Gregory Allen (Photo: SD State Athletics)

2014 MLB Draft: Best tools edition

By Jeff Ellis

June 23, 2014

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As is the tradition here is my yearly piece on the top player tools in this year’s Indians draft. I am writing about who I project to have the best future tool, not current tools.

This is a fun way to look at who has the best tools from the players drafted and signed this year by the Indians. This way the fans can get an idea of what things to specifically look for when they watch these players as they come up through the minors.

This piece was a little harder this year as it was a deeper draft, but also because in some ways the Indians selected a lot of similar player’s tool wise. I will also end this piece with my sleeper picks as well.

Hit – Bradley Zimmer, OF

This came down to three players Bradley Zimmer, Michael Papi, and Bobby Bradley. In the end it was mostly Papi vs. Zimmer. Zimmer has the higher ceiling as a natural athlete with good bat speed and he should end up with a legit plus hit tool. There were some scouts who graded him as having the best hit tool of any college bat this year. His average improved every year he was in school, and he could still greatly improve as his mechanics could use some cleaning up. His bat speed is the best in this class, and should lead to Zimmer possessing the top hit tool in this draft class.

Power – Bobby Bradley, 1B

Bradley was the runaway winner for this award. He has legit plus power and has the upside to be a 30 home run a year type of guy. He looked a lot better as a hitter this year, both in terms of hitting and pitch recognition. He is already big bodied guy at 6’2” 225, but will just get stronger. Zimmer has the best bat speed, but Bradley is a close second. His size and swing which has a bit of an upper cut generates massive power. If he was anything other than a first baseman he would have gone a round and a half earlier. Bradley along with last year’s pick Frazier give the Indians the best power combo they have had in the system for a while.

Speed – Greg Allen, CF

This was another three way race between Jodd Carter, Bradley Zimmer and Greg Allen. Allen has two plus tools in his speed and defense. His speed was graded a bit all over the place, but his 60 yard time was a 6.61, which is blazing. His time down the line was under four seconds from the left side and a little over four from the right. The best part about his speed is he knows how to use it. He makes correct reads in the outfield and is a smart base runner. Allen has everything teams look for in a future leadoff hitter.

Eye – Mike Papi, OF

This was the easiest award to give as Papi has owned the strike zone his last two years in college. He walked 100 times over the last two years and over the same time he struck out 60 times. His strikeouts jumped this year, but this might be tied to the great responsibility he carried this year. He had to step up when Fisher was injured and with multiple teammates under achieving. The quote on draft day was that he ruled the strike zone. Papi is an advanced college bat who should move quickly through the minors. He should put up some gaudy walk numbers, and with his hit tool and his eye he is also the safest pick in this draft.

Defense – Alexis Pantoja, SS

This award came down to Pantoja vs. Allen. Pantoja is the better defender at the most important defensive position on the field. He is a slick fielding shortstop with a plus arm. He is exactly half of Francisco Lindor in that he plays great defense but his bat is a well below average tool. If he can improve to just a below average hitter he will be a starter in this league because his glove is that good. Shortstop is the weakest position in the majors, and the value Pantoja brings defensively cannot be over-stated.

Arm – Mike Papi, OF

This was another fairly easy selection. The Indians plan to use Papi in the outfield in spite of his athleticism being a bit below average; the reason is because his arm is plus. He has a very strong arm, which would have been wasted at first the position many, myself included, projected him to play originally. His arm is a weapon in the outfield and he is a guy who should have a ton of outfield assists in his future.

Best Fastball – Sam Hentges, LHP

Hentges is a huge lefty who saw a spike in velocity earlier in the season. His combination of size and cold weather arm could and should lead to a jump in velocity. Thanks to his size he also gets a nice downward plane on his pitches. He can hit 93 now, but has a chance to jump higher. Hentges has a legit chance to be a lefty who can sit in the mid 90’s with nice movement on his fastball. That right there is something which is not easy to find.

