Marlins agree to deal with Bahamian outfielder

The Bahamas emerged as a hotbed for baseball talent in recent years and the Marlins, like every club in baseball, know it.

So their most recent acquisition should not surprise anyone.

Miami agreed to a deal with outfielder Janero Miller of the Bahamas, the No. 16 prospect on the international top 50 list, as one of the organization's initial 32 international signings at an expected figure of $950,000. The Marlins, who have a base signing pool of $6,366,900, also inked third baseman Breyias Dean ($325,000) and outfielder Daniel Gaitor ($300,000). A formal ceremony will be held on Tuesday in the Bahamas for the trio.

"It's a market that I've been passionate about for some time just because I see it coming," said Adrian Lorenzo, the Marlins' senior director of international operations. "You see the waves of talent coming. It's part of the reason baseball has grown so much in the Dominican, because it's become a part of the economy. Now kids feel that there's a way -- not necessarily a way out, like they need to get out of where they are -- but they feel like professional baseball is a viable route for them to secure futures for themselves and their families. So I think that over the last two to three years, that's kind of grown Bahamian baseball, and then I think we're trying to ride that wave and trying to be kind of at the forefront of it."

Here’s what we know:

Miller, a switch-hitting center fielder and a left-handed pitcher, has a chance to make an immediate impact.

Here’s why:

He throws a fastball in the 92- to 93-mph range and has a curveball that could be an above-average pitch in the future. Add the slider and his changeup, and Miller could become a middle-of-the-rotation hurler. Along with his strong arm, Miller’s athleticism stands out, and it’s why he could see some time in the outfield one day.

• Signing tracker | Top 50 Prospects list | Each team's best int'l prospect

Miller, who trains with Geron Sands and Albert Cartwright at the International Elite Academy, oozes athleticism. Lorenzo went on to say the plan is for Miller to both hit and pitch, with a 70/30 or 60/40 split favoring him as a position player because of his offensive upside, defense and ability to run.

"Premium athlete, premium runner, with very high degrees of body control for somebody so big and strong," Lorenzo said. "Explosive, twitchy, very, very projectable still, has a very young face. This is the kind of guy you can dream on, at least physically speaking. And then with the level of fluidity that he does everything, it's a hard thing to find. It's also in my opinion going to be top-of-the-scale power at the end of the day from both sides of the plate. I think the left-handed swing is a little more advanced than the right-handed one is, which is good, because that's where he'll see the bulk of his ABs. He's a true two-way player."

An international player is eligible to sign with a Major League team between Jan. 15 and Dec. 15. He must turn 16 before he signs and be 17 before Sept. 1 the following year -- in practical terms, that means players born between Sept. 1, 2005, and Aug. 31, 2006, will be eligible to sign in the upcoming signing period. Players have to be registered with Major League Baseball in advance in order to be eligible to sign.

Teams are allowed to trade international bonus pool money starting Jan. 15.

The Marlins also signed the following players: