The start of the international signing period, which normally begins July 2, has been moved to January, but this month remains one of the biggest moments on the baseball calendar.
The Dominican Summer League, the first stop in the world of professional baseball for the vast majority of international prospects, is scheduled to restart its activities for the first time since the summer of 2019 this July 12 in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic.
“We are very excited about the return of the DSL on July 12 and being able to welcome hundreds of new international players to professional baseball,” said Morgan Sword, Executive Vice President of the Department of Baseball Operations at MLB. “Due to the pandemic, these players have waited a long time for this opportunity. We wish them the best as they begin their journey to the Major Leagues. “
Before the pandemic, the Dominican Summer League, with a 72-game schedule, began in June and ended in late August. This year’s version of DSL, which will feature more than 45 teams in six divisions, will end in early October. This year, the circuit will not have a postseason.
The DSL rosters will be made up of prospects signed during the 2019-2020 international signing cycle, which began on July 2, 2019 and ended on October 15, 2020, as well as promises from the current 2020-2021 cycle that began on January 15, 2021. Some members of the 2019-2020 group played on DSL in the summer of 2019, but there were others who had to wait for a 2020 DSL season that never materialized.
Among the international prospects to watch closely in the 2019-2020 Dominican Summer League are Dominican outfielders Bayron Lora (Rangers) and Jhon Díaz (Rays), two shortstop for the Marlins, Cuban Yiddi Cappe and Dominican Junior Sánchez , plus the Venezuelan right-hander of the Mariners, Kristian Cardozo. Among the most notable participants of the 2020-2021 group, there are several defenders from shortstop: Venezuelans Wilman Díaz (Dodgers), Danny De Andrade (Twins), Jackson Chourio (Brewers), Diego Velásquez (Giants), Abel Bastidas (Tigres) , Maikol Hernández (Orioles) and Carlos Colmenárez (Rays); the Dominicans Armando Cruz (Nationals), Christian Hernández (Cubs), Daniel Vázquez (Royals), Cristian Santana (Tigres), Angel Genoa (Indians), Manuel Beltré (Blue Jays), Fran Alduey (Indians), Fredy Michel (Twins) and Denzer Guzmán (Angels).
Other prospects signed in the 2020-2021 period include Venezuelan wide receivers Jesús Galiz (Dodgers) and Rickardo Pérez (Phillies), Dominican rangers Shalín Polanco (Pirates), Pedro Pineda (Atléticos), Jhonny Pirón (Rays), Miguel Bleis ( Red Sox) and Ariel Almonte (Reds), plus Cuban right-hander Norge Vera (White Sox).
These prospects are to be given credit for their persistence. They were active by practicing on their own at home when their team academies were closed. They stayed in contact with the local scouts of their organizations through calls, FaceTime and WhatsApp messages, trying to do everything possible to navigate the global pandemic and all the uncertainties that it brought.
The hard work has paid off. The next phase of their careers will begin in nine days. “It’s very important to have DSL back,” said Koby Pérez, director of the Orioles’ department of international scouts. “It seems like 10 years have passed since they played a game, so everyone is super excited. It’s a bit like getting back to normal, which is a very good thing. “
Similar to previous years, the players in the Dominican Summer League this year will generally be between the ages of 17 and 22 and will live in the respective academies of their teams. Days will start early, sometimes at 5:30 am, and will include gym work, plus batting and fielding practice first thing in the morning. Games normally start at 10:30 am. Then comes lunch, classes in English, how to handle everyday life, and then a little free time after dinner.
“It’s an important league for the development of international players on and off the field, so this means a lot,” said Joe Salermo, director of the Giants’ international scouting department. “This is their first step in organized baseball, their first step in establishing a routine and the first time that they are, in a way, independent. It also gives organizations the opportunity to present all their processes and plans. ”
From a player development standpoint, the top DSL prospects will eventually move on to the Complex Leagues in Arizona and Florida, then go on to extended practice and practice and lower-level teams in the minors.
“For 90% of the guys, this is where they start. And not only Dominicans, because they also come from other countries such as Venezuela, Colombia, Curaçao, Panama and Nicaragua, ”said Marco Paddy, who is in charge of the international scouts department as Special Assistant to the General Manager of the White Sox, Rick Hahn. “Being able to bring these guys together and have them participate in games, with a schedule, is something great not only for the players, but for the Dominican Republic from an economic point of view. It is also important for organizations, because a lot of money was invested in building all these complexes and being able to have that infrastructure there ”.
The importance of the Dominican Summer League to the baseball industry cannot be denied. Some players on the DSL are valuable enough to be considered secondary pieces in trades at the Major League level. The value of some of these promises will increase as they improve and climb through the minors.
But first, first: it’s time to play baseball.
“You can’t start college without going through college and learning grammar. That’s the DLS, ”said Johnny Dipuglia, assistant general manager of the Nationals and in charge of their international operations department. “This league is the base for young and inexperienced players. They need this. “
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