Jays sign son of former Expos slugger Guerrero
Vladimir Jr., 16, was rated No. 4 among international prospects
The Blue Jays exceeded their assigned spending limit to sign 16-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for $3.9 million US, then traded two minor-league players to the Dodgers for cash that could enable them to avoid a hefty fine from Major League Baseball.
The Jays consummated their long-rumoured pursuit of Guerrero, a big-bodied, hard-hitting outfielder, on Thursday. Guerrero is the son of former Montreal Expos star Vladimir Guerrero. He was ranked No. 4 on MLB.com’s list of top international prospects.
Thursday was the first day of the signing period for international prospects not subject to the amateur draft.
Shortly after Guerrero signed his contract, news broke that the Jays had traded minor-league pitcher Chase De Jong and infielder Tim Locastro to the Dodgers for between $1 million and $2 million in international signing slot money. With the Guerrero signing, the Jays exceeded their assigned $2,324,100 for international signings by roughly $1.58 million.
Under MLB rules, the Jays would have had to pay a 100 per cent tax on the difference between the amount they spent on Guerrero and their assigned limit, and forego international signings for the next two years. The cash from the Dodgers may reduce their signing ban to one year.
Asked Wednesday whether he was willing to blow past the allocation and pay the penalty, Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos replied: “For the right guy, absolutely ... But we’d really have to feel good about the player.”
They obviously feel very good about Guerrero, whom they have scouted heavily and to whom they’ve been connected for months.
Still growing, Guerrero stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 210 pounds. His uncle, former major-leaguer Wilton Guerrero, has been heavily involved in his training and development.
Here’s what Baseball America’s Ben Badler wrote about Guerrero’s prospects:
“Guerrero is an offensive-oriented prospect who several scouts said has the top combination of hitting ability and power in this year’s class. Guerrero has terrific bat speed, unleashing a quick, compact swing with hitting mannerisms reminiscent of his father. He has excellent hand-eye coordination and bat control, which allows him to make frequent contact.”
Badler added that Guerrero shows “flashes of plus raw power, striking the ball with as much consistent hard contact as any player in the class.”
Badler’s scouting report says Guerrero lacks the arm and defensive skills of his father, so he may be slated for left field or even first base down the road. He also will have to watch his weight.
“Guerrero has grown an inch in the past year and has worked hard to drop some weight, but keeping his conditioning in check will always have to be a focal point for him,” Badler wrote.
The players traded to the Dodgers started the season at low Class A Lansing.
De Jong, who was promoted to advanced-A Dunedin last week, had a 7-4 record and 3.13 ERA at Lansing. He was a second-round draft pick in 2012.
Locastro, a 13th-round pick in 2013, was batting .310 at Lansing with a .409 on-base percentage and 30 stolen bases.