The Yankees are landing the top prospect on the international market.
According to industry sources, the club has agreed to a $4 million deal with shortstop Roderick Arias, the No. 1 international prospect in the class. The Yankees, who have a base signing pool of $5,179,700, have not confirmed the agreement.
On the defensive side of the ball, Arias has plus arm potential. His throws are accurate and effortless, and he’s always in a position to make the throws. He also shows good footwork with soft hands and above-average range.
At the plate, he exhibits above-average bat-to-ball skills and strike zone awareness. He shows good plate discipline and doesn’t swing and miss often. He shows power from both sides of the plate, especially from the right side. There’s good opposite-field power from the left side, and the overall package could develop into a plus-plus hitter.
He consistently runs the timed 60-yard dash in 6.5 seconds, which is above average. The teen trains in the Dominican Republic with Daniel Paulino and Luis Schecker, members of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program.
Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association finalized a deal in March 2020 that addressed the international signing period during the pandemic. The 2022 international signing period runs through Dec. 15, 2022, the second year in a row the period, which previously began July 2, starts in January.
The current rules also state that teams are not allowed to trade any of their international pool money. Signing bonuses of $10,000 or less do not count toward a club’s bonus pool, and foreign professional players who are at least 25 years of age and have played in a foreign league for at least six seasons are also exempt.