Proud and satisfied because his effort and dedication over the years will be highly rewarded, this is how Roderick Arias shows himself, who this Saturday will lead a broad group of prospects who will see their first big dream come true when the signing process begins on January 15, which involves all 30 major league franchises.
Roderick, a 17-year-old shortstop from the Friars, will be signing for a bonus ranging from 3.9 to 4.1 million dollars with the New York Yankees, in an era that for a couple of decades has been labeled as unforgettable for those rookies embarking on a career to become professional ballplayers.
His pact is scheduled to take profit around 10 in the morning at the Yankees complex, on a holiday for a large group of newcomers and their families, the vast majority of them see their status from poor to rich.
Some 100 million dollars have the Major League organizations available to spend from this Saturday in the so-called international market, the date on which the largest boom in salary agreements is gathered and where the presence of the pandemic has forced in the last two years to move the date from the popular July 2 in the past to January 15.
“Since I got here, I have made an effort to work and work until I see my dream come true and it has been worth so many hours of work,” Arias told Listín Diario yesterday in what was his last day of activity prior to the day he will sit at the table between his parents, Henry Arias and Nairobi Germán to sign his agreement with the wealthiest and most successful of baseball teams.
At the age of 11, the then boy arrived at the Baseball Paulino Academy, owned by Daniel Paulino, who has run it for seven years in the town of Villa España in San Pedro de Macorís. “I fell in love with the complex as soon as I arrived loaded with aspirations of one day becoming a professional baseball player and look how today this is actually fulfilled,” he tells Listin with a big smile.
From a poor class, his parents today teachers, despite the distance from Los Frailes to San Pedro, Arias quickly adapted to the work system and since his arrival he never rested in doing it and in improving himself more every day.
Soft hands, good movement and a powerful arm, are combined in the novel with his strong hitting with power and average that together with prodigious legs rank him as an owner of the five tools and both MLB and Baseball America ranked him as the number one inexperienced player. in the ranking of international players.
His mentor, Paulino, places him as a player who in the future would be of the lineage of a Carlos Correa or Francisco Lindor. “This boy has no gall to work and has so many qualities that the instructors did not hesitate much when they observed him,” he says.
Sendy RLeal, a former pitcher, who in 2006 threw 42 innings with the Orioles and in the country played mainly with the Stars, says of the newcomer that he is a very special young man, he demands himself more and more, plays hard and is a great competitor, with great leadership skills”, he added.
Other good prospects to sign.
The 2021 crop would not have as many players with bonuses in excess of three million, but as always there will be a large group that would exceed one million. Some names are those of Juan Simón, outfielder by 2.2 with Anaheim; Jonathan Mejía for 2.0 million with the Cardinals; Yasser Mercedes, gardener; with the Twins for 1.8 million; Brailin Tavarez with the Orioles for 1.7 million; Yandry Rojas, with the Padres for 1.3 Alexis Hernández, 1.3 with the Cubs; Jonny Severino, with the Brewers for 1,250 million; José De Jesús with the Vigilantes for 1.2; Randy De Jesús and Erick Hernández with Anaheim and White Sox for $1.2 million each; Fraymi De León and Yordany De los Santos with Boston and Pirates for 1.1 million each. Among many others.
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Cuban will exceed 5 million
Arias would be the Dominican to receive the largest bonus, but Cristian Vaquero, a Cuban patrolman, will be the wealthiest among all internationals and is expected to exceed 5 million from the Washington Nationals. He is 6’3 and weighs 185 pounds.
Equipment to spend more
The Cardinals, D-Backs, Cleveland, Orioles, Padres, Pirates, Rockies and Royals are the teams with the greatest availability to spend with 6.26 million, followed by the Brewers, Marlins, Rays, Cincinnati, Detroit, and Twins with 5.72 million. The Blue Jays and Dodgers are the least with 4.6 million
how far does it extend
The signatures will be from January 15 to December 15 of this year.
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