Baseball America’s Ben Badler published an International Review of the Phillies signings. He stated that during the signing period that began July 2, 2017 that the Phillies have signed 54 players and gave a brief synopsis of seven.
The players he covered are (see article for full descriptions) –
- 17-year old, SS Luis Garcia (DR) – top signing at $2.5 million. Supposed to be a top defensive player
- 17-year old, RHP Victor Vargas (Col) signed for $525.5K. FB projects low 90s with advanced secondaries
- 17-year old, C Cesar Rodriguez (Ven) signed for $500K. Hit first-over-power-over defense right now
- 17-year old, RHP Carlos Betancourt (Ven) signed for $460K. Athletic w/FB that reached 94 mph
- 17-year-old, RHP Alfonso Puello (DR) signed for $460K. Big frame, chance to develop into a power arm
- 16-year old, OF Jefferson Garcia (DR) signed for $265K. One of the youngest players in the 2017 class (The Phillies announced his signing as Jefferson Encarnacion.)
- 17-year-old, C Oscar Gonzalez (Ven) signed for $135K. Offensive-minded
The Phillies are still signing a few international free agents each week. In addition to the seven mentioned in Badler’s article, I count another 57 international free agents signed by the Phillies. Here are the 64 I’ve recorded since 7/2/2017 in sign date order –

Player | Pos. | B/T | Ht. | Wt. | DOB | Age | Sign Date | Age on 6/5 | # of Seasons | R5 Eligible | |
Betancourt | Carlos | RHP | R/R | 6’1 | 160 | 3/27/2001 | 17.27 | 7/2/17 | 16.2 | 5 | 2021 |
Puello | Alfonzo | RHP | R/R | 6’3 | 200 | 10/10/2000 | 17.73 | 7/2/17 | 16.66 | 5 | 2021 |
Vargas | Victor | RHP | R/R | 6’1 | 175 | 9/3/2000 | 17.83 | 7/2/17 | 16.76 | 5 | 2021 |
Rodriguez | Cesar | C | S/R | 5’10 | 160 | 12/26/2000 | 17.52 | 7/2/2017 | 16.45 | 5 | 2021 |
Garcia | Luis | SS | S/R | 5’11 | 170 | 10/1/2000 | 17.76 | 7/2/2017 | 16.69 | 5 | 2021 |
Tamariz | Diego | RHP | R/R | 5’11 | 180 | 10/26/2000 | 17.69 | 7/2/2017 | 16.62 | 5 | 2021 |
Torres | Alberto | LHP | L/L | 6’0 | 155 | 4/28/2001 | 17.18 | 7/2/2017 | 16.12 | 5 | 2021 |
Gonzalez | Oscar | C | R/R | 6’0 | 184 | 11/21/2000 | 17.62 | 7/2/2017 | 16.55 | 5 | 2021 |
Cruz | Cristofer | RHP | R/R | 6’0 | 155 | 4/5/1999 | 19.25 | 7/3/2017 | 18.18 | 5 | 2021 |
Parraga | Roger | RHP | R/R | 6’2 | 170 | 2/15/2001 | 17.38 | 7/6/2017 | 16.31 | 5 | 2021 |
Mata | Cesar | OF | L/L | 5’9 | 200 | 9/15/2000 | 17.8 | 7/6/2017 | 16.73 | 5 | 2021 |
