Yankees sign Dominican shortstop Christopher Tamarez

by 35 Comments

Consider Craig Counsell
The greatness of Rivera, the greatness of Jeter

Via Ben Badler, the Yankees have signed 16-year-old Dominican shortstop Christopher Tamarez for $650,000. Ranked the 29th best prospect on the market by Baseball America, Tamarez stands 6-foot-1, 175 lbs., and is said to be one of the better athletes available this season with a chance to remain at shortstop long-term. A righthanded hitter, he projects to have average pop down the road. Click the link for video.

This is the Yanks first significant international signing of the year, though the entire market is developing slowly. MLB’s age and identify verification process, as well as PED testing, is slowing things down.

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Consider Craig Counsell
The greatness of Rivera, the greatness of Jeter
  • Steve O.

    Is this a shot at Jeter?

    • Jobu

      No, but I’m pretty sure that Jeter’s .325 wOBA is a shot at Jeter.

      • pete

        wOBA doesn’t sound like a very good teammate to me

    • Ted Nelson

      Seeing as he’s 16, I’d say he’s a few years away at best…

  • bonestock94

    Should be ready for an age 20 breakout season when Jeter’s 4/80 contract is up.

    • pat

      Oh god no.

      • http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder

        Don’t worry, Jeter will already be in a timeshare in LF by then.

  • http://mystiqueandaura.com Steve H

    6’1″ 175 at 16 is a big kid. Any idea what he projects to size-wise?

    • Jobu

      I’m thinking Brackman hight with Humerto Sanchez heft. He will then of course change his name to Andrew “Fat” Sanchez and rule baseball with an iron fist/gut!

      • FachoinaNYY

        CC?

  • http://thechuckknoblog.com Chuck Knoblog

    He is most likely better than Ramiro at 16.

  • http://janeheller.mlblogs.com/yank_c.jpg T-Dubs

    Update the top 30!!!!!!!

  • Mister Delaware

    Why didn’t we get the 28th ranked player??? Cashman sucks!!!

    • Jobu

      You mean the players ranked 1-28 right? I am sick of this organization going cheap when it matters. I am thinking about becoming an Orioles fan. From what I have seen recently on this blog, their fans seem level headed, mature, and logical.

      • http://soxandpinstripes.net Angelo

        Haha, good one. Everyone knows the Orioles don’t have fans.

  • http://www.teamnerdrage.com dr mrs the yankee

    Mike, does this mean prices are finally coming down in the IFA market?

  • Reggie C.

    You buy the lottery in hopes of a Hanley.

  • Steve O.

    No, prices haven’t gone down. They’ve actually gone up over the past few years. Tamarez isn’t an elite guy which is why he didn’t get a huge amount.

    • Steve O.

      Bah, reply fail. This was in reply to Dr Mrs The Yankee.

      • http://www.teamnerdrage.com dr mrs the yankee

        No, this year specifically. The Yankees/Red Sox were waiting for the prices on players to drop because they were not going to pay out the “usual” amount of money for players they viewed as having less talent.

        I should have clarified.

        • Steve O.

          Never heard anything like that. It was always my understanding that the elite guys got the millions, the good guys got around half a million, and the rest under that.

          • http://soxandpinstripes.net Angelo

            Nah, although there is truth to that dr mrs the yankee is talking about this year’s IFA market. The market isn’t as good this year, but the players have been paid just as much as other years.

            Actually I remember seeing a lot of players getting paid upwards of 2 million. That’s usually not the case.

            • http://www.teamnerdrage.com dr mrs the yankee

              The Blue Jays and Astros each paid out a bonus of over $2mill this year. To be honest it sounds like the Astros overpaid quite a bit but I think they’re in “splash!!!” mode.

          • http://www.teamnerdrage.com dr mrs the yankee

            The guys this year that are at the top are not elite like in years past. The Yankees aren’t going to pay out elite talent money to guys they do not consider elite.

            Like the draft I don’t think they’re being cheap, just not liking what’s out there for the current prices. No reason to overspend just because.

  • Reggie C.

    Does this mean we’re not getting Roughned Odor?

    • http://soxandpinstripes.net Angelo

      Not necessarily.

    • http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside the Elder

      There’s really a guy with the name “Roughned Odor”?

      I don’t believe you. Where’s this guy from, “Cleveland”?

      • ColoYank

        “Roughened Odor” is the greatest name in baseball since Cliff Ditto amanaged at Walla Walla.

        • ColoYank

          “amanaged”?? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!

  • A.D.

    More SS in the system the better, they can always move.

    I’m assuming he’d be more your typical LA signee (i.e. not Gary Sanchez) and thus be in the DSL for at least a year or two before getting any chance to come stateside?

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUvg7Empjfg Captain Jack

    Are they still in on Luis Heredia and the other big IFA guys?

  • crawdaddy

    This prospect is not the 29th best prospect according to BA based on talent level.

    Read the following explanation above the various scouting reports.

    “The players below are ranked based on their projected signing bonuses, not necessarily their future talent levels. While those two should theoretically align, teams often have extremely different views and place wildly different values on 15- and 16-year-old players scouted in Latin America. That distinction is important enough to repeat: The rankings are based not on talent, but on a forecast of the market. They are not Baseball America’s rankings of the top 33 players in Latin America. Think of them more along the lines of our mock draft than our predraft Top 200 rankings.”

  • pep25

    It sure seems like a lot of coin for the 29th rated international player, whether the rating is on bonus amount or talent. I’m still holding out hope for Roughned Odor, Luis Heredia and Geronimo Fransua. The Yanks have gone overboard in recent years for young catchers to potentially replace Posada. Now it’s time to do the same for Jeter’s replacement; get several options to choose from!

  • pep25

    The next position they need to address is left handed pitching, hence, going after Geronimo Fransua might be a step in that direction. They did draft a HS lefty in the 16th round, Evan Rutckyj, who is highly regarded.

  • felix gonzalez

    hey esta pagina del toletero de palenke esta rankia ,,na apoyando los talentos de mi pueblo