2020 July 2 Signing Rumors

[Smichaelis9]

Thought we needed a 2020 version of the July 2 rumor thread. Good place to drop anything you see linking the Brewers to July 2 international signings to be.

[Smichaelis9]

I'll start it off with this https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2020-international-mlb-prospects-preview-more-top-players-to-watch/

 

Jackson Brayan Chourio, SS/CF, Venezuela

Chourio, 15, is a lean, athletic player (6-foot-1, 155 pounds) who has split time between shortstop and center field. While he's not as physically developed as some of the other top players in the class, he's a plus runner who projects to stay in the middle of the diamond and hits the ball with surprising carry, generating loft and backspin to make him a potential power/speed threat from the right side of the plate. Chourio, whose younger brother Jaison is also a notable outfield prospect for the 2021 class, is expected to sign with the Brewers. He's represented by Cesar Suarez.

[reillymcshane]

I'll start it off with this https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2020-international-mlb-prospects-preview-more-top-players-to-watch/

 

Jackson Brayan Chourio, SS/CF, Venezuela

Chourio, 15, is a lean, athletic player (6-foot-1, 155 pounds) who has split time between shortstop and center field. While he's not as physically developed as some of the other top players in the class, he's a plus runner who projects to stay in the middle of the diamond and hits the ball with surprising carry, generating loft and backspin to make him a potential power/speed threat from the right side of the plate. Chourio, whose younger brother Jaison is also a notable outfield prospect for the 2021 class, is expected to sign with the Brewers. He's represented by Cesar Suarez.

Thanks for keeping tabs on these players. I simply don't have the time/energy/ability to follow this stuff - so I love it when the community keeps us informed. Thanks.

[JDBrewCrew]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2020-international-mlb-prospects-preview-more-top-players-to-watch/

 

Anyone new in here?

[Smichaelis9]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2020-international-mlb-prospects-preview-more-top-players-to-watch/

 

Anyone new in here?

That’s the same one I put in before haha. Just the same blurb about Chourio.

[Smichaelis9]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2020-mlb-international-signing-preview-prospects-to-know-part-5/

Another one listed here

Gregory Barrios SS from Venezuela

Barrios is a 6-foot shortstop with secure hands and a fundamentally sound game in the field, with strong all-around baseball instincts. He's a switch-hitter who has a sharp eye for the strike zone, making frequent contact from both sides of the plate and doubles power. Barrios trains at the Gold Prospect Academy and is expected to sign with the Brewers.

[nate82]

Will teams get double the amount next year if MLB suspends international signings this year as they are rumored to be thinking about doing?

[JDBrewCrew]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2020-mlb-international-prospects-class/

 

Any new names here for the Brewers? Where does Churio rank? Thanks!

[Smichaelis9]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2020-mlb-international-prospects-class/

 

Any new names here for the Brewers? Where does Churio rank? Thanks!

Keep in mind that Baseball America will not actually be ranking the players until after they've seen them post-signing. Much like they did last year. However, Chourio ranked 14th in the expected signing bonus rankings. They said this about Chourio:

A quick-twitch athlete with plus speed, Chourio has a skinny frame but drives the ball with surprising impact, generating lift and backspin with his swing to profile as a potential power/speed threat in the middle of the diamond

[JDBrewCrew]

MLB released their top 30 international signing prospects for this signing period. Chourio was the only one directly linked to the Brewers. The scouting report is below.

 

16 Jackson Chourio

SS

AGE

16

BATS R

DOB 03/11/2004

THROWS R

HT 6' 0"

WT 165

Scouting Grades/Report (20-80 grading scale)

HIT

55

POWER

55

ARM

55

RUN

50

FIELD

50

 

 

Chourio is tall and lean with a projectable body and enough athleticism play shortstop or center field in the future.

 

His hit tool might be the most advanced part of his game at the moment, but his defense is not far behind. In fact, he shows good hands in the infield and an average arm now that projects to be a plus tool in the future. Like most prospects his age, Chourio is working on improving his footwork and internal clock, but he continues to make big strides in both areas. In the outfield, he has a good first step in center field and can cover lots of ground because of his running speed, which projects to be a plus tool in the future.

 

At the plate, the teen shows good bat speed, an understanding of the strike zone, and the ability to put backspin on the ball. As a result, he can drive the ball out of the park to all fields, especially the opposite field. He is expected to have plus power as he matures and his body develops. There’s a chance his frame will force him to move to third base or a corner outfield spot, but for now, he’s staying put up the middle.

