On the first day of the draft, the Milwaukee Brewers went for a homerun by taking three of the best available high school athletes in the nation. On the first day of international signings, the Brewers made a similar splash, by signing shortstop, Yirver Gilbert Lara from the Dominican Republic to a $3.1 million dollar contract. Although he is he is currently just 16 years old, many believe that he had the most power of all players available, and can be a centerpiece to a lineup in the future.
In Lara, the Brewers have a young athlete who is already 6’3’’ and 203 pounds. In their rankings of prospects, MLB.com ranks Lara as the fourth best International player. As he continues to grow his power will also. Although he is a decent defender with a strong arm, his size could eventually move him to a corner infield or outfield position in the future.
The biggest positive to Lara’s game is his tremendous power at the plate. He already crushes fastballs and is working on building his consistency with off-speed pitches a skill that often develops with more plate appearances. Even though there are several solid shortstops in the system like, Orlando Arcia and Jake Gatewood, Lara’s projections may eventually rank him as the best of all. His quick bat not only projects to be a possible 30 homerun hitter, but also hit for high average, too.
In years past the Brewers have often taken players with low ceilings in drafts, but they have shifted gears this season. Not only did they lock up several young stars with potential this with this year, but they also got quite a haul by signing Lara on day one of the International signings. Other International signings like Wily Peralta and Orlando Arcia have developed into stars in the organization, and Lara looks to be even better. While Lara several years away from realistically debuting in Milwaukee, he has a bat that could quickly become accustomed to Miller Park’s bleachers.
References: MLB.com Top Prospects
Photo Credit: MLB.com