Best Secondary – Justus Sheffield, LHP

Sheffield not only has the best future secondary pitches but he also has the biggest arsenal of secondary pitches. We often see younger players with a large arsenal, but they often feature pitches which won’t be used in the future. For Sheffield all three of his secondary pitches project out to be above average major league offerings. His best pitch is his slider which should be a plus pitch. His other secondary offerings are his change and his curveball. Sheffield’s mix of pitches and upside clearly give him the best future secondary offerings in this draft.

Biggest Velocity – Jordan Dunatov, RHP

Dunatov is a 6’6” right hander who has hit 96 MPH already. He was drafted out of high school as an outfielder. He has bounced around the past two years and really has not had the chances to pitch, so in many ways he is like a high school arm. This past season he pitched three innings in college, but he will pitch more for the Indians this year than he did at Nevada. Here is a guy who concentrated more on hitting than pitching in high school, went to college and struggled to find at bats and innings. Now he is with the Indians where he will get his chance to grow as a pitcher. With his size and velocity already I would not be shocked to see him jump up a few more MPH as he gets professional coaching and on a strength and conditioning program.

Best Command – David Speer, LHP

Speer put on a master show of command this year as a pitcher. He struck out 75 and walked only seven over 80 innings. He was unmatched in the Ivy League in terms or production, and his ability to put the ball right where he wanted was a big reason. He doesn’t throw hard as he is more of an upper 80’s guy, but this is a pitcher who should post some gaudy numbers in the lower levels thanks to his plus control.

Sleeper Pitcher – Luke Eubank, RHP

Luke Eubank is the most surprising player who signed to me. He was a top 200 guy who fell to the 15th round. On draft day I mentioned there was a chance he would sign because he didn’t pitch for a big program and he did have size limitations, yet I was still downright giddy when I got the news he signed. The reason is his sinker is a legit plus pitch as his slider. As we have seen with Justin Masterson and the pitcher formerly known as Fausto Carmona, you can get by with a good sinker alone. It is a pitch you can throw 90% of the time and be successful with in the majors. He gets compared to Joe Smith often because he throws from a low three quarter slot, and people think his future is in the pen. I would give him every chance to start because I think he can last there. The kid has the mentality of a starter; every report is glowing about his work ethic and mound presence. Some guys seem special, like in spite of the negatives you know they will make it. Eubank is that guy for me as I look past the lower velocity, size, and arm angle and see a kid with a fastball that MOVES and a sinker which will buckle hitters.

Sleeper Hitter – Greg Allen, CF

Allen is the forgotten hitter in this draft. After the big three he has not been talked about anywhere near as much. Yet I can’t help but look at the numbers and see a future Michael Bourn. They are similar in size and build. Bourn in his final season in Atlanta was 8th in the NL in walks as he walked 10 percent of the time. People often don’t realize Bourn was a guy who walked right around nine percent of the time in his career before he came to Cleveland. Allen in college walked 30 times a year - compare that to Papi and you can see that is a significant amount for a college bat. He also struck out 30 to 40 times a year, which is again Bourn-like. Some scouts I read said Allen is a future gold glover in center. This is why he is my sleeper. Think about it, $200K for a polished college junior with plus speed and a plus glove in center. He has a good eye and good hit tool and on top of that he is a switch-hitter. Again this is all for $200K, and if he becomes just three-fourths of what Bourn was in Atlanta that is a steal.

Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffmlbdraft, or email him at jellis121@yahoo.com

WoW! Looks like Jeff Ellis wasn't wrong about Allen. Two outfield assists tonight, one at second and one at third. In two games, he has 5 hits out of the leadoff position hitting (.556).

Yanks open international signing period with spree

Club signs three of top-ranked prospects, remains linked to other young stars

By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 7/2/2014 4:05 P.M. ET

Wednesday got off to a busy start for the New York Yankees, with the international signing period only a few hours old.

According to industry sources, the club signed Dominican third baseman Nelson Gomez for $2.25 million, along with Venezuelan shortstops Wilkerman Garcia for $1.35 million and Diego Castillo for $750,000. The Yankees also remain the favorite to sign several more highly regarded international prospects.

The Yanks have not confirmed the signings.

Gomez is ranked No. 2 on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospects list, while Garcia and Castillo rank 14th and 16th, respectively. Gomez has gained a reputation as a pure hitter and is considered the best offensive player in this year's international signing class. He's been praised for his plate discipline and has a knack for squaring up the ball. Gomez has shown the ability to hit for power to all fields.

