12:04pm: The Mets have made it official by announcing they’ve signed Yeffry de Aza for $475,000. Some scouts feel he’ll end up transitioning over to second base.
Here’s what Badler has to say about the Dominican shortstop:
He’s 6 feet, 170 pounds with average speed, solid hands and an average to above-average arm. He’s earned praise from scouts for being a hard-nosed, high-energy player.
Here’s a video showcasing de Aza’s skills:
11:31am: Badler reports the Mets have also come to terms with right-handed pitcher, Luis Silva. He is also from Venezuela. The two sides have agreed to a deal worth $275,000.
Here’s Badler’s description of the righty:
Silva, 16, is 6 feet, 170 pounds with long arms, a high-waisted frame and a loose delivery. He throws strikes and generates sink on his fastball, which he can run up to the low-90s at times. He also throws a mid-70s breaking ball and a solid changeup for his age. Silva trained with Julio Bolivar.
The Mets have now spend $965,000 of their $2,664,600 international pool.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE 7/2/13 11:06am:
Today marks the beginning of teams being able to sign international free agents, and the Mets have struck today with Venezuelan catcher, Ali Sanchez. New York has been tied to Sanchez for over a week now, and Ben Badler of Baseball America was the first to report the agreement.
In previous articles, Badler ranked Sanchez the 25th best international prospect in this year’s class, and also ranked him as the second-best catcher. The Mets agreed with the 16-year-old for $690,000.
Here’s what Badler had to say about Sanchez in today’s article reporting the agreement:
Sanchez, 16, is 6 feet, 180 pounds with good catch-and-throw skills, quick feet and good hands. Scouts highest on him have been impressed with his ability to hit in games by staying inside the ball with a contact-oriented swing from the right side of the plate. Sanchez has traveled to the Dominican Republic to play in the International Prospect League and trains with Yhonson Lopez.
The Mets have also been tied to shortstop Luis Carpio, but won’t be able to sign him until at least July 11th because he’s still only 15-years-old.