It was a busy day for the Giants international scouting team. As expected, they signed the consensus #1 Latin American prospect in the signing period, added two others rated in the top 50 plus multiple other international prospects. The marquee name here is Josuar de Jesus Gonzalez SS. He's lean, wiry strong, athletic, switch-hitting shortstop who some scouting reports comp to Francisco Lindor SS. Looking at video footage he has plenty of room to fill out his frame and still remain mobile enough to play SS. Joe Palermo, head of Giants international scouting stated that Josuar will be assigned to the DSL this summer to start his pro career. Josuar signed for a reported $2.9 M which is a bit more than was projected leading up to signing day. More on that later.
The Giants also signed DJean Maceres CF,the top rated prospect from Aruba, for a reported $1 M and Yulian Barreto SS from Venezuela. In all, the Giants signed 15 international prospects 6 countries including 8 from Venezuela where the Giants seem the most active of all the Latin American countries, just two from the Dominican Republic and two from Colombia, one each from Aruba, Panama and St Martin. Perhaps the top signing for the name tool is Winkel Del Rosario LHP from the Dominican Republic. He has nice size too at 6' 3", 180 lbs.
The Giants made two other transactions today, two of which acquired additional international bonus pool money which may have gone toward sweetening the offer to Josuar de Jesus Gonzalez. Per Roger in a comment on McCovey Chronicles, another team reportedly made a late run at trying to sign Josuar away from the Giants and they may have felt they needed to up their offer to make sure he didn't get away.
Blake Sabol C/UT, who was DFA'd after the Justin Verlander signing was traded to the Red Sox for bonus pool money. OK, I admit I didn't think he had any trade value.
I didn't think Sabol had value either, but very, very happy to wrong on that count. I thought he did admirably well in his Rule 5 year under difficult circumstances. I know it will be an uphill battle for him, but I hope he finds a place in the Majors.
ReplyDeleteFrom afar, acquiring more $$$ to ensure the Gonzalez signing seems SO good. Instead of bemoaning a player hesitating at a handshake deal, Giants made it happen. It's going to take a lot for me to believe in Posey as a GM...but damn, that's an awesome sign! Also, having Doval, Encarnacion AND Adames at the signing today is incredibly encouraging!
Oh, I agree on the Adames, Doval and Encarnacion attending the signing. I am sure that kind of enthusiasm and support does not go unnoticed by other prospects, families and buscones out there. What a great spoken and unspoken way to support and promote the organization!
DeleteAnd I agree, going out and getting the extra $$ at the last minute is so impressive and a great signal that Buster is committed to the continued growth of the international market. I can't imagine FZ having the initiative to get something like that done on such short notice.
DeleteAdames, Encarnacion, and Doval did not just make a cameo appearance. The kids were really excited to see them and each of them told their stories about what it takes to make the big leagues. This may seem like a little thing but it shows that the organization has class.
DeleteThis is new behavior for the Giants. The previous regime was more likely to sacrifice the bonus pool money. Exciting to see that they are linked to four top international free agents in the next three years.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about sacrificing the bonus pool money, but I can't imagine FZ having the decisiveness to go out and get the extra money on such short notice. FZ probably would have moved reallocated the pool and dropped everybody but the top 3 but Buster went out and not onlyh got the top 3 signed but also the other 12 prospects who pretty much nobody in the fanbase or sportstalk radio would have cared if he threw them under the bus. Shows he believes in keeping promises even when nobody would blame him for not keeping them. Also trusting that his scouts found a hidden gem or two in those 12 other players. Just a great move and great message on so many levels.
DeleteThe true measure of a person is how they act when they think people aren't looking. Most people would not care if they had broken their commitments to the 12 "others" because most, if not all, of them would not make the big leagues. It is really wonderful to know that the Buster regime is acting with the highest level of honor and integrity.
DeleteOh! And now, after the Dodgers and Padres threw the Latin American prospects they had agreements with under the bus, it's rumored they are looking to trade players for bonus pool money to get Sasaki signed. And all this time I thought the money didn't mean anything to Sasaki........
ReplyDeleteIt's probably not going to happen and maybe it would be worse for the Giants if Sasaki goes to SD rather than LA and aiding 2 better teams long run but is it better for SF for Sasaki to go where — LA or SD?
DeleteIs the only answer to that is neither, go to Toronto?
With the Dodgers and Padres holding off signing their
DeleteBuster is being very clever: whoever signs Sasaki may well have to give up on the most expensive of the international players they have committed, and the Giants can swoop in and get more good prospects to go along with Gonzales, Maceres, Barreto, and the other dozen they have signed.
DeleteSF may not have Japanese stars but Spanish will be the second language in the clubhouse.
Gonzalez, Maceres, and Baretto took up most of the bonus pool money so I don't think they can "swoop in".
DeleteMaybe but I think Buster had to go out and get the extra pool money just to get the signings done yesterday after another team reportedly made a run at Josuar "is it de Jesus or Gonzalez or both?". As for which team we are hoping Sasaki signs with, obviously the Blue Jays but I am firmly in the camp that it's better for us Giants fans if Sasaki signs with the Padres rather than the Dodgers.
