re: The ATL Offseason Thread

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Now it’s become more evident that those three teams are all planning to exceed their international bonus pools in the 2016-17 signing period, with the Braves expected to make the biggest splash, aside from Cuban signings that could skew the overall numbers.

The Braves are planning to blitz the 2016-17 international amateur market with spending on par with what the Yankees did during the 2014-15 signing period, when they signed 10 of Baseball America’s Top 30 international prospects for July 2 and spent around $17 million in signing bonuses, not including the 100 percent overage tax that nearly doubled their overall tab. Excluding any Cuban players they might sign (and those players would have to wait until July 2 to sign, so the Braves can stick with their 2016-17 spending plan), the Braves will probably end up spending a similar amount of money this year on 16-year-old Latin American prospects.

The crown jewel of Atlanta’s targets is Venezuelan shortstop Kevin Maitan, perhaps the best 16-year-old July 2 prospect since Miguel Sano signed with the Twins for $3.15 million in 2009. Where Maitan ends up in the field remains to be seen, but several veteran evaluators have called Maitan a special talent at the head of the class because of his offensive ability. With the Braves the heavy favorites, Maitan’s bonus is expected to surpass $4 million, which would be a record for a Venezuelan player. The Braves are also the favorites to land Abrahan Gutierrez, the catcher on Venezuela’s 15U World Cup team a year ago. Gutierrez could command a bonus of more than $3 million, which would likely make him the second-highest paid player out of Venezuela this year. While Maitan and Gutierrez are standouts, the Braves should have several other top prospects and seven-figure bonus signings in their 2016 class, with Dominican switch-hitting shortstop Yunior Severino another target.

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Before jumping into the top five projected bonuses for the 2015 class (eligible to sign on July 2nd, 2015), I have a quick update on the 2016 class. I’ve already written about Venezuelan SS Kevin Maitan (link includes video), who has been compared by scouts to Miguel Cabrera and is being called the top July 2nd prospect in many years, probably the best since Twins 3B Miguel Sano. I talked to many scouts about Maitan in the Dominican last month and it’s been amazing that no one has said anything negative about him. With players of this age getting hype, you almost always have scouts telling you to be cautious, but everyone I’ve talked to just keeps throwing out high end comparisons like Juan Gonzalez, conceding that he’s really good and probably one of the best they’ve ever seen. In short, Maitan is a switch-hitting shortstop that’s advanced for his age across the board, but most scouts think he’ll add bulk and move off the position, like Cabrera and Sano and other elite prospects in the past.

One more name has been brought up as a high end guy in the 2016 class: Venezuelan C Abraham Gutierrez, who trains with former big leaguer Carlos Guillen. Gutierrez is average to plus across the board with precocious all fields power and the tools to stick behind the plate. He’s obviously also very young, so it’s very early to throw lofty comparisons around like with Maitan, but scouts have said Gutierrez’s overall game is along the lines of Mike Piazza.

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Zona wants to trade Aaron Hill so they can sign Kendrick. Should we offer to take Hill and his 12 mill salary on for the 39th pick?

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Q: What are your thoughts on Kevin Maitan? Isnt he too young for the type of hype he is receiving?

Klaw: He can really hit, and there’s going to be power there. As for him being too young … I mean, there’s no appropriate age to compare someone to Miguel Cabrera, right? I’m more concerned about the joke of a system that lets him be “locked up” by a team 18 months before the signing date.

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