Garcia could be better suited for second base or even third base because of his versatility and arm strength. He's known for his strong footwork, good hands and fluid movement on defense. Offensively, Gomez should be able to hit for average due to his natural feel for hitting.

Castillo grew up admiring Derek Jeter and has one of the strongest arms in the class. He's known for his good footwork and soft hands on defense and a line-drive swing at the plate.

The Yankees are also the favorites to sign shortstop Dermis Garcia, the No. 1 player on MLB.com's rankings, along with outfielder Juan DeLeon (No. 5), shortstop Jonathan Amundaray (No. 7), outfielder Antonio Arias (No. 9), Korean shortstop Hyo-Jun Park (No. 13), catcher Miguel Flames (No. 25) and outfielder Bryan Emery (No. 29).

The Yanks have were also linked to shortstop Christopher Torres (No. 18), but that deal fell through, according to Torres' trainer, Orlando Mazara.

In accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each team is allotted a $700,000 base and a bonus pool based on the team's record in 2013 for the international signing period. New York's bonus pool total for this year's signing period is $2,193,100.

There are penalties in place for teams that exceed their spending limits.

Teams that exceed the pools by up to 5 percent have to pay a 100 percent tax, and teams that exceed the pools by 5 to 10 percent are not allowed to sign a player for more than $500,000 during the next signing period, and they must pay a 100 percent tax on the pool overage. Teams that exceed the pools by 10 to 15 percent are not allowed to sign a player for more than $300,000 during the next signing period and have to pay a 100 percent tax on the pool overage.

In the most severe penalty, teams that exceed the pool by more than 15 percent are not allowed to sign a player for more than $300,000 during the next two signing periods in addition to paying a 100 percent tax on the pool overage.

TOP 30 INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTS

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2014/#list=int
Dermis Garcia

There are penalties in place for teams that exceed their spending limits.

I don't think that will be a problem

The Brewers on Wednesday agreed to terms with teenage shortstop Gilbert Lara, who is ranked No. 4 on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospects list, for $3.1 million, according to an industry source.

The Red Sox signed two of the top international free-agent right-handed pitchers on the market on Wednesday, inking Christopher Acosta to a signing bonus worth $1.5 million and Anderson Espinoza to a signing bonus worth $1.8 million, according to industry sources.

Espinoza's $2 million deal also includes $200,000 for college.

The club did not confirm the signings.

Acosta, who ranks No. 6 on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospects list, and Espinoza, who ranks No. 10, are among the best pitchers on the international market this year, and they will be a welcome addition to the club's Minor League system.

With the international signing period officially under way, here is a look at MLBPipeline.com's Top 30 International Prospects and which of them have agreed to terms with clubs so far:

1. Dermis Garcia, SS, Dominican Republic
2. Nelson Gomez, 3B, Dominican Republic - Yankees ($2,250,000) More »
3. Ardrian Rondon, SS, Dominican Republic
4. Gilbert Lara, SS, Dominican Republic - Brewers ($3,100,000) More »
5. Juan DeLeon, OF, Dominican Republic
6. Christopher Acosta, RHP, Dominican Republic - Red Sox ($1,500,000) More »
7. Jonathan Amundaray, OF, Venezuela
8. Brayan Hernandez, OF, Venezuela - Mariners ($1,850,000) More »
9. Antonio Arias, OF, Venezuela
10. Anderson Espinoza, RHP, Venezuela - Red Sox ($2,000,000) More »
11. Juan Meza, RHP, Venezuela - Blue Jays ($1,600,000) More »
12. Pedro Gonzalez, SS, Dominican Republic - Rockies ($1,300,000) More »
13. Hyo-Jun Park, SS, South Korea
14. Wilkerman Garcia, SS, Venezuela - Yankees ($1,350,000) More »
15. Arquimedes Gamboa, SS, Venezuela - Phillies ($900,000) More »
16. Diego Castillo, SS, Venezuela - Yankees ($750,000) More »
17. Huascar Ynoa, RHP, Dominican Republic - Twins ($800,000) More »
18. Christopher Torres, SS, Dominican Republic
19. Julio Martinez, OF, Dominican Republic - Tigers ($600,000) More »
20. Ronny Rafael, OF, Dominican Republic
21. Franklin Perez, RHP, Venezuela - Astros ($1,000,000) More »
22. Yeremy Rosario, SS, Dominican Republic - Rockies ($800,000) More »
23. Miguel Angel Sierra, SS, Venezuela - Astros ($1,000,000) More »
24. Ricky Aracena, SS, Dominican Republic
25. Miguel Flames, C, Venezuela
26. Amado Nunez, SS, Dominican Republic - White Sox ($900,000) More »
27. Kenny Hernandez, SS, Venezuela - Mets ($1,000,000) More »
28. Jhoandro Alfaro, C, Colombia - White Sox ($750,000) More »
29. Bryan Emery, OF, Colombia
30. Ricardo Rodriguez, C, Venezuela - Padres More »

