White Sox Sign Venezuelan RHP Luis Martinez

[DirtySox]

BenBadler Ben Badler
White Sox make their biggest international signing in recent years, sign Venezuelan RHP Luis Martinez.
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Huzzah! A significant international prospect signing that isn't from Cuba! More please.


http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/...luis-martinez/

[PalehosePlanet]

Nice! So Marco Paddy might not be handcuffed after all?

This is a really good sign that the franchise is heading in the right direction.

[EMachine10]

I like it.

[DonnieDarko]

I read the profile. This guy is only 17? Man, won't see him for awhile, if he even pans out at all. But correct me if I'm wrong, having a fast ball in the 90s at 17 (when the year before it was in the 87-89 range) is impressive, no?

I'm cautiously hopeful, I guess? Good to see that the Sox are actually, you know, trying to rebuild the system.

[DirtySox]

Originally Posted by DonnieDarko

I read the profile. This guy is only 17? Man, won't see him for awhile, if he even pans out at all. But correct me if I'm wrong, having a fast ball in the 90s at 17 (when the year before it was in the 87-89 range) is impressive, no?

I'm cautiously hopeful, I guess? Good to see that the Sox are actually, you know, trying to rebuild the system.

Nothing wrong with young prospects. In fact they are quite desirable. They are allowed more development time within the organization, where as college level players are more so closer to finished products. The system desperately needs depth. Decent prospects at varying levels is the goal.

[DonnieDarko]

I was hoping for something more immediate, I guess.

But yeah, as you said, organizational depth is a major need, and it looks like it's being addressed. And then there's the draft. When is that supposed to happen? Last I remember, the White Sox are picking 13th in the first round? Any other picks, or a site that can tell me the draft order?

EDIT: Nevermind, found it.

[DirtySox]

Originally Posted by DonnieDarko

I was hoping for something more immediate, I guess.

But yeah, as you said, organizational depth is a major need, and it looks like it's being addressed. And then there's the draft. When is that supposed to happen? Last I remember, the White Sox are picking 13th in the first round? Any other picks, or a site that can tell me the draft order?

EDIT: Nevermind, found it.

The majority of the international signings are younger players. The ones that are close to major league ready are much more rare. Players like Leonys Martin, Cespdes, Chapman, and Darvish. Those are hot commodities and generally are much more expensive.

Yep, Sox picking at 13. They also have a supplemental pick from offering MB arbitration and him declining it. Since there are still some free agents that will garner compensation, that pick will likely fall a bit. Believe it's sitting at 47th at the moment.

[soxfanreggie]

Even if we don't see him for a while, I'm glad we're making these moves to stock the cupboard for later.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by DirtySox

Nothing wrong with young prospects. In fact they are quite desirable. They are allowed more development time within the organization, where as college level players are more so closer to finished products. The system desperately needs depth. Decent prospects at varying levels is the goal.

Absolutely, and the Sox's presence in Latin America, outside of Cuba, has been absymal recently. One of the key reasons our farm system is in such disarray. Many of the foreign born, Latin American stars in baseball today originally signed as free agents in their teens and developed.

[Bucky F. Dent]

Originally Posted by doublem23

Absolutely, and the Sox's presence in Latin America, outside of Cuba, has been absymal recently. One of the key reasons our farm system is in such disarray. Many of the foreign born, Latin American stars in baseball today originally signed as free agents in their teens and developed.

Is this lack of presence in Latin America a direct result of the Wilder scandal?

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by Bucky F. Dent

Is this lack of presence in Latin America a direct result of the Wilder scandal?

That's not helped anything, but the Sox have not seemed to have a strong Latin American presence for a while. For one, they don't spend much money on prospects and two, a lot of teams seem to have their own private academies for young baseball players that act as scouting organizations throughout baseball-crazy countries like the Domincan and Venezuela; I don't know of the Sox having one themselves.

[asindc]

Originally Posted by doublem23

That's not helped anything, but the Sox have not seemed to have a strong Latin American presence for a while. For one, they don't spend much money on prospects and two, a lot of teams seem to have their own private academies for young baseball players that act as scouting organizations throughout baseball-crazy countries like the Domincan and Venezuela; I don't know of the Sox having one themselves.

When I was in the DR on business for a week about three years ago, I went to a DR Winter League game. I met scouts from three different teams, but no Sox scouts. When browsing shops at the airport, I saw paraphernalia for just about every MLB... except the Sox. I even saw KC and Pittsburgh stuff. For whatever reason, the Sox just don't have a presence there at all.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by asindc

When I was in the DR on business for a week about three years ago, I went to a DR Winter League game. I met scouts from three different teams, but no Sox scouts. When browsing shops at the airport, I saw paraphernalia for just about every MLB... except the Sox. I even saw KC and Pittsburgh stuff. For whatever reason, the Sox just don't have a presence there at all.

The Sox are relatively well known in Venezuela, Cuba, and Mexico, I believe, but I struggle to think of one player of Dominican descent that the Sox signed, developed, and brought up. Literally can't think of one. Bad since the DR is one baseball's best talent pipelines.

[CPditka]

Glad to see us getting a prospect from abroad. With a minor league system that is bare, it will be very helpful to dip into Latin America and Japan to augment the draft.

[DirtySox]

Originally Posted by Bucky F. Dent

Is this lack of presence in Latin America a direct result of the Wilder scandal?

To a large extent yes. There are still trust issues to overcome. Supposedly many players want nothing to do with the White Sox because of the stigma and what happened with Wilder. Reestablishing credibility is an ongoing process. The situation supposedly has improved, but who knows how much.