While the 2023 international signing period opened in January, not all impact signings happened right at the start of the period on Jan. 15. Case in point is Sanchez, a Cuban outfielder who wasn’t eligible to sign until late October of last year. The Orioles had a little bit of international bonus pool money left over and offered it to Sanchez, who agreed to sign for $450,000. He made a very strong first impression during his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League this year.
Sanchez is a strong left-handed hitter with tremendous raw power. The encouraging thing is he’s already showing he can get to it. While his hit tool is still developing, he has shown some strike zone recognition and overall made good swing decisions during his debut. His plate discipline has helped him get on base and to get into counts so he can tap into that pop, both with extra-base and over-the-fence authority.
While Sanchez played all three outfield spots during his debut, he won’t be a center fielder long-term. An average runner at best, his average arm should play just fine in an outfield corner spot. If his DSL showing is any indication, he might have the run-producing potential to profile well there, too.
