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International signing day is Friday and we’ll have it covered over at @FutureSox. The #WhiteSox have a full signing class for the first time in awhile headlined by Yoelqui Cespedes and Norge Vera.
On his @670TheScore appearance this weekend, Marco Paddy described both players. He called the 23-year-old outfielder “very advanced with a high baseball IQ” but noted that he needs to get used to “the grind of playing every day as a professional”.
Cespedes is a “very good athlete with the ability to be a natural CF”. Paddy gave him plus run and plus-plus arm grades and called him a “smart hitter that can really play defense”.
Cespedes can play all three outfield spots and has developing power that could be plus. The #WhiteSox have scouted him for 5 years and they’ve seen him multiple times in private sessions over past year.
It’s been reported that Yoelqui has focused on adding strength since arriving in the states and Paddy basically confirmed that noting that Cuban players don’t typically lift weights in Cubs.
In regards to Vera, the 20-year-old is the best pitcher in the class. 6’4” righty has bloodlines as his father was one of best pitchers in Cuban history. The #WhiteSox have seen him a lot as well.
Vera has a projectable body with the “ability to locate and strong feel for the strike zone”. Fastball has been 95-97 in past with a plus breaker and slider and the feel for a changeup. #WhiteSox
These players both slot in to the back half of the #WhiteSox top 10 prospects list and both should be playing at stateside full season affiliates in 2021.
