[SoxScout]

SI_JonHeyman: #redsox "in the mix'' for cuban SS whiz jose iglesias. buzz is they get him. one AL exec: like ozzie for hands, arm. LINK

SI_JonHeymana lot of people think #redsox will sign cuban SS hotshot jose iglesias for about $8 mil. superb fielder, but can he hit? LINK

Iglesias, also 19, is said to be a shortstop in the Orlando Cabrera mold. LINK

Iglesias and Arguelles, both 19-years-old, were made free agents on Friday, almost 10 months after they had defected from Cuba. In that time, the two had been working out in the Dominican Republic, where they had established their residency soon after their defection.

Of the two players, Arguelles, who throws in the low 90s, is considered the better prospect, though both are likely to get a signing bonus in excess of $1 million. The New York Yankees have been linked to Arguelles and the Boston Red Sox are known to covet Iglesias.

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index...angure_jorge_jr


Source: http://www.elnuevoherald.com/deportes/story/494097.html

This post has been edited by SoxScout: 10 July 2009 - 03:06 PM

[SoxScout]

Red Sox in serious talks with coveted Cuban SS Iglesias
By Jon Heyman, SI.com

The Red Sox are in serious discussions with Cuban shortstop whiz Jose Iglesias, according to a league source.

If finalized, the contract is expected to be for about $8 million, perhaps a little bit more than that, according to people familiar with the talks. One league source said it wasn't done yet but expressed optimism that it would get done.

Iglesias, who's listed at 19 years old, defected from Cuba last year in Canada during the World Junior Championships.

Scouts who have seen Iglesias liken him to Ozzie Smith defensively.

"His hands and arm are deluxe,'' one American League executive said. "The question is how much he'll hit.''

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/base...edsox.iglesias/

This post has been edited by SoxScout: 03 July 2009 - 04:27 PM

[Maalox]

Never heard of this guy. Any info on all the teams he's loved before?

[jippaman]

I remember hearing this guy's name a few weeks ago on BP. I found the Unfiltered post:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=1311/

Iglesias has a similarly strong tournament record, drawing attention for his flashy glovework at shortstop, with one scout grading his fielding as an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale. His arm is enough to stick at shortstop, but his range is somewhat limited by his fringe-average speed. Iglesias makes the most of his ability, with instincts that enhance his tools and excellent makeup. He bats from the right side and while his overall offensive package leaves a bit to be desired, most scouts agree Iglesias will hit enough to allow him to profile as a big league regular. He has decent pop in his 5’10 frame, at a maxed-out 180 lbs., though he can get pull-happy at times. An international scouting director called Iglesias’ total package, “Ryan Theriot with better hands.” Iglesias is a defensive-oriented overachiever and executives say he would be more of a 2nd-3rd rounder if eligible for the recent draft.

Hopefully we'll get a full scouting report at some point, most likely if and when he signs with a club.

Of note: it's interesting that the comp in the SI article was Ozzie Smith, while the comp above was Ryan Theriot. Do with that what you will.

[P'tucket, rhymes with...]

I remember hearing this guy's name a few weeks ago on BP. I found the Unfiltered post:

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=1311/



Hopefully we'll get a full scouting report at some point, most likely if and when he signs with a club.

Of note: it's interesting that the comp in the SI article was Ozzie Smith, while the comp above was Ryan Theriot. Do with that what you will.

From Scout's quotes above, it sounds like the Oz comparison was mostly in relation to having a good glove. I have to say, comparing anyone with "somewhat limited" range to Ozzie Smith is like saying someone is just like Ron Jeremy, except for...well, anyways.

"Limited range," "fringe-average speed," "offensive package leaves a bit to be desired." I admit I don't know anything about him and say go ahead and sign him, but I feel like I must be missing something here that should make me more excited about getting him.

[PedroKsBambino]

The $1 mil speculated earlier in the thread in the Insider piece fits those scouting profiles a lot better than the $8 mil Heyman suggests.

Interesting to see what the number looks like; if it's the higher one than you have to assume the Sox have a rosier view of his skills.

[SoxScout]

The $8M could be based on him getting a major league contract along the lines of what 19-year old Dayan Viciedo got from the White Sox (4/$10M).

Something like a $3M bonus plus salaries of $0.5M 2010, $1M 2011, $1.5M 2012, $2M 2013.

[Snodgrass'Muff]

Doesn't sound like the kind of prospect to get tight in the pants about, but these are the kinds of things I like to see the Sox doing with their money. The rumored 8 million isn't that much money for the chance that he pans out and actually makes the major league roster at some point. If nothing else, he'll help the overall profile of the farm system, which in turn can help with hyping other prospects.

I don't see a downside to pursuing him, even if the upside isn't huge.

[sodenj5]

Sounds a lot like Yamaico Navarro. The Sox seem to covet all glove, no hit shortstops so much, it's stunning they haven't resigned AGonz.

This post has been edited by sodenj5: 04 July 2009 - 11:21 AM

[Quintanariffic]

Sounds a lot like Yamaico Navarro. The Sox seem to covet all glove, no hit shortstops so much, it's stunning they haven't resigned AGonz.

Que? I think you mean Argenis Diaz. Navarro put up a .269/.365/.478 line at Greenville (mostly) and Lancaster lat year at age 20. He's a legit prospect with the bat and the glove.

[sodenj5]

Que? I think you mean Argenis Diaz. Navarro put up a .269/.365/.478 line at Greenville (mostly) and Lancaster lat year at age 20. He's a legit prospect with the bat and the glove.