 

Chourio was a star on Venezuela’s youth teams and evaluators love his ability to perform in big games. He’s also been praised for his makeup. The teenager trains at CJ Baseball Academy in Maracaibo, Venezuela, with Jonathan Herrera and is represented by Beverly Hills Sports Council’s Cesar Suarez, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program. The Brewers are the favorites to sign him.

[JDBrewCrew]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2020-mlb-international-prospects-class/

 

Anything new in here?

[JDBrewCrew]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/milwaukee-brewers-2020-21-international-signing-preview/

[Smichaelis9]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/milwaukee-brewers-2020-21-international-signing-preview/

Chourio was given a very similar breakdown as he has in the others, but there were 4 new players listed.

 

Two more Venezuelan shortstops named Gregory Barrios and Daniel Guilarte. Barrios is, “a switch-hitter with good baseball instincts, playing a sound shortstop with smooth actions in the field to go with a high-contact bat and good feel for the strike zone for 16.” Guilarte is said to have, “good bat-to-ball skills from the right side of the plate and a good offensive approach. He's an above-average runner with a strong arm and should stay at the position.”

 

Then they’re connected to two Dominican outfielders named Hendry Mendez and Manuel Vargas. They say Mendez is, “ a 6-foot-3 corner outfielder who impressed some scouts with his bat and power potential, though he was up-and-down with his offensive performance at big events.” And that he is in line for a high 6-figure bonus. Vargas, “has hit well during games in the Dominican Republic, making frequent contact with a line-drive, all-fields approach.”

[brewcrewdue80]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/milwaukee-brewers-2020-21-international-signing-preview/

Chourio was given a very similar breakdown as he has in the others, but there were 4 new players listed.

 

Two more Venezuelan shortstops named Gregory Barrios and Daniel Guilarte. Barrios is, “a switch-hitter with good baseball instincts, playing a sound shortstop with smooth actions in the field to go with a high-contact bat and good feel for the strike zone for 16.” Guilarte is said to have, “good bat-to-ball skills from the right side of the plate and a good offensive approach. He's an above-average runner with a strong arm and should stay at the position.”

 

Then they’re connected to two Dominican outfielders named Hendry Mendez and Manuel Vargas. They say Mendez is, “ a 6-foot-3 corner outfielder who impressed some scouts with his bat and power potential, though he was up-and-down with his offensive performance at big events.” And that he is in line for a high 6-figure bonus. Vargas, “has hit well during games in the Dominican Republic, making frequent contact with a line-drive, all-fields approach.”

 

6'3" as a 16yr old? He'll be 6'7"+ by time matures

[DHonks]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/milwaukee-brewers-2020-21-international-signing-preview/

Chourio was given a very similar breakdown as he has in the others, but there were 4 new players listed.

 

Two more Venezuelan shortstops named Gregory Barrios and Daniel Guilarte. Barrios is, “a switch-hitter with good baseball instincts, playing a sound shortstop with smooth actions in the field to go with a high-contact bat and good feel for the strike zone for 16.” Guilarte is said to have, “good bat-to-ball skills from the right side of the plate and a good offensive approach. He's an above-average runner with a strong arm and should stay at the position.”

 

Then they’re connected to two Dominican outfielders named Hendry Mendez and Manuel Vargas. They say Mendez is, “ a 6-foot-3 corner outfielder who impressed some scouts with his bat and power potential, though he was up-and-down with his offensive performance at big events.” And that he is in line for a high 6-figure bonus. Vargas, “has hit well during games in the Dominican Republic, making frequent contact with a line-drive, all-fields approach.”

 

6'3" as a 16yr old? He'll be 6'7"+ by time matures

 

Not necessarily. Lots of kids are 6’3” at that age. Sadly I was like 5’8”. I had firmed at 6’5” at age 14 that stopped growing taller. I had friends 5’3” at 18 that grew to 6’1”.

[Samurai Bucky]

 

Not necessarily. Lots of kids are 6’3” at that age. Sadly I was like 5’8”. I had firmed at 6’5” at age 14 that stopped growing taller. I had friends 5’3” at 18 that grew to 6’1”.

Unfortunately, the system and timing of things doesn't bode well for late bloomers. Let's say a boy is 5'6" and shows promise, but really grows in his senior year of high school. It is very, very tough to break in unless he goes JUCO for a year or two.

