The Rockies have signed Venezuelan left-hander Jose Tovar, an international source told Ben Badler of Baseball America. The 16-year-old will receive a $350K bonus in the deal.
Tovar, who is 6'2" and 180-pounds, pitched in the Dominican Prospect League despite being a native Venezuelan. In 8.2 innings for Los Patriotas, Tovar had no earned runs, 13 Ks, and six walks.
Earlier this week, Badler projected that Tovar would be the fifth highest-paid pitcher in this year's class of international free agents.
There ought to be a rule that no major league team can sign a player under the age of 18 unless they have already graduated from high school… at the very least. A 16-year old neither understands the extent of his obligations once under contract nor the implications of being given a “bonus”, in this instance some $350,000. This boy is going to have some real problems later in life….just watch.
hawkny1 I think you don’t understand the opportunity that this kid is given. The education program in the rockies dominican system is better than almost any high school education that he could have ever received in his hometown. Not only that… his salary of 350,000 is much higher than average, and he is actually going to be more well off than most people in his village. How messed up is Ubaldo Jimenez or Jhoulys Chacin on the rockies now?? I have spent time in the dominican and seen all of the problems that these kids grow up with. I imagine that in Venezuela today it is not much better.