The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the richest histories in Major League Baseball of signing and developing international prospects from Latin America. That stretches back to franchise icons like Fernando Valenzuela and includes Pedro Martinez, Adrian Beltre, Yasiel Puig and Julio Urias.
Though the Dodgers had been relatively quiet on this front in recent years after using large chunks of their international signing money in the early and mid-2010s, they have already made some big splashes on Tuesday, the first day of the 2019-20 international signing period.
According to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, the Dodgers have already signed two of MLB Pipeline’s top 30 eligible international prospects, both from Venezuela.
Their biggest reported signings are Venezuelan outfielder Luis Rodriguez, who is fourth on MLB Pipeline’s rankings, and Kristian Cordozo, a right-handed pitcher ranked No. 21 on that same list, per Sanchez:
According to industry sources, the Dodgers have agreed to a deal with outfielder Luis Rodriguez, No. 4 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 International Prospects list, and right-handed pitcher Kristian Cardozo (No. 21).
According to Baseball America’s Ben Badler, the Dodgers have additionally another Venezuelan in right-hander Juan Idrogo, as well as lefty Eduardo Dominguez out of Spain:
Dodgers sign Venezuelan RHP Juan Idrogo
https://t.co/S1PzLw56au pic.twitter.com/cXkF9rsWGu — Ben Badler (@BenBadler) July 2, 2019
Dodgers sign LHP from Spain. Watch the curveball in the video from when I saw him at his field last year https://t.co/S1PzLw56au pic.twitter.com/T6wC6f61Pm
— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) July 2, 2019
Both are listed as Dodgers in Baseball America’s international signings tracker along with outfielder Victor Sosa and catcher Yeiner Fernandez, also from Venezuela, and shortstop Darol Garcia from the Dominican Republic.
In total, the Dodgers have come to terms with seven players thus far, five of whom are from Venezuela.
L.A. went into the 2019-20 international signing period with just over $4.8 million in bonus money to spend until June 15, 2020. The Dodgers were docked $500,000 as part of signing A.J. Pollock to contract this past offseason.
International prospects signed for $10,000 or less do not count against the bonus pool allotment, nor do players who are 25 years or older.