Author Topic: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF  (Read 18655 times)

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Online imref

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Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Topic Start: March 01, 2016, 04:20:22 PM »
Age: 16 (?)
Ranked #22 among international prospects by MLB.COM and #13 by Baseball America
6' 3", 180lbs
Bats lefty
Projected as a corner outfielder (hmm, playing RF in 2019?)

Video:
http://natsgm.com/2015/07/03/scouting-washington-nationals-newest-prospect-of-juan-soto/

http://m.masn.mobi/byron-kerr/2016/03/from-robles-to-soto-outfield-depth-improving-in-the-nationals-system.html

Quote
One such player for the future is Dominican 16-year-old outfielder Juan Soto. He has not played one game as a professional with the club but is already listed as one of the Nationals' top 30 prospects, according to MLB.com. Soto is ranked No. 15. He is not at the early camp, but could be in Florida very soon.

The Nationals signed the potential corner outfielder last July for their highest signing bonus for an international prospect in the club's history. Soto is a reported 6-foot-1 and 175 lbs. out of Santo Domingo. Scialabba said the staff is very impressed with the tools Soto brings to the field.

"He is a natural hitter with good leverage to swing, size, strength," Scialabba said. "He has a short swing, extension through the zone, exciting barrel awareness. You see upside there as a potential impact bat down the road, someone that is just getting his feet wet in professional baseball. He was in the instructional league games last year."

The organization has not made a decision yet where Soto will begin this season. The Nationals signed him to a reported $1.5 million signing bonus. It is a large investment, but the club says they like his potential.

There is a possibility he would begin in the Dominican Summer League, but the club doesn't want to limit Soto, his age not being a factor. It's all about how good he is at his craft. The Nationals will get a chance to see him play at their facility this spring and that's when they will get a better gauge.

Offline BrandonK

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #1: March 01, 2016, 04:22:40 PM »
Tell-tale sign is the amount of money they gave him -- must mean the FO really likes the kid. Bonuses have been very minimal.

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #2: March 01, 2016, 04:34:05 PM »
Quote
The Nationals signed him to a reported $1.5 million signing bonus. It is a large investment, but the club says they like his potential.

it's decent money, but there are enough deals north of $2 million, that calling it a large investment feels like a stretch

Offline BrandonK

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #3: March 01, 2016, 04:40:35 PM »
it's decent money, but there are enough deals north of $2 million, that calling it a large investment feels like a stretch

I can't think of many bonuses over $200K, outside of Maya and Smiley.

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Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #5: March 01, 2016, 04:50:12 PM »
I can't think of many bonuses over $200K, outside of Maya and Smiley.

I'm thinking about in the general scheme of international amateur signings. To me $1.5 million signals a player who should be a good prospect, but is shy of the elite tier. It's nice that they are finally spending internationally, but I'd like to see them target some of the talent at the top of the market

Offline BrandonK

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #6: March 01, 2016, 04:54:28 PM »
I'm thinking about in the general scheme of international amateur signings. To me $1.5 million signals a player who should be a good prospect, but is shy of the elite tier. It's nice that they are finally spending internationally, but I'd like to see them target some of the talent at the top of the market

Oh, no doubt, would love it -- going a little LAC here, but I don't see the FO really going above the cap ever (which basically means no signings over ~$2-$2.5M).

Online JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #7: March 01, 2016, 05:09:03 PM »
6'3" 180 or 6'1" 175? 

Online imref

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #8: March 01, 2016, 06:12:45 PM »
6'3" 180 or 6'1" 175? 

Depends on the Afro.

Online JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #9: March 02, 2016, 08:36:19 AM »
Depends on the Afro.
I'm thinking more of the spikey hairdo that Harper has.  That, and how much hair product he leaves in.

Offline NJ Ave

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #11: March 02, 2016, 08:52:44 AM »
NJ Ave for the win

Offline zimm_da_kid

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #12: March 02, 2016, 08:34:05 PM »
Word is we're the favorites for yasel antuna, the top player out of the DR this upcoming signing period.  He's likely to get a $3-$5M bonus

Offline BrandonK

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #13: March 03, 2016, 09:25:16 AM »
Word is we're the favorites for yasel antuna, the top player out of the DR this upcoming signing period.  He's likely to get a $3-$5M bonus

With the potential int'l draft coming soon, this would be the year to blow off the cap. Very good, if true.

Online JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #14: March 03, 2016, 10:23:03 AM »
With the potential int'l draft coming soon, this would be the year to blow off the cap. Very good, if true.
are we already in purgatory for having blown the cap on an earlier signing this year?  If yes, then it makes sense to double down b/c next year we would not be able to offer any significant bonuses anyway.

Offline BrandonK

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #15: March 03, 2016, 10:34:28 AM »
are we already in purgatory for having blown the cap on an earlier signing this year?  If yes, then it makes sense to double down b/c next year we would not be able to offer any significant bonuses anyway.

I don't think they exceeded the cap (~$2M), and definitely not 5-15% over (to where they could not sign guys in the next signing period over $300-$500K). DiPuglia said they'd trade for some signing bonus space too, if they were getting close.

If they are going to blow their cap with 1 large signing, it makes sense to me to go for a couple big signings. That's what a lot of the teams have been doing that have large bonuses. Nats 2016 int'l signing bonus cap is $2.3M, btw.

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #16: March 03, 2016, 10:40:27 AM »
can signing bonuses be deferred?

Offline RD

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #17: March 03, 2016, 09:25:06 PM »
There was a report on mlbtraderumors a couple weeks ago mentioning the Nats as one of the teams looking to go big in this next class.

We've done well with less heralded guys. Hopefully the same eyes are watching the big names. If we can develop those guys well, the obvious talents could be big time.

Offline BrandonK

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #18: March 04, 2016, 09:22:36 AM »
There was a report on mlbtraderumors a couple weeks ago mentioning the Nats as one of the teams looking to go big in this next class.

We've done well with less heralded guys. Hopefully the same eyes are watching the big names. If we can develop those guys well, the obvious talents could be big time.

 :minigunz: :minigunz: hell yeah!

Offline zimm_da_kid

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #19: March 04, 2016, 02:59:36 PM »
Kevin Maitan is a Venezuelan shortstop who is being labeled as the best international prospect since Miguel Sano while also drawing Miggy and Chipper comps.  Braves reportedly have a handshake deal/are considered the favorites to sign him. 

I want.

Offline BrandonK

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #20: June 29, 2016, 10:05:23 AM »
Soto's off to a hot start in his stateside debut. Playing in the GCL, 5-7 with 2 2Bs and a SB. Will be watching. He's the youngest on that squad at 17.

Offline BrandonK

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #21: July 25, 2016, 11:31:09 PM »
Still hitting. He's not taking any walks (3 BB in 22 G), but the power may be real (6 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR). Only 17 years old!

Offline BrandonK

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #22: August 23, 2016, 10:40:40 AM »
Kid is still killing it in the GCL

.347/.395/.520 in 40 G (150 AB)
8 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 12:23 BB:K (yes!), and 5 SBs

Offline BrandonK

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #23: August 23, 2016, 10:41:52 AM »
going a little LAC here, but I don't see the FO really going above the cap ever (which basically means no signings over ~$2-$2.5M).

So glad I was wrong too!

Offline BrandonK

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Re: Follow the Prospects: Juan Soto, OF
« Reply #24: September 01, 2016, 08:15:44 PM »
Got called up to Auburn today. Odd timing, but he just got a RBI