DeleteThe Dodgers and Padres were telling the prospects to wait until next year or seek out other options. That is not a good look. The Dodgers have now lost three prospects.
DeleteWe had the ultimate "player to be named later": Jose Gonzalez Uribe. He said "there are too many Gonzalezes in baseball" otherwise he would have used Gonzalez (his father's surname).
DeleteEverybody likes money Doc.
ReplyDeleteHa! It's like I really don't care about the money but how much you offer is a sign of now much you care about me! That's the vibe I'm getting here with the Sasaki shenanigans.
DeleteThis all seems like solid work by Posey and the management team. Encouraging.
ReplyDeleteThis is a big signing for the Giants. The Giants need to compete for the top players in the world if they want to compete with LA. His 60 rating for hit tool and power in his scouting report is exciting. Interesting that he is being compared to 2024 Padres international signing SS Leodalis De Fries who is already ranked as the #28 prospect in MLB by MLB.com
ReplyDeleteI have question Doc. I just read that the No. 3, 4, 5 international prospects all signed with their respective teams for significantly more money than Gonzalez (ranked No. 2). How did the Giants get away with that?
ReplyDeleteMany possible reasons. Maybe teams individual valuations are different than published analyists? Players don't always choose the team that offers the most money. Ha! Maybe Josuar was willing to take less money from the Giants in return for signing with an "elite organization"! These deals are often agreed to at least 1-2 years in advance. Who knows how much weight these "handshake" deals carry? It sounds like the Giants did have to increase their offer at the last minute. it's the Wild West out there!
DeleteThis sounds a lot like when Farhan used to sign the first round draft picks for below slot values in order to give the second rounders above slot money.
DeleteIt may seem that way on the surface but it's a completely different situation and process. As far as the draft goes, Farhan did not invent the manipulation of underslot and overslot bonuses to try to maximize draft results and was not the first Giants GM/POBO to do it. It happened during Brian Sabean's and Bobby Evans' regimes too.
DeleteDo you know where one could get a little more information on the 2026 and 2027 international free agents that the Giants are rumored to be connected with by chance? I’m very curious to learn more about these prospects. Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteRoger Munter has blog but I think he charges a subscription for his in-depth information. I just pick up bits and pieces here and there from his comments on McCovey Chronicles. Baseball America also covers international prospects but it is completely behind a paywall. I admit I am too much of cheapskate and stubborn to pay my hard-earned money into subscriptions.
DeleteI will say, information on unsigned international prospects is extremely difficult to find because once there is a verbal agreement in place which often happens when the prospect is 14 or 15 years old, an almost complete blackout descends precisely because teams don't want other teams knowing who they are in on.
DeleteSo the best I can say is I have read comments out there in the vast internets from people who I think are more knowledgeable than I that the Giants are rumored to be in on highly rated prospects in 2026 and 2027. Take that for what it's worth. I will also say when I have read rumors like this from in the past they have mostly turned out to be true. But as I said in another comment, it's the Wild West out there!
DeleteRoger Munter's blog and Podcast is There R Giants. He's also on X and Blusky and comments frequently on McCovey Chronicles. I follow him and Blusky and read his comments with interest on MCC. But I am not a subscriber to his site.
DeleteBobby Evans says that being the team linked to a prospect prior to signing is no advantage because other teams will try to sign them.
DeleteNot only is it not an advantage, it's a huge disadvantage. That's why it's so hard to get information because teams try to keep these agreements secret and if word does get out, they try to keep the prospect under wraps so other teams can't scout them.
DeleteSo all of us bloggers who were breathlessly excited over the rumors of the Giants having an agreement with Josuar de Jesus Gonzalez and posting them online probably jeopardized the their chances of signing him and in fact at least one other team reportedly made a last minute run at him.
DeleteThat should apply now to LA, SD, and Toronto's "picks" who were told to "hold on" until Sasaki signs — but do the Giants have any money left after all they have signed?
DeleteFrom what I have read, it appears the Giants used up all their bonus pool money on Jan 15. They would need to make more trades to acquire more before Jan 15, 2026.
DeleteThe names of the future prospects are already out there. Maybe its just better to not talk about it and have faith that the front office knows what they are doing. Its not just the usual suspects like the Dodgers who poach players. The Dodgers did all the heavy lifting to get Morel but he ended up with the Pirates who gave Morel almost twice as much money as what the Dodgers offered (prior to Sasaki). A second Dodgers prospect ended up going to the Twins. Ned Colletti always considered a player unsigned until he puts the pen to the contract.
ReplyDeleteThe international signings are not sure thing slam dunks. Both Eddy Martinez and Lucius Fox never made it and the jury is still out on Marco Luciano. The best international signings in Giants history are Marichal, Cepeda, F Alou, M Alou, and Pablo. Most were in the 60s but the Giants are re-establishing themselves.
ReplyDeleteThat's why it's important to not just go all in on the international market for one signing or one year. You have to keep signing top prospects every year to increase your chances of getting 1 or 2 cornerstone ballplayers.
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