Bah, you're right. Diaz is who I meant. For some reason it seems like most of the SS the Sox draft don't stick at the position. I guess the Sox have identified that defense is paramount at SS with guys like Diaz, Navarro, and now, possibly Iglesias. Must be that philosophy that they apply with outfielders, drafting mainly center fielders. If a guy can play good defense at short, he can play good defense almost anywhere.

[amarshal2]

Bah, you're right. Diaz is who I meant. For some reason it seems like most of the SS the Sox draft don't stick at the position. I guess the Sox have identified that defense is paramount at SS with guys like Diaz, Navarro, and now, possibly Iglesias. Must be that philosophy that they apply with outfielders, drafting mainly center fielders. If a guy can play good defense at short, he can play good defense almost anywhere.

I don't see how you got to this conclusion. Why would the Sox players being moved off SS in the long-run mean that they value defense very highly? Most teams wouldn't even have tried Pedroia or Lowrie at SS. Just because they recognize that a player like Diaz has value, doesn't mean that he's what they're looking for a the ML level.

They like up-the-middle players in the draft because "you can always move them to a corner later. You usually can't move a corner player to an up-the-middle position." We know they like defense because Theo always says that he is trying to build a "pitching and defense" team. However, it's obvious that they are willing to look at the entire equation. There is no rule like "the red sox have identified defense as paramount at SS." This is baloney. They seem willing to go with an average defensive SS who makes up for it with the bat (Lowrie) and I'm sure if you gave them Hanley Ramirez on the condition he must play SS daily they would be thrilled.

[Carl Everetts Therapist]

I have heard from a couple different people (Cuban baseball enthusiasts) that this guy is a Carbon Copy of Yuniesky Benecourt . Flashy fielder with little to no plate discipline. He's the type of player who has a .270 BA and .270 OBP. Now I have also heard that he is very close to being Major League ready as far as fielding wise. I know a lot of people were clamoring for an all fielkd no hit SS this Spring. Iglesias sure fits that mold.


CET

[SoxScout]

Prospecto cubano firma contrato de $8.2 millones con Boston

Basic Google Translation:

He has been compared to Ozzie Smith and at least gave him a respectable bonus in his first major league contract, but now it's up to Jose Iglesias show wood is the best star in the baseball world.

Sources confirmed to El Nuevo Herald that the Cuban torpedo signed a $ 8.2 million contract with the Boston Red Sox for four seasons, including $ 6 just for signing.

"This is enough money for a boy left the ranks of youth'', said an official who preferred anonymity." But Boston and New York are behind position players to secure the future of their organizations.''

Jorge Arangure has said recently he should start in Advanced A, or is at least at that level now.

This post has been edited by SoxScout: 09 July 2009 - 10:19 PM

[mjswarner]

From the Nuevo Herald article: Theo got caught in a bidding war with the Cubs, first offering 6.5M before Chicago topped it.

Como sucedió en el caso de Contreras, el torpedero se benefició de una puja entre dos equipos, pues Boston le habría ofrecido en principio $6.5 millones antes de que los Cachorros de Chicago pusieran sobre la mesa una oferta superior.

There's some controversy with his former and present representation. His former agent, Jaime Torres, is arguing that Fernando Cuza and Diego Bentz from SFX violated his contract with Iglesias and Torres wants to be paid for his work.

edit: Apparently he's somewhere in this photo, winning a 17-18 year old PanAmerican tournament held in Mexico in 2008. I'm guessing he's the motorboater. Check out that (?) confetti!

This post has been edited by mjswarner: 10 July 2009 - 03:07 AM

[Eddie Jurak]

That's a TON of money for a prospect level Argenis Diaz, Yuniesky Betancourt, or even Orlando Cabrera. The Red Sox have to see more in him than that.

[SaveBooFerriss]

That's a TON of money for a prospect level Argenis Diaz, Yuniesky Betancourt, or even Orlando Cabrera. The Red Sox have to see more in him than that.

I think the Sox will be thrilled if he has Orlando Cabrera's career. My guess is he is already a better player than Diaz and will become a better player than Betancourt. But, yeah, it is a lot of money.

[SoxScout]

I think it's pretty clear Diaz isn't a comp in the Sox mind. Betancourt is awful defensively and that drags his value down, but he is a .280 hittter and if Iglesias is the same I'll take my chances he can get on base at a better clip than Yuni. That would be a fine return. If he is Cabrera then we just made a unbelievable signing.

[pokey_reese]

I think it's pretty clear Diaz isn't a comp in the Sox mind. Betancourt is awful defensively and that drags his value down, but he is a .280 hittter and if Iglesias is the same I'll take my chances he can get on base at a better clip than Yuni. That would be a fine return. If he is Cabrera then we just made a unbelievable signing.

If he were Cabrera right now than we would have made an unbelievable signing, but more likely, even if he does end up being Cabrera, we will have paid him 8 million dollars to develop into that role over the next 4 years (assuming that it is true that he is heading to A ball), before he hits arbitration and then FA. Not saying that it isn't a good deal, just that we will be drastically overpaying for a guy in the low minors for the first few years in the hopes that he can become valuable by the end of the contract we signed him to. That said, I am still pretty excited, though I wish we could have kidnapped and 'defected' Yulieski Gourriel instead.

[SoxScout]

That is fair if he signed a major league deal, but I am going to doubt that he did until he shows up on the 40-man roster. The article says, "his first major league contract," but I am guessing that just means professional contract.