2013 Big League Debuts & Their Signing Scouts

Each player who makes his major league debut this season had a scout and/or scouting director recommend him to his signing organization. To give credit where credit is due, we’ll track those scouts and those directors for each player to make the big leagues for the first time in 2013.

Baseball America

Carlos Martinez Has 'An Electric Arm'

Drawn by the promise of precocious speed, Cardinals director of international affairs Moises Rodriguez followed scout Juan Mercado to an abandoned ballpark in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, for a private workout with a slim, wiry righthander.

STL Today

Measuring International Activity, Part Two

We looked last week at the teams that signed the most international prospects in the 2010 Baseball America Prospect Handbook.

Baseball America

Which Teams Have Signed The Most International Prospects?

A team's international scouting efforts can take years to make a difference at the major league level.

Baseball America

Cardinals Break Records To Sign Wagner Mateo

Baseball America

jrocke217 says: this is a paid for article and i'm not gonna paste anything up from it. but there is a couple sites that have posted the full article (cardinals portion) up on the net.

Focusing Less On Pitching & More On Hitting, Wagner Mateo Signs Largest Deal With Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals had one years following the steps to Matthew Wagner, but was at the end of 2008 when they were convinced that it sign the price.

The vice president and director of Development of the Cardinals, Jeff Luhnow, revealed that in a "try out" made by them in their complex Haras National, its 15 buscatalentos agreed that the best of every player who tested that day. (Translated)

Listin Diario
Google Translate

Cardinals Finalize Deal With Wagner Mateo

Top Latin American free agent officially comes to terms with the St. Louis Cardinals on first day eligible.
The Birdhouse

The St. Louis Cardinals announced at a press conference this morning in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic that they have agreed to terms with free agent outfielder Wagner Mateo. Mateo, 16, who is from Santo Domingo, is considered by many to be the top amateur free agent on the market from Latin America this year. The signing is conditional on a physical which will be conducted by Cardinal team doctors in St Louis later this summer.
Cardinals Press Release/Busch Basement

At a ceremony this morning in Santo Domingo, St. Louis Cardinals farm director/VP Jeff Luhnow presented coveted talent Wagner Mateo with a Cardinals jersey, a symbolic gesture that the organization had just taken its boldest move yet into the realm of international player acquisition.
Cardinal Beat

The Cardinals continued their recent push into Latin America with a major signing on Thursday, as they announced a deal with 16-year-old Dominican outfielder Wagner Mateo.
Cardinals Official Site

New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals handed over six million dollars in the recruitment of two Dominican prospects in 16 years. (Translated)
ESPN Deportes

Dominican Baseball Has New Millionaires Today

"We had been following since this rookie a couple years ago, I was of those who signed Fernando Martinez and this shows Matthew a more refined batting at his age," said Juan Mercado, head tapping of the Cardinals team that his signature exceeds by far its largest agreement of last year awarded to De la Cruz for 1.1 million. (Translated)

Listin Diario
Google Translate

Cardinals Eyeing, Linked To Top Latin American Teen Prospect

The St. Louis Cardinals are deep into their final preps for the upcoming draft — vice president/farm director Jeff Luhnow, for example, is out in Los Angeles for one of the workout camps the Cardinals hold around the country — but the draft isn’t the only player procurement date rapidly approaching.

Birdland

Cardinals Sign RHP Johnny Polanco Out Of Nicaragua, Assign Him To The Venezuelan Summer League

(Picture taken by Christian Blanco)

While Ronald Garth completed a cycle of low-order your Seattle Mariners, the lad of 17 years, Johnny Polanco, affixed his signature yesterday to play in the organization of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Garth concluded that it had a limited future in the organization, so I decided to ask her to return to low and Nicaragua to study at university, not discard the possibility of playing in the national championships.

"The Mariners have signed important infield prospects in recent years, so my future as a player in the organization was uncertain. However, they told me they would like to keep me tied to the organization in any other way, so let's see what happens. But for now my priority will be studying. I guarantee my future beyond baseball, "said Garth, who is already in the country.

Meanwhile, in Sebaco, the scout for the Cardinals nica, Christian White (Blanco), completed the signing of Johnny Polanco shooter, academia by Alex Torres and the coach in July took an important part Reyes in its development.

"De Polanco we liked their physical structure, also has a line that reaches 88 miles and a good curve and change of speed," said Blanco, who in recent years has managed the Cardinals for a player like Edgard Montiel, Edwin Conde , Walter Santos and latest Argeñal Jem and Johnny Polanco. The latter two debut in the Summer League is coming to Venezuela to start. (Full Story Translated From Link Directly Below)

Thanks To Good Friend Of The Site, Gerald Hernandez, Who Wrote & Posted The Story

Added Info & Tidbits:

Polanco is the third player in the past six months that has signed out of the country of Nicaragua and the second to sign with the St. Louis Cardinals. Jem Argenal, who signed with the Cardinals in November, and Elmer Reyes, who signed with the Atlanta Braves, are the other two.