This is how it works:

A 16-year-old international player is eligible to sign with a Major League team between July 2 through June 15 of next year if the prospect turns 17 before Sept. 1 of this year or by the completion of his first Minor League season. Additionally, any prospect who is already 17 or older and has not previously signed a Major or Minor League contract, resides outside the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and has not been enrolled in a high school or college in the U.S., Canada or Puerto Rico within the previous year is eligible to sign during the period.

There are specific signing guidelines each team must follow.

In 2012, in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, spending limits were introduced and each club was allotted $2.9 million to spend on the international market during the signing period that began that July 2.

For the second consecutive year, those numbers have changed. Each team is allotted a $700,000 base and a bonus pool based on the team's record in 2013, a figure ranging from $5,015,400 for the Astros, who had the Majors' lowest winning percentage last year, to $1,866,300 for the Cardinals, who had the highest winning percentage.

The signing bonus pools are made up of four slot values.

Additionally, for the second consecutive year, clubs are allowed to trade pool money. The exemption that allowed clubs to sign up to six players for bonuses up to $50,000 without counting against the allotment has been eliminated this year, but all bonuses of $10,000 or less are also exempt.

There are penalties in place for teams exceeding their spending limits.

Teams that exceed the pools by 0 to 5 percent have to pay 100 percent tax, and teams that exceed the pools by 5 to 10 percent are not allowed to sign a player for more than $500,000 during the next signing period and also have to pay a 100-percent tax on the pool overage. Teams that exceed the pools by 10 to 15 percent are not allowed to sign a player for more than $300,000 during the next signing period and have to pay a 100-percent tax on the pool overage.

In the most severe penalty, teams that exceed the pool by 15 percent or more are not allowed to sign a player for more than $300,000 during the next two signing periods, in addition to paying a 100-percent tax on the pool overage.

The international signing guidelines do not apply to players who previously signed a contract with a Major or Minor League club, nor do they apply to players who are least 23 years old and have played as a professional in a league recognized by the Commissioner's Office for a minimum of five seasons. Cuban players who are at least 23 and have played in a Cuban professional league for five or more seasons are also exempt.

Here is a look at each team's allotted bonus signing pool:

Astros - $5,015,400
Marlins - $4,622,400
White Sox - $4,273,200
Cubs - $3,962,700
Twins - $3,686,600
Mariners - $3,440,700
Phillies - $3,221,800
Rockies - $3,026,700
Blue Jays - $2,852,900
Mets - $2,697,800
Brewers - $2,611,800
Padres - $2,531,200
Giants - $2,455,300
Angels - $2,383,700
D-backs - $2,316,600
Orioles - $2,253,100
Yankees - $2,193,100
Royals - $2,136,800
Nationals - $2,083,600
Reds - $2,033,400
Rangers - $2,015,500
Rays - $1,998,100
Indians - $1,980,700
Dodgers - $1,963,800
Tigers - $1,946,900
Pirates - $1,930,400
Athletics - $1,913,900
Braves - $1,897,900
Red Sox - $1,881,700
Cardinals - $1,866,300


Jesse Sanchez is a national reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @JesseSanchezMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

So the Tribe's plan is to wait for everybody else to run out of money so they can swoop in and low-ball anybody that is left.

