Badler: Yankees sign Leonardo Molina for $1.4M

Via Ben Badler: The Yankees have signed Dominican outfielder Leonardo Molina for $1.4M. He just turned 16 today, which is why they couldn’t sign him when the international signing period opened on July 2nd. The Yankees were said to be the “most likely landing spot” for Molina back in May. He isn’t related to the Puerto Rican catching trio.

Molina, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 165 lbs., was ranked as the fifth best international prospect by Baseball America a few weeks ago. In the subscriber-only scouting report, they say he is “an explosive, quick-twitch player” and “the most athletic prospect in Latin America.” Molina projects as a true center fielder with above-average speed and arm strength, though they say his right-handed swing “has some funkiness to it with a flat finish, but he seems to find a way to get the barrel to the ball.” Here’s video.

Between Molina and Yonauris Rodriguez (signed for $550k last month), the Yankees are $72,100 over their $1,877,900 international spending pool. The 3.2% excess results in a 75% tax on the overage ($54,075). If they go more than 5% over the pool, their spending next year will be limited. The Yankees could always trade for more spending money, however.