Dodgers Sign Yadier Alvarez on First Day of International Signing Period

As you may know, the MLB international signing period just opened up today, and as expected the Dodgers are busy rounding up some of the best prospects available.  As reported earlier today, via Jesse Sanchez at MLB.com, they have already signed up four players; including a highly touted right-hander named Yadier Alvarez.

According to industry sources, the Dodgers agreed to terms with Alvarez, 19, ranked No. 2 on MLB.com's Top 30 International Prospects list (for $16Mil); outfielder Starling Heredia, ranked No. 5, for $2.6 million; infielder Ronny Brito, ranked No. 21, for $2 million; and shortstop Oneal Cruz for $950,000. The club hasn't confirmed any of the deals.

Sources indicate the Dodgers are also among the teams with serious interest in Cuban outfielder Eddy Julio Martinez, 20, ranked No. 1 on the list. Martinez is expected to command a signing bonus of more than $10 million. Los Angeles was also linked to shortstop Lucius Fox, ranked No. 3, from the Bahamas for several months.

BTW, the Alvarez signing is now official.  Via a pic tweeted by FanGraphs writer Kiley McDaniel and Ben Badler of Baseball America, he signed his Dodger deal today.  Check out the pic below.

In celebration of this recent Dodger signing I made the above fantasy card of Alvarez using a pic from Sports World News (Getty) and the 1971 Topps Baseball card design.   BTW, Alvarez already has a Baseball card on the market, so I'll be sharing a pic of that soon.

UPDATE:  Via a Dodger press release:  They signing nine international ballplayers today.

The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced the signings of nine international prospects, including four ranked in Fangraphs.com’s scoutboard 2015 International Prospects list: Yadier Alvarez (No. 1), Starling Heredia (No. 12), Ronny Brito (No. 15) and Oneil Cruz (No. 33).

“We’re excited to add nine highly-skilled prospects as we continue to re-stock, inject talent and build depth at all levels of our organization,” said Dodger Vice President, International Scouting Bob Engle. “These signings are a testament to the hard work of our scouts and the international appeal of the Dodger brand.”

The Dodgers signed six players from the Dominican Republic and one player each from Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua:

• Yadier Alvarez, 3/7/1996, Cuba, RHP, 6’2”, 172, Bats R/Throws R
• Starling Heredia, 2/6/1999, Santo Domingo Norte, DR, OF, 6’1”, 220, Bats R/Throws R
• Ronny Brito, 3/22/1999, San Francisco de Macoris, DR, SS, 6’0”, 168, Bats R/Throws R
• Oneal Cruz, 10/4/1998, Bani, DR, SS, 6’4”, 174, Bats L/Throws R
• Christopher Arias, 5/1/1999, Santo Domingo Norte, DR, OF, 6’2”, 182, Bats L/Throws L
• Ramon Rosso, 6/9/1996, Santo Domingo, DR, RHP, 6’4”, 215, Bats R/Throws R
• Carlos Rincon, 10/14/1997, Guerra, DR, OF, 6’0”, 175, Bats R/Throws R
• Luis Rodriguez, 3/2/1999, Cumana Sucre, Venezuela, SS, 6’0”, 150, Bats S/Throws R
• Aldo Espinoza, 9/11/1998, Managua, Nicaragua, 2B, 6’0”, 168, Bats R/Throws R

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *