Edward

Salcedo

Salcedo, a big-time signing out of the Dominican Republic three years ago, has been a disappointment in the Braves system, hitting .240/.306/.388 in three seasons. He’s likely due to repeat at high-A Lynchburg this year, but it’s possible he’ll move up to Double-A instead. He’s still pretty young at 21 and he has very good raw power, so no one is giving up on him yet. He showed exactly why today.

Salcedo, a 16-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic, was looking for a $4 million-$5 million signing bonus that would have ranked as the highest ever given to a 16- or 17-year-old. His agent Scott Boras is negotiating with Cleveland, but no deal has been reached. The Yankees have been rumored in the past to be involved.

There have been rumors flying for over a month that the Indians have signed the Dominican shortstop, but that’s clearly not the case. Mirabelli wouldn’t confirm that the Indians are major players for Salcedo, but he has been working out at their facility in the Dominican Republic.

“This is a significant signing for us,” said Johnny Almaraz, the Braves’ Director of International Scouting and Operations. “We feel that Edward is one of this year’s most talented prospects. He has outstanding makeup and the combination of his fielding and hitting ability make him one of the top international players we’ve seen in a while.” Salcedo, 18, has been one of the Dominican Republic’s most highly-touted prospects in recent years. He should begin his professional career with Single-A Rome or Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach.

This confirms a report from earlier in the day by the Associated Press. Salcedo has been highly-regarded for years and almost signed with the Indians in 2007. According to the report, at the Braves’ request, major league baseball reportedly performed an investigation and determined that Salcedo was born in 1991. While the Braves are considered the favorite at this time, and even applied for a visa that would allow Salcedo to travel to their Spring Training headquarters, Salcedo’s agent Edgar Mercedes has said that they are still considering offers from other teams. Stay tuned.

Salcedo only needs to take a physical for the contract to be made official. The 6-foot-3 18-year-old has been a well-known international talent for several years and nearly signed with the Indians back in 2007. He’s likely to kick off the 2010 season at Single-A Rome or high Single-A Myrtle Beach.

Salcedo was a big signing out of the Dominican Republic a few years ago but has yet to develop much, producing just a .230/.297/.375 batting line in the minors. He’s still just 23, though, so the Pirates figure he’s worth a shot. Trepagnier is a reliever with control issues, but he’s also just 23 and can throw hard.

Salcedo was one of last year’s biggest international signings, having received a $1.6 million bonus from the Braves. He struggled in his initial look at Rome, hitting .197/.239/.295 in 54 games, but he’s off to a nice .321/.387/.464 start in seven games this year. He’s splitting time at shortstop and third base right now, with a future at third becoming the most likely scenario.