Is Colombia The New York Yankees New Hot Spot For Talent?
When the New York Yankees signed the number 23 rated international prospect, 16 year old Colombian outfielder Bryan Emery, did they reveal a shift in their international scouting strategy? Here are three reasons why that could be the case.
First, the Yankees have been extremely aggressive in the international market. Currently, they have ten of the top 30 international prospects under contract. From the days of Hideki Irabu and Orlando Hernandez, the Yankees have always spanned the globe for top players. But there are plenty of clubs mining for players in Japan, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. While Edgar Renteria brought attention to the talent available in Colombia, the surface there has still barely been scratched.
Anyone who saw the recent Soccer World Cup saw that Colombian athletes have the pure skill to succeed in any sport. James Rodriguez displayed the same athleticism as Lebron James, Aaron Rodgers or Yasiel Puig. And he was joined by team mates who carried the same skills, if not the same goal scoring ability.
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During the World Cup, Rodriguez revealed the desire of all Colombians. ¨“We’re very happy because we’re making history,” Rodríguez said according to The New York Times. “We want to do even more.”
From the Yankees standpoint, ¨more¨ starts with Emery. He is not the first Colombian baseball star, but he could be the best Colombian-Yankee before he is done. His success could also catapult baseball interest in Colombia and start a wave of prospects similar to that in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. While baseball may never replace soccer in the hearts of Colombians, a new generation of eight and nine year olds donning Yankee caps is not out of the question.
An overhaul of the Yankees minor league system is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity. International signings are already a significant part of the transformation. The signings of shortstop Dermis Garcia, third baseman Nelson Gomez, and outfielders Juan DeLeon, Jonathan Amundaray and Antonio Arias are big examples.
But Emery could start a pipeline for the Yankees that none of them can.