July 02, 2015
The Phillies were long thought of as favorites to sign 6'2", 240-pound slugger Jhailyn Ortiz, and according to CSN Philly's Jim Salisbury, the team wasted no time once the July 2nd international signing period opened up:
As long expected, they have an agreement with slugging first baseman/outfielder Jhailyn Ortiz of the Dominican Republic. The deal will be for in the neighborhood of $4 million when it becomes official. According to sources, there are several details that must still be finalized, but the deal will happen.
Only 16 years old, Ortiz is ranked sixth among MLB Pipeline's international prospects. According to their scouting report, he possesses a skill that the Phillies are currently lacking: the ability to hit the ball out of the park:
Two words come to mind when Ortiz's name is mentioned: raw power. Ortiz has the most raw power in the entire class, the type of power scouts have not seen from a player his age in years. The teenager puts on a show during batting practice and more importantly, he has shown the ability to hit for power in games. His home runs are legendary, and his line drives into the gaps are just as impressive.
The Phillies, who were expected to be busy when the international period opened up, have also reportedly struck deals with Venezuelan catcher Rafael Marchan as well as Dominican infielder Keudi Bocio and Dominican pitcher Manuel Silva.
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