Prospecting

J2 UPDATE

TEXAS

Wow! Evan Grant just scooped everyone by confirming the bonuses for J2 SS signs Jurickson Profar and Luis Sardinas: 1.5 million each. I just say WOW, just WOW! Texas has never before paid over 700K for a J2 prospect before and now they double that amount for TWO guys. Preller and JD you are big time. And Hicks, you ain't broke. Thank god for J2 and draft budgets that are set at the _beginning_ of ther year. Wow. Take that New York and Boston, I say, take that! Pow, Pow! So, if it wasn't clear before, it should be clear now, that Texas valued one or both of these guys more than Pimentel. So all the ridiculous and overwrought hand wringing about some imagined storyline of loss and defeat, was, well, just that....

And we finally get some potentially good news about Miggie de los Santos (though this has been rumored for about a week now - apparently someone deemed it ok to talk about the matter at this juncture) currently stuck in the DSL due to visa issues. His case, as well as a few others it seems, has been delayed because the MLB investigators assigned to it were fired due to malfeasance; new investigators were assigned to these kids and had to start the cases from scratch. Now that doesn't put these players in the clear, those that are apparently in a kafkaesque limbo, but it does give us some answers, and some hope, that they will be cleared. The notable Dominican players that I think might be involved are: Miggie, Jairo Valdez, Kelvin de Leon, and Ayenil Mendoza. Notable players who might have already been released due to visa violations: Juan Polanco, Ace Ventura, Wilson Ventura.

Additionally, Texas has retained new immigration lawyers to try to reinitiate the visa application process for suspended pitchers Alexi Ogando and Omar Beltre. If you remember (it has been 3-4 years), both have been suspended indefinitely for a marriage scam of some sort. However, given the current climate, it seems even more unlikely that they will ever be cleared - at least while they are still prospects - so expect to see them released or "traded" for cash to an Asian club.

On an additional and similarly exciting front, scuttlebutt has it that Texas may be trying to nab suspended Dominican RH flamethrower Rafael DePaula from under the nose of the big market teams. This must indicate that he is still young enough to consider him a bullpen prospect at the very least. The kid has flased 97-98 from reports that I have read. So even if he is 25 with some pitchability and an ave breaking pitch, a team might still consider him a desireable sign and TX seems to be angling to nab him with a discounted contract. Think of him like a Reineir Bermudez type except that he is a big kid. Not sure why someone hasn't already...

Given the huge amount that TX spent for their 2 guys, I have to surmise that they might be out of the running for any of the top remaining names on the market, but then the market seems really depressed right now for those willing to nab a guy in the 500-700k range who might have gone for 1million last year. On that front, Texas was rumored to be invited to a private workout this week for a LHP with about 4-5 other clubs (none of them big market teams, at least not at this workout). So, TX still seems to be rooting around for talent. I just hope they end up with at least one top flight arm, as there are 5-6 still left on the market, not inlcuding, the cuban Arguellez.

ELSEWHERE

Liking many of the currently unsigned J2 bonus babies, Beltre and Arguellas have put themselves back on the showcase/workout circuit trying to drum up better offers; you hear that JD! Arguellas could get 1million while Beltre will not. Don't expect a lot more news on the J2 front while these guys wait out the market (Richard Alvarez signed in November or December if you'll remember) and others wait to have their docs verified.

Rumors (and here) that Chapman might be older than his previously stated age of 21 are being disputed, with the claim that his long-standing competition on the world stage for Cuba offers more documentation to scrutinize than his DR brethren. All I can say is I hope Hicks ponies up a lot of cash to try to sign this guy despite the fact that NYY or Boston are surely the ones that will lock him up. Chapman is arguably the 2nd best international free agent on the market and the best left hander. One can hope. And then there is this from JJ Cooper's BA prospect chat:

Would the signing of Aroldis Chapman automatically make him that team's #1 overall prospect (save for the Nats)?

I'd say yes if he doesn't sign with the Nats, Braves or Marlins. With those three teams it would be a tough call.

Keep an eye out (over the next 4 years, chuckle) for Rays VZ 3B sign Chris Perez. Scouts respect the Ray's presence in VZ and their ability to root up sleepers. Perez is 6-2 180 with a power bat who signed for 1 million. Neither Kiley nor Jorge or Bradley made note of him...

DRAFT NEWS

JD reports that they are not close on Purke or Scheppers, which is not surprising given the deadline is 5 weeks away, but that he anticipates that deals will get done. He did note that TX is trying to get the deadline waived for Scheppers as he no longer has any college eligibility. This would ratchet up the pressure on him to sign unless he wants to delay his career another year and pitch in Odessa or somesuch baseball black hole. I think their was some inaccurate reporting on this point after the draft, or at least, a failure to acknowlege that this point still required resolution.

Don't expect to hear any news on any of the Rangers' high school and summer-follow draftees until 12 midnight of the signing deadline. Any high school sign will require way-above-slot money, so they will hold out, and the commish will not sign off on over-slot deals until the day of the deadline. That is the only weapon that the commish can wield vs teams that ignore MLB's slot strictures, forcing a draft pick to miss the entirety of the season's second half. The summer follows likely won't be signed until about a week before the deadline as their summer season's end abou 8/10. The Cap Cod league's season could be extended for a week or more - finishing after the deadline - due to a week lost to bad weather in June.

I have found the summer league teams for 5 players and have linked their stats below. Riley Cooper has played 3 games each in 2 leagues and might be inactive at present. Cooper likely returns to school to play football whether he decides to resume baseball on not. Jerome Warniuk was pitching for the Canadian National Team a/o June. Jabari Blash is hitting an unimpressive .223 with 1HR in 17 games so he'll have to come down on his demand for 3-5rd money if he wants to sign. Chad Bell is pitching well in the Cape Cod league and could be a nice sign: 6g-3gs/ 1.53/18ip/9h/8bb/15so. So well in fact that he just pitched a 129 pitch no-hitter. Aaron Barrett is having a fine summer too so hopefully TX can reel him in: 3gs/2.25/20ip/12h/6bb/31so. Tyler Christman is pitching for CPL' Columbia Blowfish and is putting up some nice stats: In six starts covering 38 innings, he has a 1.65 ERA, with 33 strikeouts and 13 walks. Opponents are hitting .167 against him. No stats posted for the American Legion league that Matt Carasiti but I included the link anyways. Found the league but not the stats for Mike Schaff. Hats off to "Ming" for sleuthing the last few....

Chad Bell (No-Hitter: Story, Box)

Riley Cooper

Riley Cooper; (7/9 scuttlebutt)

Aaron Barrett (7/3 scuttlebutt)

Jabari Blash

Jerome Warniuk (Canadian National team)

Mike Schaaf (No stats found: Saginaw County Connie Mack League, Means Stomping)

Matt Carasiti (7/8 scuttlebutt) (no stats posted yet)

Tyler Christman (7/10 scuttlebutt)

Paul Strong (6/18 scuttlebutt)

If you come across anyone else, please leave a note in the comments section...

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