According to the guys over at saberscouting.com (if you haven’t checked them out yet, you really need to) it seems that the Reds and Venezuelan outfielder Yorman Rodriguez may have agreed to a deal that can be signed as soon as July 2nd.
2. Yorman Rodriguez, CF, Venezuela
Yorman Rodriguez has been touted as the top position player in this class for some time. His selling point is a rare combination plus-plus speed and plus-plus raw power. He’s a five-tool talent with an outstanding frame, athleticism, and defensive tools, but like most July 2nd hitting prospects, he gets a wide range of reviews on his ability to hit.The common refrain on a raw bat are heard with Rodriguez: lunges at the ball, trouble identifying breaking pitches, trouble with high level stuff, questionable approach, and 5 o’clock power (batting practice only). Some players grow out of it, some never adjust, so the team that gets Rodriguez believes in his ability to make adjustments.
He has all the elements of a star centerfielder. He’s been compared to Miguel Cabrera for his powerful bat and Venezuelan bloodlines, but more athletic comparisons like Cesar Cedeno, Eric Davis, or a right-handed hitting Carlos Beltran seem more apt. That being said, Rodriguez, or any of the hitters below him, could go to the GCL and hit .180 for three seasons and make everyone look stupid, but those kind of comparisons let you know why teams will pay him and that the tools are for real.
There are rumors that since his agent has stopped shopping him around that a deal has been struck and the Reds are rumored to be that team—another team new to being a major player on the international scene, spending $2.0 million in March on 16 year old power-hitting OF Juan Duran, and have already spent $3-4 million this season on pre July 2nd prospects. The Yankees, Mariners, Red Sox, and Cardinals are all heavily interested and Rodriguez figures to get a bonus between $2.5 million and $3.0 million, which would top Miguel Cabrera’s $1.9 million bonus in 1999 as the highest in Venezuelan history.
This would be huge. Obviously, nothing is official until he signs the contract, but I am shooting out some emails right now to see what else I can find out.
Friday, 27. June 2008
Keep us posted on what you find out. This would be a HUGE get.
Friday, 27. June 2008
Yeah it would be.
Friday, 27. June 2008
Work your magic Doug.
Friday, 27. June 2008
Duran, Yorman, Bruce
That wouldn’t be a bad LF-CF-RF combo for 2013-2023. If Yorman really has plus-plus speed, i’d almost be tempted to say focus on that with OBP skills in his development, and try to make him a leadoff hitter in the Alfonso Soriano mold with maybe a little less power but more speed and OBP skills.
Friday, 27. June 2008
Does this also mean that Reds believe that they won’t win the Inoa bidding? The Reds are throwing around a lot of cash at very, very far away maybes.
Friday, 27. June 2008
Ho does this guy compare to Juan Duran?
Friday, 27. June 2008
Honestly I don’t know. He is going to get more money thats for sure.
Friday, 27. June 2008
Does that mean the reds organization thinks hes a better player?
Saturday, 28. June 2008
Not exactly. Given the circumstances that Duran signed under, we aren’t really sure what he would have gotten with more teams bidding.
Saturday, 28. June 2008
Is it safe to assume that landing Rodriguez would take the Reds out of the Inoa sweepstakes? Do you think that Rodriguez would play in the DSL or GCL next year?
Saturday, 28. June 2008
Any idea how you’d rank Yorman vs. Drew Stubbs?
I keep looking up Stubbs’s numbers every few weeks, and he just strikes me as a stalled-out prospect. Good walk rate and speed, and apparently fantastic defense, but just not much of a hitter. And that’s at age 23 or 24 in A-ball.
Saturday, 28. June 2008
Kyle,
I think it does. I can’t see the Reds spending 9 million bucks on international guys (3 for Rodriguez, 2 for Duran and ~4 for Iona). I figure both Duran and Rodriguez will be in the states next year, but where they play is up to them. If they played for the Mariners, I would say they would be in Dayton…. but not sure how the Reds will treat them.
Dan,
I might be crazy, but I think Drew is doing fine in Sarasota. His state line doesn’t look that good, but its a bit misleading. However he is walking 15% of the time he steps to the plate, striking out 24% of the time he steps to the plate (which isn’t good, but its not extremely terrible either) and hitting a line drive 24% of the time he puts the ball in play. If he keeps those numbers up over the long haul, there is no doubt in my mind he will be a successful player.
Sunday, 29. June 2008
I just realized the Daugherty link is more appropriate here: http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080629/COL03/806290416/1071
He talks about the progress the Reds have made in Latin America.
Saturday, 12. July 2008
“BREAKING NEWS”!!!!!!!!
A reliable source recently informed me that last Thrusday Cardinals executives along with instructors conducted a workout with Rodriguez. Parties have reportedly agreed to $3.3 million bonus.
Wednesday, 13. August 2008
WHO IS yORMAN SIGNING WITH, rEDS OR cARDS?