MLB's international signing period opened on Friday, and the Tigers were quick to the trigger.
The club has signed a pair of 17-year-old shortstops who rank among the top 30 international prospects in baseball, according to MLB.com: Cristian Santana of the Dominican Republic, who ranks No. 14, and Abel Bastidas of Venezuela, who ranks No. 27.
Santana has 'five-tool potential,' according to MLB Pipeline. He has advanced hitting skills with 'raw power.' And he's drawn comparisons to a former All-Star shortstop for the Tigers: "Think of a young and developing Jhonny Peralta ... Evaluators believe Santana can be that type of player one day, only with a chance to be better."
Bastidas, 6'2, 160 lbs., also recalls a former All-Star shortstop for the Tigers: "He compares physically to a young Carlos Guillen ... when Guillen made his debut in 1998," according to MLB Pipeline. His 'plus, plus' skills on defense are one of the reasons evaluators believe he'll reach the majors 'in the not-so-distant future.'
Here's another tantalizing comparison for Bastidas: "He’s smooth, some say like a young Omar Vizquel, with soft hands, quick feet and plus arm potential and extreme accuracy."
Santana and Bastidas will join a growing crop of infield prospects for the Tigers, headlined by 3B/1B Spencer Torkelson.