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When word came out that the Yankees were planning on going big on international prospects this year, this is exactly what people had in mind. They have officially signed shortstop Dermis Garcia and third baseman Nelson Gomez, who rank No. 1 and No. 2 on MLB.com's top 30 list, to what amounts to a combined $5.5 million:
El torpedero Dermis García firmó con los Yanquis de Nueva York por US$3.2 millones #2dejulio
— Dionisio Soldevila (@dSoldevila) July 2, 2014
Source: #Yankees have signed Nelson Gomez, #2 on @mlb Top 30 Int'l Prospects list, to a $2.25M deal http://t.co/bw8Mkjwr2F @MLBPipeline
— Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) July 2, 2014
Garcia is considered to be a big shortstop at six-foot-two, 162 pounds, so questions will loom about whether he'll stay at short or move to third. He has a great throwing arm (60-grade) and scouts believe he will work hard to improve in the field (45-grade). Offensively, he has good bat speed and big right-handed power potential. They grade him to have a 55-hit tool with 65-power, though he's a poor runner with a 35-run tool. Baseball America isn't as high on him as they rank him No. 9 and Matt Garrioch has observed that he has a long swing that he'll need to fix. He expects Garcia to be a solid third baseman in the end.
Gomez is MLB.com's No. 2 prospect, coming in a six-foot-two, 220 pounds is described as a pure hitter and could be the best hitter in the class with a 60-hit tool and 60-power. He already shows good plate discipline, can square the ball up well and hit for powers to all fields. He has a good arm (60-grade) and should become a better fielder (50-grade). Baseball America rankes him at No. 6 and Garrioch is less optimistic about the right-handed hitter, claiming he is a bat-only prospect and might end up as a 1B/LF-type.