Outfielder Elian Soto, the brother of Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, agreed to a $225,000 signing bonus as a part of the minor league contract he signed with the Nationals this weekend, according to a Thursday report from the Associated Press.
Elian Soto verbally agreed to join the Nationals just days after he declared to sign with the New York Mets in early January. He would not be eligible to sign until this year's class in January.
The 17-year-old earned high praise from Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who earned his second All-Star selection and placed 16th in American League MVP voting at 23 years old last season.
“An industry talent evaluator offered that Elian Soto's best tool was his power, with the other tools (hit, running, arm and defense) not ranking as high,” New York Post columnist Ken Davidoff wrote in a 2022 article. “Nevertheless, there is respect for the bloodlines and any player so young carries considerable room for growth. Blue Jays All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr., boasting of some excellent bloodlines himself, told Gomez of Elian Soto, ‘He hit harder than Juan Soto when he was 15 years old.'”
The Atlanta Braves became one of the more active teams in the MLB's international signing period after they signed Venezuelan outfielder Luis Guanipa for $2.5 million on Sunday. Guanipa is No. 34-ranked prospect in the top 100 International Prospect Rankings by the MLB, and one of the 21 international players the team signed during the sanction-free signing period.
“The Venezuelan teen is aggressive at the plate and swings with intent to do damage,” MLB.com baseball reporter Jesse Sanchez wrote in a Sunday article. “Guanipa has shown plus bat speed and the ability to drive the ball to the gaps. He should hit for average and his raw power is emerging.
“On defense, he displays plus instincts in the outfield.”
Follow Us
Subscribe