Mets land 3 of Top 50 international prospects
Vladi Miguel Guerrero, half-brother of Vlad Jr. and son of Vlad Sr., also joins Mets
The Mets added several heralded players to their system among the 20 international prospects the team signed as the 2024 signing period opened Monday, including Vladi Miguel Guerrero, the half-brother of Blue Jays first baseman Vlad Jr. and son of Hall of Famer Vlad Sr.
Rodriguez is expected to sign for $2.85 million, Rivas for $500,000, Lantigua for $950,000 and Guerrero for $117,000, according to industry sources. The Mets have a $5.284 million signing pool.
Maybe unsurprising given his family lineage, but Guerrero’s premier attribute is his hitting aptitude. Known for an ability to control the strike zone even at a young age, the left-handed hitter displays a short stroke with pop in his bat and has amply impressed evaluators during game action.
While his long-term defensive home remains unclear, Guerrero profiles as an offense-first left fielder/first baseman. Having done a terrific job to get himself in physical shape to handle the rigors of pro ball, the 17-year-old will now reap the benefits of daily instruction.
Rodriguez has a chance to become the best player in this class, and it’s easy to see why. An advanced catching prospect with some pop and skills, he has the potential to be a star on both sides of the ball. Behind the dish, he shows an advanced defensive approach and scouts rave about his upside.
Specifically, his framing and footwork are advanced for his age and he shows plus arm-strength potential and great hands. Offensively, Rodriguez sprays the ball to all fields with lots of hard contact and loft. He displays good bat-to-ball skills with present power and room to add more as he matures.
The switch-hitting Rivas is one of the most polished hitters in the class, and he can play defense too.
On offense, he has shown the ability to be disciplined at the plate and scarcely strikes out. He has good bat-to-ball skills and has displayed good pull-side power from both sides of the plate. The athletic Rivas sprays the ball to all fields with hard contact.
Lantigua is an evolving player with premier talent and is already one of the most interesting prospects on the international market. The Dominican teen has drawn comparisons to Mariners superstar Julio Rodríguez in terms of size, speed and athleticism. He has a natural feel for hitting with some pop and easy power at the plate. Overall, he shows a good approach when he’s in the batter’s box, handles the fastball well and might end up as a power bat in one of the corner outfield spots.
His plus speed combined with plus arm-strength potential make him a fit in center field for the onset of his career.
As for Adderley, the athletic teen is a plus runner with lots of raw power and above-average arm strength. He projects as a middle-of-the-lineup run producer with tons of power potential.
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.
Here is the full list of prospects the Mets signed:
Name, Date Of Birth, Position, Home Country
Yovanny Rodriguez, 11/7/2006, C, Venezuela
Edward Lantigua, 11/13/2006, OF, Dominican Republic
Leandy Mella, 2/4/2007, INF, Dominican Republic
Yensi Rivas, 10/14/2006, INF, Dominican Republic
Bohan Adderley, 11/10/2006, INF/OF, Bahamas
Vladi Guerrero, 9/21/2006, OF/INF, Dominican Republic
Luis Montero, 9/9/2006, LHP, Dominican Republic
Maxgregori Harvey, 11/12/2006, RHP, Dominican Republic
Angel De La Rosa, 11/20/2005, LHP, Dominican Republic
Leyvi Rodriguez, 5/17/2006, RHP, Dominican Republic
Anthony Delgado, 1/27/2007, OF, Dominican Republic
Fidel Pinango, 7/13/2007, INF/OF, Venezuela
Jonnhan Sanchez, 5/8/2007, OF, Venezuela
Josmir Reyes, 9/21/2006, C, Venezuela
Leiner Ramirez, 7/3/2007, INF, Colombia
Rocky Solano, 12/28/2006, OF, Dominican Republic
Starling Fernandez, 10/17/2006, INF, Dominican Republic
Roybert Herrera, 6/30/2007, INF/OF, Venezuela
Diover De Aza, 8/15/2007, INF, Dominican Republic
Franklin Candelario, 12/11/2006, OF, Dominican Republic