Jesse Sanchez
@JesseSanchezMLBOne of the biggest and strongest outfield prospects on the market headlines Boston’s class of international prospects this year.
According to industry sources, the club has an agreement with outfielder Miguel Bleis of the Dominican Republic, No. 21 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 International Prospects list, for $1.5 million.
The Red Sox have not confirmed the deal.
The 6-foot-3, 175-pound teenager has a projectable body combined with a mixture of potential plus tools.
At the plate, Bleis already exhibits average raw power, and it’s expected to improve to a plus tool as he continues to develop. He features a short and compact swing with tons of bat speed. He can drive the ball to the gaps and hit home runs with frequency in showcases and games. He also has a feel for the strike zone. Defensively, he shows good instincts in center field with plus arm potential. Bleis has the potential to be a plus runner.
According to the rules established by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, clubs that receive a Competitive Balance Pick in Round B of the Rule 4 Draft have the most money to spend on international prospects, with a pool of $6,431,000. Clubs that receive a Competitive Balance Pick in Round A of the Rule 4 Draft receive the second most at $5,889,600.
The Red Sox have bonus pools of $5,348,100.
Unlike in previous years, 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.