Pinstriped Prospects: Yankees Sign Three International Free Agents

Pinstriped Prospects is a great Yankees site if you’re into the Minor League aspect of the game and if you like to follow the Yankees and their prospects like I do. Robert Pimpsner is the owner of the site and I like to consider him a good friend of mine so any time I can plug his site and help him out, and trust me he and that great crew over there don’t need the help by any means because they do an amazing job of it on their own, I do. Robert has done interviews for me on my site during Prospects Month so it’s the very least I can do which brings me to the Yankees and their recent international free agent signings.

According to Baseball America’s Matt Eddy, although I found the information on Robert’s Pinstriped Prospects site, the Yankees have signed three IFA’s over the last few weeks. New York has signed right-handed pitchers Wilser Barrios and Daison Manazano along with shortstop Starlin Paulino. Barrios and Manazano were assigned to the Gulf Coast League Yankees after signing while Paulino, although speculated to be joining them, has not been assigned as of the time of this writing.

Barrios is 19-years old and bring a 6’2” and 160 lbs. frame to the GCL Yankees while Manazano, just 18-years old, is 6’0” and 180 lbs. Just based off frames alone Manazano sounds like another Luis Severino to me although again I will say that is just based off him small frame. I know absolutely nothing about his pitching mechanics or repertoire at this time unfortunately.

Paulino is 17-years old and is fresh off being named on the World Showcase Top Prospects List according to Perfect Game. Perfect Game goes on to say that the 6’0” 165 lb. shortstop has a “medium, athletic build with square shoulders and a lean and projectable build with room to fill out with additional strength.” See below for the complete scouting report from Perfect Game:

 “Starlin Paulino is a 2018 SS with a 6-0 165 lb. frame from Santo Domingo, SD who is Home Schooled. Medium, athletic build with square shoulders and a lean and projectable build with room to fill out with additional strength. Primary middle infielder, hands play very well at the ball, sure and clean actions, fields the ball out front, quick hands with a very accurate arm and present strength across the diamond, moves well on feet and quick to the ball. Righthanded hitter, begins with an upright stance a high back elbow in the box. Small leg lift trigger for timing, quick hands with a direct path to the ball, sound swing plane and creates line drive contact to pull side. Short and compact swing with a strong feel for the barrel, comes off well and projects for more with additional strength. Strong all around tool set that project nicely all around. Named to World Showcase Top Prospect List.”

Paulino sure sounds like a good pickup for the Yanks. Stay tuned.