid, its not worth the time trying to find reason and common sense behind them.
"I hate to advocate chemicals, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone... But they've always worked for me."
-Hunter S. Thompson
Good point inco.
Man the Reds really seem poised to be the leader of player acquisition in the Latin countries.
Who is this Ramirez guy everyone keeps bringing up? I've only read about Inoa and Duran.
JMO here.
Canada has a very established school system. Their culture is more closely tied to ours. They are seen as more equal, with it's citizens having the same opportunities as those in the U.S.
Not so much in the DR, Venezuela etc. Japan has it's own system that prevents kids from joining MLB.
MLB really, really needs to add the world to the draft. plain and simple. make it fair.
Dubito Ergo Cogito Ergo Sum.
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