In addition to the previously reported Randy Novas and Raudy Reed, the Nationals have agreed to terms with 14 international free agents per a team press release. Here is the list of players, per the release…
Left-handed pitchers Joel Barrientos (17, Dominican Republic), Brian Escolastico (18, Dominican Republic) and Hector Silvestre (18, Dominican Republic); right-handed pitchers Anderson Martinez (18, Venezuela), Gilberto Mendez (18, Dominican Republic) and Felix Moscat (20, Dominican Republic); catchers Pedro Severino (17, Dominican Republic) and Jorge Tillero (17, Venezuela); first baseman Arialdi Peguero (18, Dominican Republic); shortstop Yewri Guillen (18, Dominican Republic); third baseman Diomedes Eusebio (18, Dominican Republic); and outfielders Juan De Los Santos (17, Venezuela), Wilman Rodriguez (19, Dominican Republic) and Dioncio Rosario (17, Dominican Republic).
Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post wrote about the team's efforts to improve its presence in Latin America earlier this month.
Dallas Melendez
man, that’s gonna be one insane farm system if 10% of those guys pan out
Drew 13
1.4 of them?
Mark Janicik
By your logic, 1.4 of those guys will pan out… I think its pretty insane that .4 of a guy can pan out (whatever that means).
NYBravosFan10
well if a guy half pans out (.5) then that means he’s good at one side (either offensive or defensive)and lousy at the other. So if he is .4 that means he’s only decent on one side and then…nah I give up lol
Sir_Realist
Isn’t it obvious that 1.4 means you end up with one great player and one “2 tool” player. 😉
Matt Manzella
lololololol
Cause 10% of 14 guys is 1.4 right. Math jokes are hilarious.
grownice
@Dallas Melendez – 10% would basically be 2 guys if you round up.
Mark Janicik
I’m not sure where you went to school but you don’t round up 1.4 to 2
grownice
Thats y i said IF you round up…. didnt say your supposed to round 1.4 to 2 , i was just being generous on his account…
dc21892
There is no IF, just don’t do it.
grownice
Thanks for your valuable contribution.
The Jesus
“Aroldis Chapman has a really good fastball, around 105 or so, but hey, let’s just round up to 110.”
grownice
Never have i had so much slack for rounding up to be generous to show that its still not a great percentage out of 14 prospects. You people are like vultures.
notsureifsrs
make lols not war
grownice
But but but.. They started it!!!
CarterSemple
I got a D in Algebra II
Dallas Melendez
1-2 stars in any class is pretty good for a team, considering how each team usually gets about 40-50 newcomers a year, with no real results
Mark Janicik
A star is much different than a guy “panning out”
FrankTheFunkasaurusRex
holy. fourteen?
DerekC
Yes, WSH signed 14 prospects, but what they don’t tell you is only 10 have ever played baseball before. WSH showing that when you don’t know what you’re doing, why not sign everyone. WSH, there are still people outside of the USA that you can still sign. Crap-shoot much?
Bernie M
Do you know who Johnny DiPuglia ( Director of International Scouting) is? Go look him up and make that statement again. Jim Bowden messed up the whole international side of the scouting operations for the Nats and Rizzo and DiPuglia are having to clean up the mess and start from scratch. Look him up.
Chuck345
“Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post wrote about the team’s efforts to improve its presence in Latin America earlier this month.”
Well sheesh, did they have to do it all in one shot instead of gradually?
notsureifsrs
hey, what if we just go to the dominican republic’s high school world series and sign whichever team wins?
“you mean scout the team, mike? that could actually be good id–”
no i mean sign them. all of them. what the hell, right?
gigantes2425
Does anyone know what’s going on with angel villanova? Is he in prison?
EvanR
No but he had his US work visa revoked.
Giorgi Almonte
wow international is a big word only for two countries(Venezuela, Dominican Republic) lol…
dc21892
Great job by the Nats to getting heavily involved in international free agency.
NYBravosFan10
Most of this thread has been talking about the math involved in this story rather than actual strategy or the workings of the Nationals foreign scouting programs.
MeowMeow
Firstly, if even two of these guys work out for them, then it’s a win for the Nationals, really.
Secondly (and arguably more importantly), signings like these can help give the Nationals a very positive face in Latin America. So when the next big hispanic prospect comes along, maybe he looks at the Nationals a little longer, thinking “Hey, this team does a lot of good stuff for my country” or “Wow, a lot of my countrymates are in their system. That could be nice.”
muskyfish
Like another poster said, their system was a mess and needed to be rebuilt… ie, they had a lot of catching up to do. Very often, these players don’t sign for the highest amount, many times leaving some money on the table to go where they feel most comfortable.
LUWahooNatFan
Do all of these prospects go into Single-A, or is there a level below that where International prospects go? I’m not well-versed on the process placing prospects in the minor leagues
Guest 7228
well, there’s Rookie Ball, then Low-A and then High-A. (then AA, and AAA of course)
I’m not really sure how it works either, but they’ll probably mostly go play Rookie ball, I would think.
mjnord
Depends exactly on the team but most have a Dominican or Venezuelan development team, then rookie ball, Low-A short season, Low-A Full season, High-A, AA, AAA. Most of these guys will probably head to the Dominican or Venezuelan league and won’t come to the States for a year or two or never.
Matt Manzella
Math nerds abound ITT. Moving on…
ironnat
Sometimes its hard to read these threads after the grade school kids get out of school and start posting.