White Sox announce 4 international signings

Nine days after the opening of the international signing period, the White Sox announced four of their signings Wednesday afternoon. two signings from Venezuela ...

• Third baseman Eduardo Herrera, $1.8 million
• Infielder Jesús Premoli, $550,000

... and two from Curaçao:

• Infielder Jurdrick Profar, $660,000
• Right-handed pitcher Jeziel Boekhoudt, $55,000

Ben Badler of Baseball America has logged five other signings, all from Venezuela. The White Sox said more signings will be announced in the coming weeks. Based on Badler's reporting, expect to see right-handed pitchers Orlando Suarez, Alexandre Valdiviezo and Manuel Rumbos, along with shortstop Juan Berroteran and catcher Elier Gil.

The four official signings account for a little over half of the White Sox's $5.925 million international bonus pool, and the White Sox made a special note of saying that Herrera's $1.8 million bonus is the biggest commitment to a non-Cuban in franchise history, topping the $1.6 million paid to Micker Adolfo back in 2013. That's a little bit like bragging about Andrew Benintendi being the biggest contract in franchise history when he signed for the exact contract they offered Torii Hunter after the 2007 season, but with a new general manager at the helm, the hope is that this is the start of progress, rather than a feat that won't be topped until 2035. The Sox's strategy of paying older Cubans for faster returns has yielded next to nothing, so the change in emphasis is welcome.

Herrera had long been linked to the White Sox, so the official announcement does not come close to breaking news. What it does provide is the opportunity for Marco Paddy to speak on the record about Herrera, as well as the other signings.

The White Sox have already moved Herrera to third base because he's 6'2" and 190 pounds at age 17, but Paddy stressed that conditioning wasn't the issue.

“From a makeup standpoint, he's a very good competitor, he knows how to work on his body, spends a lot of time working on his body, strength and physical conditioning and things of that nature."

As for Profar, Paddy said they saw Jurickson's brother play plenty against top competition in the Dominican Republic, and likened his game to fellow Curaçaoan Jonathan Schoop. Jurdrick Profar already stands 6'3" at 16, so while Paddy says he can play shortstop well for now, it may not be his long-term positoin.

Even bigger is Premoli, who would've been an imposing figure behind the plate at 6'4" and 215 pounds before he moved to the corner infield positions. His frame and head of hair brought Avisaíl García to mind at first glance:

Two things have changed since Badler's report on Premoli: 1) He's listed an inch taller and 15 pounds heavier, and 2) the White Sox have added first base to his duties, rather than just third.