Mariners Hot After Some Foreign Kid

by Jeff Sullivan on Jun 2, 2010 11:49 AM PDT in Miscellaneous

Remember Rafael DePaula? Yeah, nobody does. I haven't the foggiest what's going on over on that front, but if you're someone who can only remember one international free agent at a time, here's a new name for you - Luis Heredia.

Heredia, 15, is a 6-foot-4 right-hander who has been described in several publications as having four "plus" pitches, in the scouting vernacular, meaning the potential for all of those -- fastball, changeup, slider and curveball -- to above-average at the Major League Baseball level.

The Mariners are among the teams listed as being in pursuit. Heredia will be eligible to sign on July 2nd. When I was 15, I was just getting away from clip-on neckties, so it's safe to say that Heredia's an overachiever.

Luis Heredia wasn't alive during the baseball strike.

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Is he 15 in Miguel Tejada years?

6’4" at 15 sounds like a freak of nature

by killer_ewok18 on Jun 2, 2010 11:54 AM PDT reply actions

I was about 6'4 at 15

which I suppose neither proves nor disproves your statement.

by Jeff Sullivan on Jun 2, 2010 11:55 AM PDT up reply actions

Me too

And then I stopped growing shortly thereafter.

by Kenneth Arthur on Jun 2, 2010 11:56 AM PDT up reply actions

I was 5'0 at 15

And then I started growing.

M's fan in the Bay, soon to be LA

by perfectstrat on Jun 2, 2010 12:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Of all the baseball news I've ever heard

that’s certainly some of it.

by pdb on Jun 2, 2010 11:54 AM PDT reply actions

Only notable because Heredia is considered one of the top international free agents on the market

by Jeff Sullivan on Jun 2, 2010 11:56 AM PDT up reply actions

I just find it hard to get enthusiastic over a 15 year old kid

which when read in a non-baseball context is maybe somewhat creepy but still.

by pdb on Jun 2, 2010 11:57 AM PDT up reply actions

I think its exciting

If we sign him, as soon as he starts pitching, he’ll be a new name to keep track of with excitement. We need all of that we can get, even if we know it would be like 2015 at the earliest that he’d be with Seattle.

by Kenneth Arthur on Jun 2, 2010 11:58 AM PDT up reply actions

There's just so much that can go in unexpected ways between 15 and the major leagues though

that I’ll probably start to get excited about this kid two weeks before his first major league start.

by pdb on Jun 2, 2010 11:59 AM PDT up reply actions

You really weren't excited about Felix when he was 16?

He’s about the only Mariner I could think about for 2+ years.

by Kenneth Arthur on Jun 2, 2010 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions

I wasn't excited about Felix until last year

by pdb on Jun 2, 2010 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions

It should be noted I am not a good evaluator of talent

by pdb on Jun 2, 2010 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm back to being unexcited

by Matthew on Jun 2, 2010 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions

Right there with you

by pdb on Jun 2, 2010 12:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, what the hell is happening there?

by Sec 108 on Jun 2, 2010 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions

Nothing. He's fine.

Some HR/FB regression is all.

by Matthew on Jun 2, 2010 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions

But he makes a lot more money now

by Aaron Campeau on Jun 2, 2010 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions

He's also walking more people though

by killer_ewok18 on Jun 2, 2010 1:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Barely

and he’s throwing more strikes. He’s fine.

by Matthew on Jun 2, 2010 3:05 PM PDT up reply actions

Good, I have been missing his starts lately and was wondering.

by Sec 108 on Jun 2, 2010 2:00 PM PDT up reply actions

I have no problem at all getting enthusiastic over a 15 year old kid.

by Jeff Sullivan on Jun 2, 2010 12:26 PM PDT up reply actions

That would explain why you've been Tweeting about Ke$ha all morning

by Aaron Campeau on Jun 2, 2010 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions 4 recs

If I'm thinking of the same kid, I heard he "could get as much as $2 million"

I know that at 15, $2 million is a ridiculous amount of money.

I know that at 15, you are taking a huge risk on a player and he may never pitch past the age of 20.

At the same time, if a lot of teams are hot after a 15-year-old who looks to be very good (imagine how much Bryce Harper could get on the open market right now) I’m just shocked that bidding wars don’t go way past $2 million. If a team could go back and outbid the Mariners on Felix Hernandez, wouldn’t they be willing to part with 10 times that?

I’m just saying, if the M’s need to pony up 2.25 million, do it.

by Kenneth Arthur on Jun 2, 2010 11:55 AM PDT reply actions

Do you know how latin bonus babies fail?

There’s a reason the bidding doesn’t go higher. It’s a perfectly free market down there. Teams pay what their average benefit from the market gives them.

by Matthew on Jun 2, 2010 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions

how often*?

Yeah, its not good success rate. I guess just because, its not my money.

by Kenneth Arthur on Jun 2, 2010 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Mariners In, On Mexican 15-Year-Old

by lemonverbena on Jun 2, 2010 11:55 AM PDT reply actions

Still three years before Niehaus can say,

“Luis Heredia is a good looking young man” without going to jail for pedophilia.

by Sec 108 on Jun 2, 2010 11:57 AM PDT reply actions

"He really fills out that uniform"

by Matthew on Jun 2, 2010 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions

Favorite movie type: Gladiator (hopefully)

by pdb on Jun 2, 2010 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

My cat is 16

Which means he’s younger than my cat.

Awesome.

by craig3410 on Jun 2, 2010 12:35 PM PDT reply actions

Does your cat remember the baseball strike?

by Lucas Cervi on Jun 2, 2010 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions

That is... weird to think about.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors

by JY on Jun 2, 2010 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions

It's a Maine Coon.

They live forever if they’re healthy.

by craig3410 on Jun 2, 2010 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions

Mr. K turns 17 this month.

Sometime.

He was born in a parking lot, so the precise date is unknown.

by msb on Jun 2, 2010 2:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Triunfel has a little better who plays SS who is supposed to be one of the top Dominican

kids in this year’s class. Wonder if we’re interested.

by Rudy4three on Jun 2, 2010 12:46 PM PDT reply actions

I'd be a little surprised if we got him.

Our Mexican scouting has made a few steps forward of late, but it’s not a lot better than a token presence.

More excited about Phillips Castillo, who probably is going to sign with us, but isn’t a pitcher, unfortunately.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors

by JY on Jun 2, 2010 1:05 PM PDT reply actions

Who is Castillo? Is he from this upcoming crop of IFAs?

by Rudy4three on Jun 2, 2010 1:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Dominican OF.

BA had a write-up on him yesterday. Right-handed, bat and power first, probable corner outfielder. Not bad in the other areas of the game, but really mostly about the bat.

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett Mariners Minors

by JY on Jun 2, 2010 1:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Jay, do you know the main guys we signed last year? I try to take a look every now and then

at the DSL and VSL box scores, but I don’t know which guys are our better prospects down there. Were there 3-4 guys from last year’s IFA crop that stood out?

I know Pimentel was the best guy we got, and I remember Parma being another. Any other kids from last year we should keep an eye on down in the Dominican and Venezuelan summer leagues?

by Rudy4three on Jun 2, 2010 1:18 PM PDT up reply actions