Twins agree to terms with pair of Top 50 international prospects
This browser does not support the video element.
The Twins agreed to terms with shortstop Daiber De Los Santos (No. 8 international prospect) and outfielder Eduardo Beltre (No. 39) upon Monday's opening of the 2024 signing period.
The Twins received $6.52 million in pool money.
De Los Santos might have the overall best raw tools in the class. One thing is for certain: the athletic teen has fast hands and the potential to have plus arm strength and plus raw power. Overall, he's emerging as a premium defender at a premium position.
At the plate, he shows good bat speed and the ability to make hard contact. There's a slight upstroke to his swing, and he uses it to spray the ball into the gaps. More raw power is expected as he matures and his body develops. Like most prospects his age, the teen is still working on polishing his overall game on both sides of the ball and making the most of his tool potential.
This browser does not support the video element.
Beltre is a powerful athlete with an aggressive approach at the plate and could one day sport plus tools across the board. He can become a plus runner with plus arm strength in the future, which both work to his advantage in the outfield. He's known as a reliable center fielder who takes good routes and has good instincts with solid throwing mechanics. There's a chance he could move to right in the future if he outgrows center.
Offensively, there is some swing-and-miss, but that's normal at his age for an international prospect. In the meantime, his ability to routinely make contact and drive the ball hard to all fields should set him up for plenty of future success. Beltre also has the speed to be a factor on the basepaths, further enhancing his prospect profile.
The teen trains in the Dominican Republic with Hector Evertz, a member of MLB's Trainer Partnership Program.
The Twins also came to terms with the following players:
IF Alver Medina
OF Merphy Hernandez
P Melvin Rodriguez
P Enyer Cepeda
P Daniel Manzueta
P Yoel Roque
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.
That means players born between Sept. 1, 2006, and Aug. 31, 2007, will be eligible to sign in the current signing period. Players must be registered with Major League Baseball in advance to be eligible to sign.