The Toronto Blue Jays have signed the year’s top international prospect.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has agreed to a $3.9 million deal with the Blue Jays, industry sources confirmed to Sportsnet.
Guerrero’s the son of longtime Montreal Expos and Los Angeles Angels star Vladimir Guerrero. A Canadian citizen who was born in Montreal, the 16-year-old outfielder has tremendous power and hitting ability.
“Since I’ve been doing this, I haven’t seen a kid with that power,” Blue Jays director of Latin American operations Ismael Cruz said. “He has pitch recognition for the age and this kid has been playing ball all his life. This kid is not about the money. He has a lot of money. He plays because he likes it. He wants to be better than his father.”
Guerrero doesn’t appear to have inherited his father’s powerful throwing arm, and some suggest his future is at first base, but the Blue Jays intend to start his development in right field nonetheless.
Cruz, who first saw Guerrero three years ago, said the prospect has slimmed down in recent years, though he still doesn’t project as an above-average runner or thrower. Guerrero stands out because of a bat that has produced consistently — even against older competition.
“He has a better bat now than what his father had at that age, and it’s not a swing that’s going to go away,” Cruz said. “He’s had it for a long time and he’s always hit.”
Baseball America ranked Guerrero first among all available international prospects leading up to Thursday, the day on which the 2015-16 signing period opened.
LISTEN: Ben Badler of Baseball America discusses Guerrero Jr. on At the Letters
MLB allocates each team a bonus pool for international signings depending on where the clubs finished the previous season. The Blue Jays were initially allowed to spend $2,324,100 without incurring future penalties, but they traded minor league right-handers Chase De Jong and Tim Locastro to the Los Angeles Dodgers for three international signing slots. The move increases Toronto’s spending limits and allows the Blue Jays to miss out on top prospects for just one year.
In Cruz’s estimation, Guerrero’s worth it.
“Those guys you don’t come across very often,” Cruz said. “So it was either play all of your marbles on one guy or just go out and get a couple of players that are fine. For us Vladdy Jr.’s a difference-maker. He has the potential to be a very, very special kid.”
The Guerrero Academy announced the deal — first reported by Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com — and the Blue Jays made it official Thursday afternoon. Beverly Hills Sports Council, the agency of Blue Jays pitchers Aaron Loup and Liam Hendriks, represents Guerrero.
It’ll be years before Guerrero’s close to making a big league impact, but Cruz believes the potential’s there. Even if he isn’t a five-tool prospect, he projects as a difference-maker thanks to an exceptional bat.
“I don’t think it’s going to be plus speed, but it’s going to be good enough to run four bases after a home run,” Cruz said.