?

Tribe signed 4 kids today. 3 of the 4 seem really interesting to me.

If they would have spent just a few hundred grand over allotment they could have signed Gomez, who I really wanted. Disappointed about that, but they did sign two other similar guys. Right handed power bats at corner positions who are pretty good sized kids. Good power potential with both. And a young power arm. Can't complain too much.

International Report: Indians are active signing six players

By Jeff Ellis

July 3, 2014

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The International Signing Period is one of the times I get the most questions. The reason for this is it is a confusing system and the penalties seem to be a non-factor to most teams. I mean the Yankees spent $18 million on Wednesday, which would have been 25% of the total spending of last year just by the Yankees.

So the way the International period works is teams are given different pool amounts. The teams are given the largest pool based on reverse record of the year before. It’s basically setup just like the draft, but without any form of compensation picks. The Indians this year have $1,980,700 to spend and that total is broken down into four slots which can be traded. Teams often do trade these slots and it is another asset for teams. This is also great for teams who went way over the pool the year before as they can trade these slots and lose out on nothing.

I keep mentioning the penalties because they are a big deal. In the baseball draft teams are limited out of fear of losing picks. In the International period the biggest penalty a team can sustain is paying 100% tax on all money over the pool along with being limited to only being able to spend a max of $250K on any single player the next year. They don’t lose any pool money; they just pay a tax and can’t sign a high price talent the next year.

Just to illustrate how broken this approach is all one has to do is look at the spending on the first day. As of the time of this article the Yankees had a pool total of $2,193,100, yet so far they have spent $18.5 million and that will surely rise to over $20 million. If the Yankees do spent exactly $20 million they will have to pay just shy of $18 million in taxes bringing the total bill to almost $40 million which is a total no small or even mid-market team can hope to contend with.

The Yankees are just a great example of a broken system but they are far from the only team who exploit it. The Red Sox are also spending heavily this year, and last year the Cubs and Rangers went well over pool. Get ready for the approach where the even years it’s the Yankees and the Red Sox getting all the big names and then in odd years it will be the Cubs and Rangers. What they all have in common is market size. Teams like the Indians can’t hope to contend. It is funny because this new system was meant to help out smaller teams and it has done exactly the opposite once teams figured out how to break the system.

The exploitation of the system has led to an increase in talk of an International draft. This has been talked about so often before that the system is basically in place. I expect within the next five years the draft will be implemented.

So on the first day one might wonder what the Indians were doing while the Yankees spent $18.5 million. Well the Indians ended up spending $1.265 million on six players. I will give a brief scouting report on each. A quick note is that every single one of these players is from the Dominican Republic which the Indians seem especially focused on this year.

- Leonardo Rodriquez is a big right-handed pitcher at 6’7”. He is sitting in the low 90’s already at 16, so needless to say Rodriquez projects as a big power pitcher with mid to high 90’s velocity. His secondary stuff is basically nonexistent, but it often is for most 16 year olds. He was one of the most expensive signs at $300K, but should be an interesting arm to follow.

- Another 300K signing was Christopher Cespedes. He is 6’3” and 16 years old, so is another man-sized player here. Cespedes hits from the right side and seems like a future corner outfielder. His best tool is listed as power, and his power from the right side does matchup with the Indians biggest need in the minors. I already was asked if there is any relation to Yeonis, but seeing as Yeonis is from Cuba and Christopher from the Dominican Republic this would seem very unlikely.

- The last of the $300K signings was Oscar Gonzales He is a lot like Cespedes as he is also 16 and currently is 6’3” with power projection from the right side. He has a much stronger arm though, and is also ticketed to the corner of the outfield in his future. The fun fact that was associated with him was that his trainer in the Dominican was a former pop singer who had a song peak in the 40’s on Billboard’s Latin chart.

- For $200K they added Julio Cabrera, a left handed outfielder who profiles in center field. He is not a lead off type as he only has average speed. It was his hit tool with a nice line drive stroke that got him signed. He is about 6’ tall and has a good arm. It seems with the signings that the Indians have created an outfield to grow together. I think all three of them will start out together and hopefully excel and move up the ranks together.

