Mets Signing Multiple Top 50 IFA Players
With less than two weeks until International Free Agency for the 2024 class opens up, Ben Badler of Baseball America wrote about the top 50 players ranked by the size of their bonuses. Badler wrote about the top 50 bonuses, with the Mets expected to give out the fifth-highest to catcher Yovanny Rodriguez and the 43rd-highest to outfielder Edward Lantigua. These players can officially sign on January 15th.
The Mets are also expected to sign two players in MLB Pipeline’s top 50 prospects for the upcoming class, shortstops Raymel Ortiz and Jensy Rivas. Ortiz is No. 26 on the MLB list, and Rivas is No. 31. The previously mentioned Rodriguez is No. 6 on MLB’s list, and Latingua is No. 41. That means the Mets are expected to sign four of the top 50 prospects in the upcoming IFA class that begins on January 15th, according to MLB Pipeline. A reminder that the Pipeline list is ranking players on talent, and the BA list is ranking the players by the bonuses they will receive.
Yovanny Rodriguez
Rodriguez, seen as the top catcher in the class, was born on November 11, 2007. Scouts say both his offensive and defensive skill sets are advanced for his age, and he has a knack for leadership. Here’s what Baseball America says about him:
He’s a true catcher who draws strong reviews for his defense. He has soft hands, a plus arm with a short release and makes accurate throws, cutting his pop times under 1.9 seconds in games on his best throws. Rodriguez has a strong frame with good bat speed and the power to leave the yard now with a chance to develop into a 20-plus home run threat. Scouts highest on Rodriguez felt he was an advanced hitter for his age as well, showing sound strike-zone judgment with good barrel accuracy to help him tap into that power in games.
The 17-year-old Ortiz (11/20/2006) is a switch-hitter with an advanced approach at the plate. Here’s what MLB Pipeline has to say:
He hits the ball hard to the gaps and more power could be on the way. Overall, he has an advanced approach when he’s in the batter’s box. The teen’s defense compares favorably to the best defenders in the class. The athletic shortstop has excellent range, solid glove skills and plus arm strength potential. Ortiz displays good footwork and an internal clock that will serve him well in his professional career. Moreover, the teen makes the routine plays along with the extraordinary ones and should stick in the middle of the infield as he matures and his body develops.
The 17-year-old Rivas (10/14/2006) is a switch hitter who is one of the most polished hitters in the class. Here’s what MLB Pipeline has to say:
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 shown good pull-side power from both sides of the plate. The athletic Rivas sprays the ball to all fields with hard contact. His natural ability in the batter’s box is part of what makes him a special prospect. He is expected to hone those skills once he signs with a team and receives daily instruction at the club’s academy. Rivas is a good defender with emerging arm strength, soft hands and good footwork. He has been praised for his makeup and work ethic.
Lastly, the 17-year-old Lantigua has already started to fill out his 6-foot-3 frame and added more power to his game. Here’s what MLB Pipeline has to say:
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.
The Mets are expected to sign a long list of other players during the IFA period (20ish-30ish players is pretty typical), and besides the players listed above, we previously reported that they will also sign Vladimir Guerrero’s son Vladi Miguel Guerrero. The bonus for the 17-year-old is expected to be a little bit above $100,000. The top skill for Vladi is his plus-power potential.
The Mets bonus pool for this IFA class is $5,925,000.
We will keep you updated with more as Jan. 15 gets closer.
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