One year after landing one of the top international prospects at the July 2 signing period, 16-year-old Dominican first baseman/outfielder Jhailyn Ortiz, the Phillies are active once again, landing two of MLB.com’s Top 30 international prospects.
MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports the Phils have signed Francisco Morales, a right-handed pitcher out of Venezuela, for $900,000, far less than the $4 million given to Ortiz last year. Here’s what Sanchez wrote about Morales, ranked No. 16 by MLB.com.
Morales, the top pitcher from Venezuela, has the type of fastball that turns heads and the pitch has improved since the beginning of the year.