Astros have signed 3 pitchers for cheap in the early going. In addition to Ben Badler, Antonio Puesán is a pretty good follow for July 2 updates. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/July2Update?src=hash">#July2Update</a> RHP Ronny García sign with <a href="https://twitter.com/astros">@Astros</a> for $30,000, i really love this kind of bonuses.</p>— Antonio Puesán (@antoniopuesan) <a href="https://twitter.com/antoniopuesan/status/749223847270895616">July 2, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="ro" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/July2Update?src=hash">#July2Update</a> RHPs Freylin García sign with <a href="https://twitter.com/astros">@Astros</a> for $20,000 and Oscar Severino for $10,000 from Dominican Republic <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sweet?src=hash">#Sweet</a></p>— Antonio Puesán (@antoniopuesan) <a href="https://twitter.com/antoniopuesan/status/749224285382643712">July 2, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Baseball America also has a tracker up, but they will not post bonuses for Venezuelan players at the request of families and teams. The Astros have agreements with the same kids that have been constantly mentioned in this thread (Sierra, Nova, Ceuta, et al.), so no new names at the moment.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/July2Update?src=hash">#July2Update</a> infielder prospect Freudys Nova sign with Astros for $1.2 millions.</p>— Antonio Puesán (@antoniopuesan) <a href="https://twitter.com/antoniopuesan/status/749201722212360193">July 2, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Conflict: Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com tweeted out that Rodriguez signed for $480,000. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/July2Update?src=hash">#July2Update</a> catcher Nerio Rodriguez Jr sign with Astros for $425,000 he's the son of former MLB pitcher Nerio Rodriguez.</p>— Antonio Puesán (@antoniopuesan) <a href="https://twitter.com/antoniopuesan/status/749203142219337728">July 2, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/July2Update?src=hash">#July2Update</a> SS Prospect Deury Carrasco sign with <a href="https://twitter.com/astros">@Astros</a> for a $480,000 bonus</p>— Antonio Puesán (@antoniopuesan) <a href="https://twitter.com/antoniopuesan/status/749209997226102784">July 2, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Not sure about the legitimacy of this, but Ben Badler and Jesse Sanchez (MLB.com guy who also does some July 2 stuff) follow him. Francys Romero reported that Cuban OF Norberto Castellanos signed with the Astros in the previous IFA period. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">El santiaguero OF Norberto Castellanos firmo con Astros x 75.000 y 7 años mas bonus <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MiercolesDeGanarSeguidores?src=hash">#MiercolesDeGanarSeguidores</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/astros">@astros</a></p>— Francys Romero (@FrancysRomero10) <a href="https://twitter.com/FrancysRomero10/status/743205885422403584">June 15, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> agree to $1M deal with SS Yorbin Cueta of Venezuela <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline">@Mlbpipeline</a></p>— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/JesseSanchezMLB/status/749230133110681600">July 2, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Source:<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> agree to $695K deal with RHP Angel Macuare of Venezuela <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline">@mlbpipeline</a></p>— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/JesseSanchezMLB/status/749230207974842368">July 2, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> agree to $450K deal with RHP Jairo Solis of Venezuela <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline">@Mlbpipeline</a></p>— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/JesseSanchezMLB/status/749230329840300034">July 2, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Lazarito to the A's for $3 million. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="es" dir="ltr">Firma de Lazarito considerada la más impactante en Julio 2. Tres millones de dólares. <a href="https://t.co/Mvhm5shHCQ">pic.twitter.com/Mvhm5shHCQ</a></p>— Alberto Rodríguez (@ARenLosDeportes) <a href="https://twitter.com/ARenLosDeportes/status/749255258640035840">July 2, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Teams like up-the-middle players because they have the athleticism to play any other position. They won't necessarily be shortstops in the pros. And yes, Miguel Cabrera signed as a shortstop.
yes he was, as a 17 year old kid, he played 61 games and made 17 errors. Then at 18, year 2001 he played 98 games, and made 32 errors. IN 2002 he played 9 games and made 1 error. In 2003 he played with the marlins and played mostly LF as they had Mike Lowell at 3b and Alex Gonzalez at SS, both very good defensive players.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> have agreed to terms on contracts with 12 international free agents: <a href="https://t.co/oe4hHYipLN">https://t.co/oe4hHYipLN</a> <a href="https://t.co/W6VVbgwRW6">pic.twitter.com/W6VVbgwRW6</a></p>— Houston Astros (@astros) <a href="https://twitter.com/astros/status/749392101083738112">July 2, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> However, the Astros actually signed 20 players today. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Check that, Astros are going to wind up signing 20 total players today on first day of international signing period.</p>— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmctaggart/status/749368937192697858">July 2, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Players mentioned in the article: - SS Yorbin Ceuta (VZ) - SS Freudis Nova (DR) - SS Deury Carrasco (DR) - SS Sean Mendoza (VZ) - C Nerio Rodriguez (DR) - IF Jeury Castillo (DR) - RHP Angel Macuare (VZ) - RHP Ronny Garcia (DR) - RHP Jairo Solis (VZ) - RHP Angel Ortega (VZ) - CF Leonardo Gonzalez (VZ) - C Jose Alvarez (VZ)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Strong day for the Astros. Nova has impact potential, Ceuta one of the better bats at SS, good wave after them too: <a href="https://t.co/n8KtxKyNHZ">https://t.co/n8KtxKyNHZ</a></p>— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenBadler/status/749425167051452416">July 3, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Astros sign 2 Mexican pitchers Jose Luis Bravo and Juan Pablo Lopez were both signed from the Mexico City Red Devils. Oz Ocampo on Bravo: On Lopez: Both of them are headed to the Dominican. Bravo can play in DSL games immediately, while Lopez will have to wait until 2017.
Anibal Sierra signing is official, $1.5M. Could see him starting in High A next season, but probably won't play anywhere this season.
Interesting. Man, the reports back in April of him getting $3.5 million from the Astros (costing the team $7 million including tax penalties) were way off. I'm still confused why Sierra is ranked nowhere on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospects. If it's because he's an unrestricted free agent, then why is he subject to the international signing restrictions? If it's because he's Cuban, then why are other Cubans on that list? Somebody help me out here.
My understanding is that he was a super late bloomer and hadn't had the exposure prior to all those rankings being set. Given what little info is available on these prospects (even the highly ranked ones) I tend to set my expectations based almost solely on how much they sign for. $1.5 is in the range of what they gave MiguelAngel Sierra, Ronny Rafael, and a few others. For now he's a B- prospect until he gets into some games and starts putting up some numbers that tell us more.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Astros?src=hash">#Astros</a> announced signings of 4 other international prospects, all pitchers: Jervic Chavez, Freylin Garcia, Jonger Ochoa & Oscar Severino</p>— Jordan Ray (@JordanLRay) <a href="https://twitter.com/JordanLRay/status/756994351578779648">July 23, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
