These Are NL Central's Top Middle-Infield Duos

When it comes to the makeup of the middle-infield spots on teams in the National League Central, the word “upheaval” comes to mind rather quickly. More clubs have either made changes or are still contemplating some sort of shuffle in their personnel at second base and shortstop.

St. Louis Official Site

2019 MLB Rule 5 Draft Preview

The Winter Meetings are always full of uncertainty, mystery and intrigue. No one knows when a deal might go down or when a free agent might sign. But there is one certainty at the end of every Meetings: the Rule 5 Draft.

MLB Official Site

These 147 Top Prospects Are Rule 5 Eligible

Over the next couple of weeks, all 30 Major League organizations have some serious decisions to make.

St. Louis Official Site

David Washington Named To 2019 Atlantic League All-Star Rosters

The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) today announced the rosters for the 2019 Atlantic League All-Star Game, which will be held next Wednesday at PeoplesBank Park, home of the York Revolution. The 22nd annual ALPB Mid-Summer Classic will feature Freedom and Liberty Division players selected by fans and team officials in a matchup beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Atlantic League Official Site

Luis Cruz & David Washington Named 2018 Atlantic League All-Stars

The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball today announced the rosters for the 2018 Atlantic League All-Star Game, presented by Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center. Representatives from the Liberty and Freedom Divisions will square off in the league’s 21st annual All-Star Game on Wednesday, July 11th at Bethpage Ballpark, the home of the Long Island Ducks, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

Atlantic League Official Site

Best Tools In The Minors (2018 Preseason)

Trust in the tools. It’s an adage that has been drilled into scouts’ heads for time immemorial. In this exercise we do exactly that by highlighting the prospects with the loudest tools in the minor leagues. The best of the best, if you will. For the pitching categories, only starters were considered, while CB stands for curveball and SL for slider.

Baseball America

Reds Assigned Dean Kiekhefer & C.J. McElroy To Double-A Pensacola

Doug Gray Twitter

Somerset Re-Signed Alfredo Rodriguez For The 2018 Season

Double G Sports Twitter

Reds To Sign Jose Israel Garcia

The Reds have an agreement in place to sign 19-year-old Cuban infielder Jose Garcia, pending a physical. It will be a minor league contract with a bonus expected to be around $5 million. Since Garcia is subject to the international bonus pools, with the 100 percent overage tax, the total tab for the Reds will be about $10 million. He’s expected to start his career in the Dominican Summer League.

Baseball America

Reds Unlikely To Sign Luis Robert

Nineteen-year-old Cuban outfielder Luis Robert will be eligible to sign with a team Saturday, but the Cincinnati Reds are unlikely to win the bidding. Robert could be the last bank-breaking talent to come out of Cuba, and the asking price likely has already left the Reds’ comfort zone.

Cincinnati Enquirer

Reds Keeping Eye On Luis Robert

The Cincinnati Reds have already invested heavily in Cuban amateurs in the last year, with both right-hander Vladimir Gutierrez and shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez signing for lucrative bonuses last summer. Under the right circumstances, the Reds could be willing to dip into that pool again.

Cincinnati Enquirer

Luis Robert Leaves Cuba, With Clock Ticking Before New Rules Begin

Luis Robert, one of Cuba’s best young prospects, is out of the country. Due to Major League Baseball’s new international rules, the timing of when Robert gets cleared to sign will have significant ramifications on how much he will get paid and which teams will be able to sign him.

Baseball America

Reds Sign Alfredo Rodriguez To Minors Deal

Cincinnati Official Twitter

Cardinals In The Hunt For Jonatan Machado, Victor Garcia, & Carlos Soler

The international signing process has become messier than ever. Not that it’s ever been a clean, straightforward puzzle to put together before, but the combination of aggressive scouting, major league rules and external factors beyond baseball has pushed the arena to a new level.

Baseball America

Reds Not Close To Signing Alfredo Rodriguez

John Fay Twitter

The Clubs That Will Dictate The International Market

The start of the international signing period is months away, but teams have been hard at work scouting prospects across Latin America and the Caribbean since last summer in search of future stars.

MLB Official Site

Reds Pay Costly Price For Alfredo Rodriguez

The Reds having an agreement to sign 21-year-old Cuban shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez is no surprise. In November, I wrote that the Reds were heavily considered the favorites to sign Rodriguez. While Rodriguez is not the type of player worth going over your bonus pool to sign, the expectation at that time was that the Reds were going to push well beyond their pool to sign him anyway.

Baseball America

Reds Interested In Alfredo Rodriguez, But Have Not Agreed On Deal

C.Trent Rosencrans Twitter

Reds Sign Cuban Alfredo Rodriguez

The Reds have agreed to a $6 million deal with 21-year-old Cuban shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez, according to industry sources.

MLB Official Site

Cuban Market Updates: Alfredo Rodriguez, Adrian Morejon, Guillermo Heredia, Vladimir Gutierrez, Norge Ruiz, & Cionel Perez

Multiple sources believe the Reds are the favorites to sign 21-year-old Cuban shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez, who has an excellent glove but a light bat and is subject to the international bonus pools. At 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Rodriguez won the rookie of the year award in Serie Nacional this past season, though he likely only won it because outfielder Yusniel Diaz had left the country before they announced the winner. A righthanded hitter, Rodriguez batted .265/.301/.283 with 11 walks and 38 strikeouts in 304 plate appearances for La Isla de la Juventud, showing limited on-base skills or power, though he is a plus runner.

Baseball America