Donny Rowland remembers the enthusiasm in Ricardo Finol’s voice through the phone imploring the Yankees’ director of international scouting to sign Jonathan Loaisiga after the scout saw him pitch in a 23-and-under tournament in South America in the winter of 2016.
“He had just seen Jonathan throw and it was late at night. He wanted us to sign him,’’ Rowland said on Wednesday of Finol, an international cross checker. “He was blowing me up, saying he had a chance, that he was strong and worked in the strike zone.’’
Loaisiga had been released by the Giants due to arm troubles after not pitching in 2014 and 2015 but what Finol saw trumped the extended inactivity.