- The first signing I read about was Henderson D’Oleo, a big right handed third baseman who signed for $165K. He like all the other signees is 16, but is the second biggest at 6’4”. His best tool is viewed as his right handed power, which was a target of the Indians. This system really lacks right-handed bats in general, and it was nice to see them focus on this need. Henderson was also listed as having a strong arm and trained with the same trainer who worked with Julio Cabrera.

- The last player I heard about was another 16 year old Dominican player named Orlando Cedeno. He is a right-handed pitcher who is on the smaller side at 6’1” but his fastball has already hit the low 90’s. His trainer is Pedro Martinez’s father in law, so he might also be getting tips from Pedro from time to time and has worked with him already.

I will have more updates as players sign. I have heard a few reports on other players, but until I find two sources I can’t confirm the signing. So stay tuned for updates as the Indians keep adding more talent to their system.

Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffmlbdraft, or email him at jellis121@yahoo.com

It sounds like they're building a basketball team. 6-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1.
Unless these are exaggerations, which wouldn't be a major surprise.

When they sign a kid at 16yrs old, how soon would the Indians have to put them on the 40 man roster?

All 16 year-olds........ Well.... 16 according to their Dominican birth certificates.

I like the size of these kids.... although some may have a few inches added with the Dominican measurement system similar to the questionable ages with Dominican birth records system.

Kids signed that young used to become eligible for the Rule 5 draft if not rostered after 4 years, and I'm pretty sure it is now 5 years.

Here's one we did not sign. BTW, NYY has netted 7 of the top 30. But Yankees are not routinely very effective at talent development recently and these guys are probably longer shots than US draft picks who are at least a couple years more experienced.


Dominican shortstop Adrian Rondon, the No. 1 international prospect for July 2, has signed with the Rays for $2,950,000. Rondon became eligible to sign today, his 16th birthday, and has earned widespread praise from scouts for his offensive potential at a premium position. The signing puts the Rays well beyond 15 percent over their $1,998,100 bonus pool, which means they will have to pay a 100 percent tax on their pool overage and won’t be allowed to sign any player for more than $300,000 in the next two signing periods.

Baseball America subscribers have access to more than 50 scouting reports on the top international amateur prospects for July 2. Rondon’s complete scouting report is available below as a free preview. BA subscribers can also read an in-depth feature on Rondon with scouts breaking down the Rays’ new shortstop.


1. Adrian Rondon, ss, Dominican Republic

Born: July 7, 1998. Height: 6-2. Weight: 180. B-T: R-R.

Rondon is one of the youngest players in the class—he won’t be able to sign until he turns 16 on July 7—but his feel for the game is well beyond his years. When Rondon was 12, he joined Astin Jacobo’s program in San Pedro de Macoris, where they play games six days a week. He also played in the International Prospect League and established himself as an athletic, game-oriented player who can play in the middle of the diamond while excelling at the plate.

Some scouts consider Rondon the most advanced hitter in the class. He has good bat speed and a quick, compact stroke, showing a knack for barreling the ball with good plate coverage to make plenty of contact in games. He has good rhythm and balance with the ability to square up high-end velocity. He will chase hard breaking pitches off the plate at times, but he has a mature hitting approach for his age, working deep counts and using the whole field. He’s more of a line-drive hitter than a power threat, but there’s loft in his swing and projection in his frame, so his doubles should turn into more home runs with more strength.

Rondon also has the attributes that should allow him to stick at shortstop. He’s more of a steady defender than a flashy one, with speed and arm strength that both grade out as 50-55 tools on the 20-80 scale. Given that he’s still 15 and has a live, athletic frame, both of those tools could tick up, although that’s always tricky to project. Rondon will have to improve his footwork, but he has good hands and plays under control with a knack for slowing the game down on both sides of the ball.

Scouts highest on Rondon think he could make a rapid rise, along the lines of Starlin Castro. Sources believe the Rays are so enamored with Rondon that they are willing to shatter their international bonus pool to make sure they get him, which is why they’re seen as the favorites to sign him.