Hernandez | Joan | RHP | R/R | 6’0 | 180 | 7/7/1999 | 18.99 | 7/7/2017 | 17.93 | 5 | 2021 |
Ramirez | Pedro | OF | R/R | 6’0 | 175 | 2/14/2000 | 18.39 | 7/7/2017 | 17.32 | 5 | 2021 |
Hernandez | Christian | RHP | R/R | 6’3 | 180 | 9/23/2000 | 17.78 | 7/9/2017 | 16.71 | 5 | 2021 |
Gomez | Luis | RHP | R/R | 6’1 | 174 | 5/14/2001 | 17.14 | 7/14/2017 | 16.07 | 5 | 2021 |
Reyes | Andy | RHP | R/R | 6’0 | 160 | 3/11/2000 | 18.32 | 7/14/2017 | 17.25 | 5 | 2021 |
Lima | Christian | RHP | R/R | 6’2 | 190 | 7/5/2000 | 18 | 7/17/2017 | 16.93 | 5 | 2021 |
Marin | Adrian | LHP | L/L | 5’11 | 155 | 1/19/1999 | 19.46 | 7/19/2017 | 18.39 | 5 | 2021 |
Palma | Jhonny | LHP | L/L | 6’0 | 160 | 9/18/2000 | 17.79 | 8/2/2017 | 16.72 | 5 | 2021 |
Candelo | Luis | RHP | R/R | 5’11 | 190 | 6/27/1997 | 21.02 | 9/12/2017 | 19.95 | 4 | 2021 |
Gonell | Rafi | RHP | R/R | 6’2 | 190 | 2/16/1997 | 21.38 | 1/19/2018 | 20.31 | 4 | 2021 |
Tols | Josh | LHP | L/L | 5’7 | 185 | 10/6/1989 | 28.75 | 2/9/2018 | 27.68 | 4 | 2021 |
Martinez | Alejandro | P | R/R | 5/8/1998 | 20.16 | 3/30/2018 | 19.09 | 4 | 2021 | ||
Bido | Nathaniel | LHP | L/L | 8/22/1997 | 20.87 | 4/25/2018 | 19.8 | 4 | 2021 | ||
Morales | Efrain | RHP | R/R | 6’0 | 191 | 6/26/2001 | 17.02 | 9/5/2017 | 15.95 | 5 | 2022 |
Vilchez | Daniel | RHP | R/R | 6’1 | 155 | 10/4/2000 | 17.75 | 9/11/2017 | 16.68 | 5 | 2022 |
Encarnacion | Jeff | OF | L/L | 6’2 | 185 | 8/28/2001 | 16.85 | 9/12/2017 | 15.78 | 5 | 2022 |
Ortega | Junior | OF | R/R | 5’11 | 175 | 9/30/1999 | 18.76 | 9/13/2017 | 17.69 | 5 | 2022 |
Perez | Daivin | P | L/L | 6’2 | 170 | 10/19/1998 | 19.71 | 10/23/2017 | 18.64 | 5 | 2022 |
Miranda | Juan | P | L/L | 5’10 | 166 | 2/27/1999 | 19.35 | 10/31/2017 | 18.28 | 5 | 2022 |
Sanchez | Sergio | P | L/L | 6’2 | 144 | 12/16/2000 | 17.55 | 11/7/2017 | 16.48 | 5 | 2022 |
Moreno | Noelis | P | R/R | 6’2 | 201 | 1/23/1999 | 19.45 | 11/14/2017 | 18.38 | 5 | 2022 |
Glogoski | Kyle | RHP | R/R | 6’2 | 183 | 1/6/1999 | 19.49 | 1/8/2018 | 19 | 5 | 2022 |
Franco | Rafael | OF | R/R | 6’2 | 155 | 6/20/2001 | 17.04 | 1/18/2018 | 15.97 | 5 | 2022 |
Rojas | Johan | OF | R/R | 6’1 | 165 | 8/14/2000 | 17.89 | 1/18/2018 | 16.82 | 5 | 2022 |
Estevez | Engel | RHP | R/R | 6’1 | 180 | 2/8/2000 | 18.4 | 1/19/2018 | 17.33 | 5 | 2022 |
Mejia | Hernando | RHP | R/R | 6’3 | 220 | 6/8/2000 | 18.07 | 1/20/2018 | 17 | 5 | 2022 |
Martinez | Jordi | LHP | L/L | 6’2 | 185 | 7/18/2000 | 17.96 | 1/22/2018 | 16.89 | 5 | 2022 |
