The Giants made a splash on the first day of the international signing period, inking switch-hitting shortstop Ryan Reckley to a $2.2 million deal, per reports. Reckley the ninth-ranked international prospect according to MLB Pipeline, was one of the most talented infielders in the class.
San Francisco also made commitments to catcher Juan Perez — the 30th ranked prospect in the international class — and shortstop Dennys Riera of Venezuela. The reported deals are $1.2 million for Perez and $700K for Riera, putting the Giants at roughly $4.1 million of their $5,179,700 signing pool.
The Giants have not confirmed the deals.
Reckley, 17, is from the Bahamas, where baseball is rapidly growing. The most recent star to come from the area is Marlins infielder Jazz Chisholm.
Reckley is an excellent athlete who projects to be a strong all-around player. According to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, Reckley has a compact swing, speed to steal bases, quick-twitch muscles for fielding and power specifically from the left side of the plate.
The $2.2 million signing bonus is the largest investment the current Giants front office has made on an International free agent. San Francisco’s current top prospect, Marco Luciano, is also an internationally signed shortstop.
Perez is a 17-year-old catcher from Venezuela. The six-foot, 170-pound catcher is one of the premier talents at his position in his class. His fielding development is slightly ahead of his ability at the plate, according to his MLB.com scouting report.
Teams can sign 2022 international free agents starting Jan. 15 through Dec. 15. It’s the second year the International signing period began in January.