The Red Sox have signed three of the top 50 prospects on the amateur international market.
Boston inked shortstops Freili Encarnacion, who’s listed No. 19 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 international prospect list and Fraymi De Leon (ranked No. 50), according to a source. They also signed catcher Johanfran Garcia (No. 34), according to multiple reports.
Encarnacion is a 16-year-old right-handed hitter from the Dominican Republic who is listed at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds. He will turn 17 on Jan. 26. MLB Pipeline grades his power a 60 (plus) on a 20-80 scale. It grades his arm 55 and hitting, running and fielding tools 50.
His MLB Pipeline scouting report notes, “The teen projects to have plus power and already shows the ability to hit high and deep home runs in games. It helps that he has a disciplined approach at the plate and a good feel for the strike zone. He has shown the ability to spray the ball across the outfield, and has a knack for squaring up the ball and driving it up the middle.