Ronald Guzman: Mo' money, mo' problems The Rangers have absolutely knocked their international signings out of the park. From Guillermo Pimentel, David Perez, Jurickson Profar to Luis Salinas, Jorge Alfaro, Rougned Odor and Martin Perez, the restructuring of the Rangers as a first-class organization stemmed from this team's ability to go into Latin America and come out with some world-class athletes.
July 2, 2011 was no different.
The Rangers threw $5 million at 16-year-old Dominican outfielder Nomar Mazara, which eclipses the $4.25 million the Oakland Athletics gave Michael Ynoa several years ago. At the time, it seemed like an astronomical amount.
The Rangers also nabbed 16-year-old left fielder Ronald Guzman. He's from the Dominican Republic too. In the last three months alone, the Rangers have completely remade their minor league outfield situation. Adding Leonys Martin in addition to taking 11 outfielders in the 2011 Draft and, now, Guzman and Mazara changes everything. Once a point of weakness is now a strength.
Scouts and pundits are raving. Although the money is high, most see little difference in drafting above-slot guys who have just as much chances of making the bigs as these Latin American kids. Instead, the Rangers make reaches in the draft, take solid guys in the middle rounds and blow their load on the international market.
These kids could potentially be stateside in the next year or two playing professional baseball, whilst high school kids could very well opt for college. Already in Low-A Spokane, Alfaro, Odor, Pimentel and D. Perez are making a difference. M. Perez is barely in his 20s in Double A and Elvis Andrus made his MLB debut at 19.
The ceilings are just as high -- as are the price tags -- but there's a possibility of a quicker rise due to the way the Rangers push their prospects.
