In May of 2015, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed catcher Paul Brands out of the Netherlands right before his 18th birthday. They had another catcher from the Netherlands in the system at that time in Danny Arribas, who was signed four years earlier. There were some similarities between the two players when they signed. Both were announced as catchers, but they were raw behind the plate. Both were very athletic players as well, with the ability to move around the infield. Arribas is no longer in the system after being released mid-season in 2017, while Brands showed some real signs of progress this year.
Paul Brands Shows Improvements on Offense and Behind the Plate
