NewsA's sign three Venezuelan prospects
Team grabs two infielders, one outfielder, all 16-year-oldsBy Adam Loberstein / MLB.com
07/02/09 2:09 PM ET
OAKLAND -- The A's were active on the first day of Major League Baseball's international signing period.The club announced Thursday that it has agreed to terms with three 16-year-old prospects from Venezuela: shortstop Wilfredo Jesus Solano, third baseman Wilman Jose "Junior" Martinez and outfielder Alfredo Alejandro Sosa.
A Caracas native, Solano is a 6-foot-1, 180-pound switch-hitter. Assistant general manager David Forst called Solano one of the highest-profile prospects the A's pursued and said the team had been targeting him since March.
"He's almost as advanced as they come for a 16-year-old at this stage," Forst said. "We really liked his bat from both sides. He'll develop power down the road, and he projects to stay at shortstop, which is what made him really attractive to us."
Martinez is a power-hitting Valencia product, standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 185 pounds. Forst hopes Martinez can develop into a 20- to 30-home run threat.
"Martinez has a lot of power -- that's the first thing [director of player personnel] Billy Owens said about him," Forst said. "He also has soft hands and an above-average arm at third. ... He's what you hope for from a corner-infield prospect."
Sosa, who also hails from Valencia, is a 6-foot-1, 165-pounder who throws and bats from the right side.
"He's the most toolsy of the three," Forst said. "He has a good arm and runs well. He's really impressed us with his athleticism."
Having just signed, Solano, Martinez and Sosa are ineligible to play in the Dominican Summer League. They'll report to La Victoria, Oakland's training complex in the Dominican Republic, once they sign with the club.
Forst said he doesn't anticipate any additional signings in the immediate future.
"We'll continue to monitor those who don't sign right away," he said. "We have another trip planned for next month, so we'll see what comes out of that."
Adam Loberstein is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
