International Notes: Varona, Guerrero Jr.

Last night, the Angels made their $8MM signing of Cuban infielder Roberto Baldoquin official more than two months after reportedly striking a deal with him. He debuts at number three on an updated list of the team’s top prospects, via MLB.com. As the book closes on that signing, here’s a pair of notes on some potential future signings on the international front…

• Cuban outfielder Dayron Varona will host a showcase for interested teams on Jan. 20 in Delray Beach, Fla., reports MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (Twitter link). There’s little public knowledge regarding Varona at this time, although the 25-year-old’s stats are viewable over at ObstructedView.net. Varona hasn’t shown much power or speed in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, but he has demonstrated a high-contact approach that has helped him to hit for average. In 1504 plate appearances, he’s a .312/.376/.470 hitter with 38 homers and 22 steals (although he’s been caught stealing an alarming 25 times). Varona has enough pro experience and is old enough that he is exempt from international spending limitations, but that doesn’t necessarily guarantee him a sizable payday.
• Fangraphs’ Kiley McDaniel reported back in October that Dominican prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was rumored to have a $3.2MM agreement in place for the next signing period, and yesterday he reported (Twitter link) that the Blue Jays are the team believed to have that agreement in place. Of course, Guerrero cannot sign until July 2 when next year’s international signing period kicks off. However, verbal agreements of this nature are the norm on the international prospect front, despite MLB’s best efforts to curtail advance deals.