Cincinnati Reds land top Venezuelan prospect in the international signing period

Despite Major League Baseball’s deep freeze during the lockout, the Cincinnati Reds are hopeful they added a new star prospect to the organization Saturday.

The Reds signed Ricardo Cabrera, a 17-year-old shortstop from Venezuela, on the first day of the 2021-22 international signing period. Cabrera is rated as the No. 3 overall international free agent by MLB.com, setting high expectations for the face of the Reds' signing class.

Cabrera is the highest-rated international prospect the Reds signed since right-hander Vladimir Gutierrez in 2016, according to the league website’s rankings. The difference from when the Reds signed Aroldis Chapman, Raisel Iglesias, Alfredo Rodriguez, Jose Barrero and Gutierrez over the past 12 years is teams weren’t capped on the amount of money they could spend. The Reds are allotted $5.72 million in bonuses for the 2021-23 class and they prioritized Cabrera.

“We started laying eyes on Cabrera probably four years ago,” said Trey Hendricks, the Reds’ director of international scouting. “He was one of those players that every time you saw him, he stood out. He was one of the best players on the field and he always hit the ball hard.”

Cabrera, a right-handed hitter listed at 5-foot-11, 178 pounds, is a potential five-tool talent, but his bat was always advanced. He played in showcases outside of Venezuela, which allowed more scouts to watch him, and he excelled when he played kids two or three years older.

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Baseball America called him “one of the most complete players in the class” in its scouting report. He’s known for his ability to hit line drives to all fields, showcasing a compact swing with emerging power.

“He’s one of the more polished teenage bats I’ve seen in Latin America in the last five years,” Hendricks said.

The Reds are expected to sign more than a dozen international free agents during this year’s signing period. It’s a high-risk, high-reward area of building an organization because teams are scouting players when they are the equivalent of high school freshmen and sophomores.

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Even in a best-case scenario, Cabrera, an above-average runner and fielder, is several years from contributing at the Major League level. For an organization that traditionally is quiet during free agency, the Reds hope they can help Cabrera reach his All-Star-level ceiling.

“The best thing about him is his hit ability,” Hendricks said. “He controls the strike zone. He recognizes offspeed pitches. He’s not afraid to take his walk, which we’ve been stressing to him, ‘walks are good.’ He gets in the box and he’s looking to do damage.”

The Reds announced 10 signings Saturday, six position players and four pitchers from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Colombia. They've reportedly reached an agreement with Panamanian outfielder Esmith Pineda for $800,000, but not all signings are official on the first day of the signing period.

Here’s a breakdown of other notable signees Saturday:

• SS Anthuan Valencia, 17, Venezuela – He’s ranked as the 32nd-best player in the international class by MLB.com. He has a reputation as a talented defender who should be able to remain at shortstop or second base as he progresses through the minor leagues. He hits to all fields with more power than expected for a guy listed at 5-foot-8, 177 pounds.

“High energy guy,” Hendricks said. “He plays with that flash and flair that you see a lot of young Latin shortstops play with. He can do the between the legs, turn the double plays behind his back. Just a good baseball player and great kid.”

Valencia’s nickname is “El Capitan,” a nod to him being a vocal leader. He’s the player who is first to arrive at a field and last to leave, Hendricks said, and typically the first player to run onto the field between innings.

“He leads by example,” Hendricks said. “He’s always encouraging his teammates, he’s very vocal on the field and he’s a winner. I think that comes through if you see him in games. He wants to win. That’s an important trait to have.”

• SS Jesus Correa, 17, Colombia – He trained with former Reds shortstop Orlando Cabrera in Cartagena. Correa, listed at 5-foot-8, 167 pounds, is a switch-hitter who added strength in the past year.

“He’s only been playing baseball for four or five years,” Hendricks said. “He was a soccer player before that, and it really shows with his footwork at shortstop. He can make a lot of plays out there.”

• RHP Lisnerkin Lantigua, 17, Dominican Republic – With a three-pitch mix, reaching 93 mph with his fastball, Lantigua is expected to pitch in the starting rotation for the Reds' Dominican Summer League (DSL) team during the upcoming season.

“Really competes and pounds the zone, so we’re excited,” Hendricks said. “I could see him moving quickly if he does what we think he’s going to do.”

• RHP Nelfri Payano, 17, Dominican Republic – Another expected starting pitcher for the DSL team next summer, Payano is up to 92-93 mph with his fastball and he has a good command of his curveball.

Lantigua and Payano are both new to pitching. Lantigua was an outfielder until two years ago, Hendricks said, and Payano was a shortstop until about a year ago, switching at the advice of their agents.

“We’re really excited about both of those guys, just the strike-throwing ability, the now stuff, and the projection,” Hendricks said. “Both of them have starter traits. That’s what we’re searching for is starting pitching. It doesn’t always work out, but that’s what we shoot for.”

• RHP Joneiker Arellano, 16, Venezuela – He’s a candidate to start in the DSL rotation with his three-pitch mix, sitting around 88 mph with his fastball. He has a lean frame, but he should gain velocity as he adds more strength.

• OF Adrian Reyes, 17, Dominican Republic – A switch-hitting corner outfielder, Reyes’ calling card is his power. “He’ll probably see time in right field, left field and maybe a little first base,” Hendricks said, “but the bat is the exciting draw with him.”

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds add star Venezuelan shortstops Ricardo Cabrera, Anthuan Valencia