Polanco most recently participated in the Nicarguan National Championship pitching for Chale Solis de Matagalpa. He finished with a 0-1 record and 9.00 ERA. He faced 33 batters giving up seven hits (only one extra base hit, a double), nine earned runs, 12 walks, and striking out one over nine innings. Matagalpa competed in the Group B Division of the tournament and had a 20-28 record, falling just four games short of the second round.

This past fall, he also took part in a showcase of Nicaraguan baseball talent that attract many scouts from many Major League baseball organizations. This same showcase had players such as soon-to-be Cardinal Jem Argenal, top prospect Cheslor Cuthbert, former DSL Cardinal Edgard Montiel, and others. Polanco however did not garner any attention at that particular time. Cardinals' scout Juan Mercado was in attendance for this event.

Aritcles On Jem Argenal & Cheslor Cuthbert From Nicaragua

Just wanted to give everyone a little more insite into Argenal & Cuthbert:

Jem Argenal also played for Chinandega during the Nicaraguan Summer League. While former DSL Cardinals' Edwin Conde and Edgard Montiel played for Indios del Boer: Official Site

Showcase Of Nicaraguan Prospects Earlier In The Fall:
The young ballplayers Cheslor Cuthbert (16) and Jen Argeñal (17 years) were, at the discretion of the scouts who were presented Saturday at the "Show Case" in the "Roberto Clemente," Masaya, players who had the skills More interesting that in the near future may be human material firmable by teams of the Major Leagues.

El Nuevo Diario (Via Google)

Published in (I think) late-October:
Despite his 15 years of age, Cheslor Cuthbert hits the ball with the strength of a man, which together with the rest of your abilities are pleased to let about 20 scouts from a dozen organizations in the Major Leagues, Yesterday they were in the showcase players Nicaraguans in the Estadio Roberto Clemente, Masaya.
La Prensa (Via Google)

Nicaraguan Prospect League HR Derby:
Champion will travel to the United States International

The young ballplayers Sheyton Putchie, Osbert Rodriguez, Cheslor Cuthbert and Jem Argeñal advanced to the final stage of the Derby home runs from Nicaragua, whose winner will have the opportunity to compete in the U.S., in the Stadium Tropicana Fields, home of the organization of Big Leagues The Rays of Tampa Bay.
La Presna (Via Google)

Make sure to swing by the Nicaraguan Official Sites for more info:

Nicaraguan Winter League (LNBP)

Nicaraguan Summer League

Nicaraguan Prospect League (LJPN)

Astros Close Venezuelan Academy While Cardinals Invest

The St. Louis Cardinals will soon have one less competitor with in-country facilities in Venezuela as the Houston Astros announced this week plans to close their Venezuelan academy.

The Cardinal Nation

Moises Rodriguez On Cardinals' International Operations

In the conclusion of a two-part interview, St. Louis Cardinals Director of International Operations Moisés Rodriguez discusses key opportunities and challenges in his role of leading the organization’s growing Latin American presence.

The Birdhouse

Cardinals' Director Of International Operations, Moises Rodriguez

In Part one of a two-part interview, we get to know St. Louis Cardinals Director of International Operations Moisés Rodriguez. In Part two, he will discuss key elements of his responsibilities.

The Birdhouse

Cardinals Aim South: Prospects From Latin America Start To Surface

After watching Richard Castillo work in a recent outing, Quad-Cities River Bandits pitching coach Ace Adams just shook his head.

Quad-City Times

Scouting Reports: Cardinals' July 2nd Recruits

St. Louis Cardinals Vice President, Scouting and Player Development Jeff Luhnow explains how the four Dominican and two Venezuelan July 2nd signings were selected and provides scouting reports on each.

The Birdhouse

Cardinals Make Splash In Caribbean

For a long time, maybe forever, the buscones were considered adversaries or parasites, entities to be mistrusted and, if possible, circumvented.

STL Today

Cardinals Ink Six Latin American Prospects

For the last few years, only a few clubs were able to spend the big bucks in Latin America.

Cardinals Official Site

Six July 2nd Teens Commit To Cardinals

In their first wave of Latin American 16-year-old signees in 2008, the Cardinals come to terms with four from the Dominican Republic and two from Venezuela.

The Birdhouse

Cardinals Boost Bonuses In Latin America

Calling it one of the surest signs of their now-established footing in Latin America, the Cardinals will announce three signings Friday that surpass any of the previous bonuses given to international players.
Birdland

Future Redbirds