UPDATE: Eddy Julio Martinez is not signing with San Francisco anymore, as he's seeking a $3 million bonus, according to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com.
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Cuban outfielder Eddy Julio Martinez has been garnering a lot of interest from a number of MLB clubs, but it appears as if he finally made a choice this past weekend, according to the latest rumors.
Martinez has reportedly agreed to a $2.5 million signing bonus with the San Francisco Giants, reports Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. The No. 4 overall international prospect (according to MLB.com) joins fellow international stars Lucius Fox (SS, Bahamas) and Rciardo Genoves (C, Venezuela) as those who have signed with the Giants during the 2015-2016 signing period.
The deal between the Giants and Martinez is pending a physical.
In September rumors suggested the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox were also interested in signing Martinez.
According to Martinez's player profile on Baseball-Reference.com, the youngster batted .229/.333/.324 with 9 runs scored, 1 home run and 19 RBIs in 40 games with Las Tunas back in 2013 as an 18-year-old.
It was previously speculated Martinez could land a $10 million signing bonus, which drove other MLB clubs out of the mix, but it appears as if the Giants managed to settle for much cheaper.
Here's Baseball America's scouting report on the 20-year-old Cuban:
"Martinez isn't a premium player, but he is a solid prospect. He has a compact build at around 6 feet, 195 pounds, but he moves well for his size, with scouts giving him average to above-average speed underway, although his build and running gait suggest that might go backwards. He has a good arm but is not a burner, and scouts have been mixed on his defensive instincts in center field, with some believing he could be playable there, with others thinking he might be a player who rotates between all three outfield spots. He has a quick righthanded bat and displayed solid bat control in Cuba, though he never showed much power there and is more of a doubles hitter than a home run threat."
San Francisco likely hopes Martinez can help bolster their farm system, which lacks outfield talent in the immediate pipeline. Mac Williamson and Hunter Cole are among the team's top outfield prospects, but they have a bit of time before they can become regulars at the MLB level.
Williamson made his MLB debut this season, but could use some more cultivating after batting .249/.370/.439 with 35 runs scored, 8 home runs and 31 RBIs in his first 54 games at Triple-A Sacramento. Cole, who also plays some infield, batted .301/.358/.474 with 55 runs scored, 9 home runs and 63 RBIs in 115 games between three levels of the minors (ending with Double-A Richmond).
Stay tuned for an official announcement from the Giants.
