Dominican showcase gives teens MLB looks

BOCA CHICA, Dominican Republic -- If right-handed pitching prospect Yohan Concepcion needs more inspiration after competing in this week’s Trainer Partnership Program showcase, the 18-year-old should look no further than Marlins top prospect Sixto Sanchez.

Sanchez was nearly 17 years old and almost forgotten when the Phillies signed him in early 2015. Age, especially in the international scouting world, is not just a number. It can be the difference between signing a pro contract or being overlooked. And Sanchez was on the wrong side of 16.

The move of new Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto , who was traded from Miami to Philadelphia in a package highlighted by Sanchez, indicates how the young pitching prospect’s story ended up.

“The Trainer Partnership Program is meant to benefit all types of players, from the ones that will receive multimillion-dollar bonuses to the guys will receive much less than that,” Morgan Sword, senior vice president of league economics and operations for Major League Baseball. “We are committed to finding professional opportunities for all of these guys.”

So far, 11 eligible players -- must be at least 16 years old and available to sign -- have inked deals after participating in a Trainer Partnership Program showcase. Including Concepcion, 20 of the 130 participants in this week’s showcase were eligible players. Overall, close to 800 prospects have signed with Major League clubs since the 2018-2019 international signing period began July 2.

“In international scouting circles, we do tend to focus on players who will eligible to sign in upcoming periods more than those who come from previous periods, but a good prospect is a good prospect,” one American League international scouting director said. “Signing an older prospect does happen. It’s not impossible, so you can’t ignore them. All it takes is one.”

The opportunity for eligible players to be evaluated by big league scouts was one of the many highlights of the three-day event at the Mets’ academy. The showcase began Tuesday with a 60-yard run, infield and outfield drills, along with batting practice for the prospects eligible to sign during the current as well as the 2019-20 international signing periods. The teens, separated into four teams, played one game each day.

“Since this program started, it has given us trainers a voice that allows us a more organized platform,” said the Dominican Republic’s Alfredo Arias, one of 66 trainers in the program. “There’s an excitement about this, and as we go through meetings with MLB, we are seeking ways to better the program and help kids live out the dream of signing a pro contract.”

This week’s showcase also featured advanced technology that provided pitch and swing analysis for all prospects. The testing proved especially beneficial for the older prospects like Concepcion that want to be evaluated in as many ways as possible.

“Don’t forget that the older kids can also play, and they are not really old,” Arias said. “If you go back to the past, we didn’t always aim at the younger kids, and it was common to sign older teens. Just having the eligible kids here can open doors for their future. These guys can be Major Leaguers and superstars, because they are still developing.”

As for Concepcion, he made the most of his opportunity Thursday. He struck out two and allowed only two hits in two solid innings. The right-hander’s fastball topped out at 89 mph and his changeup was in the 80-83 mph range. He threw a number of curveballs in the mid-70s.

“There a lot of people that signed at 17 or 18 or 19, and I want to be one of them,” Concepcion said. “I know Carlos Martinez signed at 19, and look what he is doing. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be here and show my talents.”