The Braves are adding one of the purest hitters to their organization in this year's international market.
Atlanta agreed to a $5 million deal with shortstop Jose Perdomo, MLB.com's third-ranked international prospect, as the 2024 signing period began on Monday. The Braves, who have a contract pool of $5.284 million, have not yet confirmed the agreement.
The teenager's bat-to-ball skills are above average and he is one of the best batting prospects in his class. He has a good feel for the strike zone and his swing continues to improve. Scouts have noticed his ability to fire off-speed pitches and fastballs to all pitches with relative ease, and he has a knack for making hard contact. He rarely strikes and always puts the ball in play. With his above-average running potential, Perdomo could be a threat on the basepaths in the future.
On defense, Perdomo is a fundamentally solid shortstop with enough range and arm strength to stay at the position as he makes his way through the minor leagues. Now that he's getting daily lessons from the Braves, he's able to refine many of his fundamentals.
Perdomo is represented by Yasser Mendez, a member of the MLB Coaches Partnership Program.
An international player is eligible to sign with a major league team between January 15th and December 15th. He must be 16 years old before signing and 17 years old before September 1 of the following year.
This means that players born between September 1, 2006 and August 31, 2007 are eligible to sign in the current contract period. Players must be pre-registered with Major League Baseball to sign.