The Dodgers announced that they’ve traded minor league outfielder Arnaldo Lantigua to the Reds for international bonus pool space. Cincinnati is reportedly sending $1.5MM in pool room to the Dodgers. Bonus pool money must be traded in multiples of $250K. Los Angeles now has sufficient funds to finalize their $6.5MM deal with Roki Sasaki.
Lantigua, 19, signed out of the Dominican Republic two seasons ago. The right-handed hitter has played two seasons in the Dominican Summer League and has yet to make the move stateside. Baseball America writes that he received mixed reviews from scouts despite a strong statistical performance. Lantigua has raw power projection on a 6’2″ frame but is expected to move to a corner outfield spot long term. That’ll put pressure on him to develop his pure hitting ability.
Cincinnati evidently preferred Lantigua as a development play to other players they may have added in this year’s international class. The Dodgers have added more than $2MM to their pool between this trade and their deal sending outfielder Dylan Campbell to Philadelphia. They had begun the day with $5.1462MM in their allotment.
The Lantigua deal allows the Dodgers to not only sign Sasaki but to finalize other low-cost international signings. L.A. lost a trio of players who had initially committed to join the team. Dominican infielder Darell Morel (Pirates), Venezuelan outfielder Oscar Patiño (White Sox), and Dominican outfielder Teilon Serrano (Twins) have signed elsewhere. Francys Romero reports that L.A. intends to complete its other verbal agreements — roughly 15 in total. Baseball America’s Ben Badler reports that the Dodgers finalized a deal with Venezuelan pitcher Carlos Ramirez tonight.
Francys Romero first reported that the Reds were acquiring Lantigua for more than $1MM in pool space. C. Trent Rosecrans and Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported the $1.5MM figure.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have made a bold move, trading prospect Arnaldo Lantigua to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for bonus pool space. This trade comes as a surprise to many, as Lantigua was considered a promising young player in the Dodgers’ farm system.
The move is seen as a strategic one for the Dodgers, who are looking to bolster their international scouting efforts and add more flexibility to their bonus pool for signing international players. By acquiring bonus space from the Reds, the Dodgers are positioning themselves to make a splash in the international market and potentially sign top talent from around the world.
While it’s always tough to see a young player like Lantigua go, this trade demonstrates the Dodgers’ commitment to building a strong and competitive team for the future. Only time will tell if this move pays off, but one thing is for sure – the Dodgers are not afraid to make bold moves in pursuit of success.
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