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Sunday marked the start of MLB’s 2022-23 international signing period. Across the league, hundreds of amateur players from outside the United States and Canada are turning pro (with more to follow in the coming months). Although these transactions don’t get marketed with the same fervor as MLB Draft picks, their impact on the future of the Marlins could be just as substantial.
Compared to other teams, the Marlins haven’t had much to show for their international signings in recent years. Only three members of their current 40-man roster—Edward Cabrera, Jerar Encarnación and George Soriano—entered the organization through this process. But they are investing more money and energy into this department than ever before, opening a new academy in the Dominican Republic and hiring esteemed executive Oz Ocampo as an assistant general manager.
This is Miami’s second IFA cycle with Adrian Lorenzo as senior director of international operations. Speaking on Fish Stripes Unfiltered last month, Lorenzo estimated that the 2022-23 class will be “a little larger than half” the size of the 2021-22 class. They have a $6,366,900 bonus pool to work with, tied for the largest among all MLB teams. Any bonuses of $10,000 or less do not count against the pool.
Welcome to the @Marlins pic.twitter.com/LrZOVjRaBh
— Roman Ocumarez (@Rocumarez) January 15, 2023
Miami Marlins - Class 2022 pic.twitter.com/3eyHVECZ08
— Alberto Jorge (@albertojorge_14) January 15, 2023
Congrats to all the international directors, cross-checkers, area scouts, operations/medical staffs, trainers, players, and families on this day. Years of work to get to this point, and it’s only the beginning! #J15 @Marlins @MLB
— Oz Ocampo (@OzOcampo) January 15, 2023
Many of the names below tentatively agreed to sign with the Marlins months or even years in advance before officially beginning their careers on January 15. These 33 players—29 of them were announced by the team on Sunday—are ordered loosely by signing bonus amount (from highest to lowest).
OF/LHP Janero Miller (Bahamas), $950k
Age: 17
Bats: Both
Height/Weight: 6-2/160
Miller is a lefty pitcher with a deep pitch mix and a switch-hitter with the athleticism to potentially stick in center field defensively.
Would the Marlins dare to develop him as a true two-way player? If forced to choose, the early impression among scouts lean toward Miller’s future being on the mound. His fastball velocity currently sits in the low 90s and his big-breaking curveball has above-average potential.
Miller’s signing bonus accounts for approximately 15% of Miami’s total pool.
SS Fabian López (Dominican Republic), $650k
Age: 17
Bats: Both
Height/Weight: 6-0/165
OF Andrés Valor (Venezuela), $520k
Age: 17
Bats: Right
Height/Weight: 6-3/180
OF Osvaldo Heredia (Dominican Republic), $450k
Age: 16
Bats: Left
Height/Weight: 6-2/170
OF Jancory De La Cruz (Dominican Republic), $405k
Age: 16
Bats: Left
Height/Weight: 6-2/180
INF Joseph Tailor (Dominican Republic), $400k
Age: 16
Bats: Left
Height/Weight: 5-11/175
INF Breyias Dean (Bahamas), $325k
Age: 17
Bats: Right
Height/Weight: 6-2/180
OF Daniel Gaitor (Bahamas), $300k
Age: 16
Bats: Both
Height/Weight: 5-11/170
Miami Marlins signed OF Daniel Gator from Nassau, Bahamas for 300K#FirmasEnero15 #Jan15SigningDay pic.twitter.com/g9pl2vc0E9
— Antonio Puesán (@antoniopuesan) January 15, 2023
RHP Manuel Genao (Dominican Republic), $300k
Age: 17
Height/Weight: 6-1/150
LHP Keyner Benitez (Dominican Republic), $225k
Age: 16
Height/Weight: 6-1/165
SS Adrian Ibarra (Venezuela)
Age: 16
Bats: Right
Height/Weight: 6-2/175
OF José Made (Dominican Republic), $180k
Age: 16
Bats: Right
Height/Weight: 6-2/175
OF Khris Almonte (Dominican Republic)
Age: 17
Bats: Right
Height/Weight: 6-1/160
RHP Derek Arellan (Venezuela)
Age: 16
Height/Weight: 6-2/175
C Jeremy Almonte (Dominican Republic), $110k
Age: 17
Bats: Right
Height/Weight: 6-0/170
OF Anthony Rodriguez (Dominican Republic), $100k
Age: 17
Bats: Right
Height/Weight: 6-2/175
LHP Elier Morillo (Dominican Republic)
Age: 17
Height/Weight: 5-11/160
RHP Bayant Melo (Dominican Republic)
Age: 18
Height/Weight: 6-3/165
LHP Luis Porfirio (Dominican Republic)
Age: 17
Height/Weight: 6-0/155
INF Erick Lara (Dominican Republic)
Age: 16
Bats: Left
RHP Yohanfer Santana (Dominican Republic)
Age: 17
Height: 6-7
RHP Jeyson Mejía (Dominican Republic)
Age: 17
C Adrian Bello (Venezuela)
Age: 16
Bats: Right
RHP Fernando De La Rosa (Dominican Republic), $80k
Age: 17
RHP Brandon Smith (Venezuela)
Age: 17
RHP Oswaldo Aponte (Venezuela)
Age: 16
C Jesús Abreu (Venezuela)
Age: 17
Bats: Right
RHP Hiroshi Takahashi (Japan), $42k
Age: 16
Japanese RHP Hiroshi Takahashi signed with Miami Marlins for 42K. Born in Japan, raised in Venezuela with Bolivian passport and signed in Dominican Republic.
— Antonio Puesán (@antoniopuesan) January 15, 2023
RHP Hamlet García (Dominican Republic)
C Alexander Requena (Venezuela)
Age: 17
Bats: Right
RHP Darling Reyes (Dominican Republic)
Age: 18
C Nixon Chirinos (Venezuela)
Age: 17
Bats: Right
INF Jayden Felicia (Curacao)
Age: 16
Bats: Left
RHP Miguel Toscano (Colombia)
Age: 16
Height/Weight: 6-3/170
Technically acquired during the previous signing period, 19-year-old Cuban left-hander Jarol Fernández was formally introduced along with the 2022-23 class.
CONFIRMED - Miami Marlins sign cuban LHP Jarol Fernandez (19) from Sancti Spiritus, Cuba for 10K (photo @pelotacubanausa ) pic.twitter.com/Pg1eJjP6pQ
— Antonio Puesán (@antoniopuesan) January 15, 2023
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