[Jenkins5]

It’s not discussed much but it amazes me their approach to international signings. Spend big up the middle as we have come to expect but in Stearns era they have yet to give big bonuses to pitchers. They kind of spend very conservatively on them. Hope that these cheaper arms grow, fill out, and blossom. With risk involved with young pitchers, I definitely get it but still surprises me

[brewmann04]

They also could use some of those assets to trade for arms down the road.

[TigerUppercut]

They also could use some of those assets to trade for arms down the road.

 

Exactly. Historically, while the Brewers are certainly not alone in this, they have been terrible at developing impact pitching and moving it through the system. Know who you are. If you struggle to develop it and are better at moving bats quickly up the ladder, find buying opportunities for pitching via the trade market. Don't try to be something you're not and waste draft capital or cash flow in the process.

[Eye Black]

It’s not discussed much but it amazes me their approach to international signings. Spend big up the middle as we have come to expect but in Stearns era they have yet to give big bonuses to pitchers. They kind of spend very conservatively on them. Hope that these cheaper arms grow, fill out, and blossom. With risk involved with young pitchers, I definitely get it but still surprises me

Big bonus International pitchers are a rarity in general. Last year the top 15 International prospects were all position players. The year before there were two pitchers among the top ten International prospects, one of which was from Cuba. Among the top 60 International prospects over the past two years (2018 & 2019), only 11 were pitchers. Not saying they aren’t also avoiding them, but when there is so little supply of highly paid International arms it’s tough to make any definitive conclusions.

[CheezWizHed]

I wonder how many MLB pitchers (compared to position players) actually come from that pool also? Maybe we are just playing the odds. Being a data-driven organization, that might drive the approach.

[nate82]

Small sample size alert but from an SI article:

 

From 2011-14 major league teams took 47 high school pitchers in the first round of the draft. Here are the ugly numbers with how those picks have turned out:

 

• 51% never reached the big leagues (24).

 

• 40% had elbow or shoulder surgery (19).

 

• 17% are pitching in the majors with their original team (8).

 

• 13% are no longer pitching in affiliated baseball (6).

 

The 2012 high school class is particularly horrific. Of the 15 high school pitchers taken in the first round six years ago, only one is on the active roster of the team that drafted him (Jose Berrios of the Twins). Seven of them underwent Tommy John or labrum surgery (not including Lance McCullers of Houston, who has been shut down with a forearm strain) and five of them are out of baseball—before age 25.

 

https://www.si.com/mlb/2018/11/19/mlb-draft-high-school-pitchers-velocity-tommy-john-surgery-problem

 

It is about 2-years old now from this article but his main point was the uptick in velocity but I think there is a correlation that the teams would look at and see that it is also a risk to draft and sign younger players. I believe if you look at the international signing of players you would see the same.

 

You can see there is a change in how the teams are drafting pitchers. The number of high school pitchers have been going down each year that are drafted in the 1st round. If there is an obvious selection I believe those players will still be picked but I believe there is a shift towards more college pitchers and a shift away from international and high school pitchers. Unfortunately for the international players they don't have much of a choice but sign or continue playing in their home countries while US and Canadian players are able to choose the college route.

 

What maybe interesting to see is if the Japanese and Korean leagues jump on these international players. I think the money is still too good for these players to pass up playing in the US than playing in Japan or South Korea right now and at least in the Japanese league they have restrictions in doing this.

[sveumrules]

I wonder how many MLB pitchers (compared to position players) actually come from that pool also? Maybe we are just playing the odds. Being a data-driven organization, that might drive the approach.

 

Of the top 30 starting pitchers by fWAR in 2019 only two were international signees, Luis Castillo (23rd, 4.1 fWAR) & Eduardo Rodriguez (27th, 3.7 fWAR).

 

If you zoom out to the last five years there are still only two international signees among the top 30 starting pitchers by fWAR, Carlos Carrasco (11th, 18.8 fWAR) & Jose Quintana (12th, 18.4 fWAR).

 

It does look like international signees are a little more prevalent on the reliever leaderboards though, with around 10 guys in the top 30 by fWAR both last year & over the last five seasons.

[Austin Tatious]

Does anyone know when and how the international signing period is working? We didn’t sign Jackson Chourio and company yet did we?

[SoCalBrewfan]

The deadline was extended this year:

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/july-2-international-signing-period-moved-to-january-15