The Dominican Republic has started their winter league season. Absent a 2020 minor league season the rosters are loaded with some interesting prospects and ex-major leaguers who are listed on the rosters. Because of the restrictions on foreign players, most of the rosters are filled with Dominican players. Below is a brief look at some of the players to watch.
Aguilas Cibaenas
Victor Robles - He leads a strong outfield for Aguilas with Juan Lagares and Melky Cabrera also on the roster. At one point he was a better prospect than Juan Soto, but his bat has not developed as expected. His defense is gold glove. In five games he is hitting .316 with one homerun. The down side is he has been caught stealing twice in three attempts.
Juan Lagares - Released by the Mets Juan hopes to find some interest with other clubs. His defense has never been a problem, but a quiet bat has prevented him from keeping an outfield job. In seven games Lagares is hitting .267 with no walks and seven whiffs.
Edmundo Sosa - The Cardinals shortstop prospect has not impressed with a .211 average and .263 slugging in five games. It is still early.
Robel Garcia - Released by the Cubs after they signed him in the Italian League, he leads the team in homeruns with two but is hitting just .158.
Wilmer Difo - He is also trying to find some interest after being designated by the Nationals. A .250 average after five games is what you can expect from this possible utility player.
Michael Ynoa - The 6′7″ righthander at one time had the highest bonus signing of international players. He has been a disappointment in the majors, having issues with control. In four appearances he has yet to give up a run with a zero to seven walk to whiff ratio in four innings.
Yunesky Maya - Myworld thought he would have a better career than Aroldis Chapman. That prediction did not turn out so good. He has been released by major league and Korean teams. In the Dominican Republic he is sharp with a 1.59 ERA after one start.
Junior Fernandez - The Cardinals top pitching prospect was beset by injuries last year. His first relief appearance did not turn out so well, giving up three hits and a walk in one inning of work for a 27.00 ERA.
Yoanner Negrin - He has not given up a run in two starts, working 11 innings and allowing just five hits. He has walked one and struck out 10.
Estrellas Oriente
Francisco Mejia - He was supposed to be a front line catcher with one of the strongest arms and a good bat. That has not come to fruition in the major leagues. In three Dominican games he is hitting .273 with one homerun.
Lewin Diaz - The power bat for the Marlins has yet to go deep and is hitting just .231 after four starts. With a good spring he could win the first base job in 2021.
Domingo Leyba - Drug suspension issues got him released from the Diamondbacks. The future utility player is trying to impress with Estrellas, but in four games he is hitting .231. He does have one homerun and a double from his three hits so a .538 slugging is good.
Christian Bethancourt - He is back to catching after being tried on the mound for a couple years. His quiet bat continues with a .100 average after three games.
Emmanuel Clase - Missed last season because of injury. He has made one relief appearance, walked one and struck out two in his one inning of shutout work.
Norge Ruiz - Myworld was not impressed of what we saw from Ruiz in the Series del Caribe in Puerto Rico. The Cuban was signed to a big contract by Oakland and the 5′10″ righthander has lived in the minors. He has had one relief appearance, gave up two hits in his one inning of work and allowed an unearned run to score.
Cristian Pache - The outfield prospect is listed on the roster but has yet to play.
Gigantes del Cibao
Ronald Guzman - Ronald lost his first base job with the Rangers after a poor 2020 season. A .375 average and 6/3 walk to whiff ratio is a good start to win that job back. The walks put his OBA at .565. The one downside is he has not hit for a lot of power with only two doubles and four singles.
Oneil Cruz - The Pirate prospect was in a major traffic accident over the summer in the Dominican Republic that killed a couple people. He has played three games and is hitting .231 without a walk and five whiffs in 13 at bats.
Rogelio Armenteros - Threw three innings of no hit ball in his one start, walking one and striking out five.
Escogido Leones
Wander Franco - The top prospect in baseball may miss some time because of a hurt bicep. In five games he was hitting .350 with one homerun. He had scored six runs and had a 3/4 walk to whiff ratio. He has also stolen a base. A good winter and spring and the Rays could be tempted to bring him up for the 2021 season.
Julio Rodriguez - Also one of the better prospects in baseball, the Mariners future outfielder is hitting just .222, but is leading his team in RBIs with four. He has also stolen two bases. Strikeouts have been a problem with a 2/10 walk to whiff ratio in 27 at bats.
Nate Lowe - He left the country after COVID concerns. He was only hitting .188 when he left.
Gregory Polanco - The outfielder is trying to solidify his status after a down year last year. He went 0 for 4 in his only Dominican game.
Franchy Cordero - There is an opening in the Royals centerfield. Cordero may be better at a corner. He has yet to see any playing time with Escogido, but he could report later in the season.
Jumbo Diaz - At 315 pounds we’ve always liked Jumbo. The free agent is trying to impress and has four shutout appearances of four innings to show early in the season. He has walked one and struck out three.
David Paulino - Once a promising Astros pitcher felled by injury and drug suspension issues. He has seen two relief appearances covering 3.1 innings. His ERA is 2.70 but his walk to whiff is 3/6. He still appears to have a lack of command, but a lot of swing and miss.
Rhiner Cruz and Enny Romero - Two pitchers who have pitched in Japan and are trying to find a team to continue their career. Both throw hard.
Cruz has an ERA of 4.50 after two appearances and Romero has a 9.00 ERA after one three inning start.
Francis Martes - The once promising Astros pitching prospect had a rough relief appearance, retiring two batters but giving up one hit and two walks. His ERA sits at 13.50.
Tigres de Licey
Anderson Tejeda - A good winter and spring could win him the starting shortstop job with the Rangers next year. In three games all three of his hits have gone for extra bases (two doubles and a homerun) for a .273 average. He has a .727 slugging.
Yasel Antuna - The Nationals shortstop prospect is on the roster but has yet to appear in a game.
Albert Abreu - The Yankees could have some openings in their rotation in 2021. In his one start Abreu went 3.2 innings, walked two and struck out 5. His ERA sits at 3.25.
Luis Gil - The other Yankee pitching prospect had a rough three inning relief appearance, giving up two runs on four hits for a 6.00 ERA. He walked one and struck out three.
Ervin Santana - Yes. He is still pitching. Major league teams will be looking for bargains this year. In his first start covering 3.1 innings Ervin gave up six hits but also struck out six. He also walked two, yet despite all those baserunners only one crossed the plate.
Adonis Medina - The Phillies pitching prospect is on the roster but has yet to appear in a game.
Toros del Este
Miguel Andujar - He is trying to win back a major league job. In his first 11 at bats he has two singles for a .182 average.
Jorge Mateo - Another big time Yankees prospect that is seeking a job. He has wandered around two teams now. With Toros he has a double in 10 at bats for a .100 average.
Jesus Sanchez - The promising Marlins outfield prospect has only appeared in one game. He did not get any hits in his four at bats, striking out twice.
Vidal Brujan - The speedy Rays second base prospect has yet to appear in a game, but he is on the roster.
Domingo German - Suspended for the entire 2020 season for a domestic abuse violation, the Yankees pitcher started one game and pitched four hitless innings. He walked one and struck out seven and took out his anger on the hitters with two hitbatsmen.
Anthony Gose - He continues his conversion from outfielder to pitcher. In two relief appearances he has yet to give up a run.
Jenry Meija - The ex-major league closer is trying to get his mojo back. He threw a two inning relief appearance that was perfect, striking out one.