White Sox Sign Venezuelan RHP Luis Martinez

[DirtySox]

BenBadler Ben Badler
White Sox make their biggest international signing in recent years, sign Venezuelan RHP Luis Martinez.
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Huzzah! A significant international prospect signing that isn't from Cuba! More please.


http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/...luis-martinez/

[PalehosePlanet]

Nice! So Marco Paddy might not be handcuffed after all?

This is a really good sign that the franchise is heading in the right direction.

[EMachine10]

I like it.

[DonnieDarko]

I read the profile. This guy is only 17? Man, won't see him for awhile, if he even pans out at all. But correct me if I'm wrong, having a fast ball in the 90s at 17 (when the year before it was in the 87-89 range) is impressive, no?

I'm cautiously hopeful, I guess? Good to see that the Sox are actually, you know, trying to rebuild the system.

[DirtySox]

Originally Posted by DonnieDarko

I read the profile. This guy is only 17? Man, won't see him for awhile, if he even pans out at all. But correct me if I'm wrong, having a fast ball in the 90s at 17 (when the year before it was in the 87-89 range) is impressive, no?

I'm cautiously hopeful, I guess? Good to see that the Sox are actually, you know, trying to rebuild the system.

Nothing wrong with young prospects. In fact they are quite desirable. They are allowed more development time within the organization, where as college level players are more so closer to finished products. The system desperately needs depth. Decent prospects at varying levels is the goal.

[DonnieDarko]

I was hoping for something more immediate, I guess.

But yeah, as you said, organizational depth is a major need, and it looks like it's being addressed. And then there's the draft. When is that supposed to happen? Last I remember, the White Sox are picking 13th in the first round? Any other picks, or a site that can tell me the draft order?

EDIT: Nevermind, found it.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by DirtySox

Nothing wrong with young prospects. In fact they are quite desirable. They are allowed more development time within the organization, where as college level players are more so closer to finished products. The system desperately needs depth. Decent prospects at varying levels is the goal.

Absolutely, and the Sox's presence in Latin America, outside of Cuba, has been absymal recently. One of the key reasons our farm system is in such disarray. Many of the foreign born, Latin American stars in baseball today originally signed as free agents in their teens and developed.