Angels add pair of top int'l OF prospects

The Angels are using the international signing period to stock their Minor League system and the list of players includes a pair of talented outfield prospects.

The Angels have signed outfielder Nelson Rada, No. 29 on MLB.com’s Top 50 International Prospects list, for $1.85 million and outfielder Randy De Jesus, who ranks No. 38, for $1.2 million.

The Angels have a signing pool of $5,179,700.

Rada, a left-handed hitter who makes consistent hard contact, is showing flashes of emerging power. Like most prospects his age, he is working on pitch recognition and plate discipline and continues to make progress in both of those areas.

He projects to be an above-average defender in center field. He’s extremely athletic and covers a lot of ground, in large part because of his ability to get good jumps and read balls off the bat. He is on track to stay at the position.

As for De Jesus, he is a big, strong prospect who could play center field if needed but ultimately profiles as a corner outfielder. The teen also projects to be a middle of the order type of hitter if he continues to develop at a normal pace.

The teen makes lots of contact in games and shows flashes of his emerging plus power. He shows a good approach at the plate and has a chance to be a special hitter. An average defender, De Jesus shows an average arm with plus potential.

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, started 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.

Here are the prospects who have agreed to deals with the Angels in the 2022 international signing period:

Nelson Rada, CF, Venezuela -- $1,850,000
Randy De Jesus, OF, Dominican Republic -- $1,200,000
Nixon Encarnacion, RHS, Dominican Republic -- $500,000
Luis Rodriguez, SS, Venezuela -- $500,000
Dario Laverde, C, Venezuela -- $350,000
Manuel Cazorla, LHS, Venezuela -- $250,000
Capri Ortiz, IF, Dominican Republic -- $150,000
Sadiel Baro, LHS, Cuba -- $125,000
Jonathan Linares, C, Cuba -- $90,000
Marco Vega, RHS, Panama -- $65,000
Miguel Gomez, RHS, Panama -- $40,000
Eliezer Rivero, C, Venezuela -- $20,000
Wilifer Estrella, OF, Dominican Republic -- $10,000
David Lopez, LHS, Panama -- $10,000
Kevyn Castillo, CF, Venezuela -- $10,000
Alejandro Rodriguez, LHS, Venezuela -- $10,000
Yhonaider Gudino, SS, Venezuela -- $10,000