The Dodgers have previously been linked to 19-year-old right-hander Yadier Alvarez, a Cuban defector who’s been compared to a young Ramon Martinez. So today’s report on CBSSports.com calling the Dodgers “the most aggressive team to date” pursuing Alvarez isn’t exactly stunning.
But it also contained this noteworthy tidbit about the timeframe for when Alvarez might (or might not) sign:
Alvarez has petitioned MLB to be able to sign before the next signing period, which begins July 2, but hasn’t heard yet. Arizona would need Alvarez to win that petition to have a chance here as the Diamondbacks are limited to $300,000 in the period beginning July 2 due to signings already on the books.
Interestingly enough, where Alvarez signs could be a direct result of when MLB approves his petition to sign. The Dodgers are not limited to $300,000 signing bonuses beginning July 2 and are believed to be willing to spend more freely on restricted international players (like Alvarez) after that date.
But wait, there’s more.
The Dodgers have been scouting 24 year old Cuban pitcher Raymar Navarro. Spanish article here http://t.co/8K0oLqyAQv I'll translate…
— Roberto Baly (@rbaly79) April 20, 2015