Year after year, MLB teams send their scouts to watch and negotiate with some of the most promising prospects ahead of the January 15 international free agent signing period.
The day to start signing these prospects used to be July 2, but was recently moved to January and marks a chance for all teams to replenish their farm system with young, elite talent.
The Cleveland Guardians are always on the lookout for talented young players who could be the stars of tomorrow, or at the very least, included in trade conversations.
As we inch closer to January 15, the Guardians have set their sights on a promising 16-year-old lefty-hitting outfielder.
“Cleveland #Guardians are favorites to sign left-handed hitting OF prospect Juneiker Caceres out of Falcon, Venezuela. Caceres trains out of Pablo Sandoval 48 Academy. He is expected to sign for $350K on 1/15/24 during the 2023 International signing period,” Cleveland Prospective tweeted.
Cleveland #Guardians are favorites to sign left handed hitting OF prospect Juneiker Caceres out of Falcon, Venezuela. Caceres trains out of Pablo Sandoval 48 Academy. He is expected to sign for $350K on 1/15/24 during the 2023 International signing period.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/rEEP8QqNQu
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) December 31, 2023
If there is an area of need in the Guardians system, it’s definitely the outfield.
They have plenty of pitchers and infielders, but the outfield could use an injection of talent.
Even though draft picks and international signings shouldn’t be made out of need in the specific case of MLB (NFL and NBA might be a different story), it’s good to see the team looking at young, potentially impactful prospects in one of the weakest positions in the system.
There is not much information available on Caceres, but Guardians scouts really like him and see a future major leaguer in him.
It’s not official yet, but the Guardians, who signed 24 players during last year’s period, are in pole position to sign Caceres.
NEXT: Former Guardians Starter Finds New Home