Rondon | Elian | SS | L/R | 5’11 | 166 | 6/24/2000 | 18.03 | 1/31/2018 | 16.96 | 5 | 2022 |
Garrido | Maikel | LHP | L/L | 6’4 | 175 | 1/24/2000 | 18.44 | 2/19/2018 | 17.38 | 5 | 2022 |
Barboza | Edward | C | R/R | 5’11 | 175 | 4/2/2001 | 17.25 | 2/19/2018 | 16.19 | 5 | 2022 |
Urias | Manuel | RHP | R/R | 6’6 | 200 | 3/8/2001 | 17.32 | 3/7/2018 | 16.25 | 5 | 2022 |
De Freitas | Arturo | C | R/R | 6’0 | 170 | 5/28/2001 | 17.1 | 3/13/2018 | 15.03 | 5 | 2022 |
Cedeno | Jose | OF | L/L | 6’2 | 168 | 3/19/2001 | 17.29 | 3/14/2018 | 15.22 | 5 | 2022 |
Aleman | Edinso | LHP | L/L | 5’11 | 178 | 10/6/2000 | 17.74 | 3/15/2018 | 15.67 | 5 | 2022 |
Valdez | Wilson | INF | R/R | 10/25/1999 | 18.69 | 3/30/2018 | 17.62 | 5 | 2022 | ||
Luna | Jesus | P | R/R | 11/6/2000 | 17.66 | 4/3/2018 | 16.59 | 5 | 2022 | ||
Marcano | Rafael | P | L/L | 4/2/2000 | 18.25 | 4/17/2018 | 17.19 | 5 | 2022 | ||
Hernandez | Carlos | C | L/R | 5/1/2001 | 17.18 | 4/17/2018 | 16.11 | 5 | 2022 | ||
Wingrove | Rixon | C | L/R | 6’4 | 235 | 5/23/2000 | 18.12 | 4/20/2018 | 17.05 | 5 | 2022 |
Marin | Jhostyn | RHP | R/R | 1/30/2001 | 17.42 | 4/27/2018 | 16.36 | 5 | 2022 | ||
Boekhoudt | Mani | OF | L/R | 9/20/1999 | 18.79 | 5/2/2018 | 17.72 | 5 | 2022 | ||
Francisco | Freddy | C | R/R | 2/7/2001 | 17.4 | 5/3/2018 | 16.33 | 5 | 2022 | ||
Guzman | Michael | LHP | L/L | 7/31/2000 | 17.93 | 5/3/2018 | 16.86 | 5 | 2022 | ||
Pina | Nicoly | RHP | R/R | 10/8/1999 | 18.74 | 5/3/2018 | 17.67 | 5 | 2022 | ||
Segovia | Eduar | RHP | R/R | 1/10/2001 | 17.48 | 5/3/2018 | 16.41 | 5 | 2022 | ||
Mead | Curtis | INF | R/R | 6’1 | 162 | 10/26/2000 | 17.69 | 5/4/2018 | 16.62 | 5 | 2022 |
Naranjo | Yosmel | P | L/L | 6’3 | 205 | 3/8/2000 | 18.32 | 17.25 | 5 | 2022 | |
Peguero | Giuseppe | OF | R/R | 6’0 | 176 | 6/3/2000 | 18.08 | 17.02 | 5 | 2022 | |
Brazano | Emiliano | P | R/R | 2/2/2000 | 18.42 | 17.35 | 5 | 2022 | |||
Geraldo | Juan | P | R/R | 8/6/2001 | 16.91 | 15.84 | 5 | 2022 | |||
Ascencio | Ryan | C | R/R | 3/1/1999 | 19.35 | 18.28 | 5 | 2022 | |||
Duran | Christopher | INF | R/R | 11/2/2000 | 17.67 | 16.6 | 5 | 2022 | |||
Liriano | Elias | P | R/R | 6’5 | 193 | 3/19/1999 | 19.3 | 18.23 | 5 | 2022 |
nice list. as i said on the other sites hope 10-15 make the majors. BUT… Josh Tols a 5’7″ lefty signs at almost 29 years old! that’s unusual, don’t you think.
Tols – age 28 for another three months – is from Oz which is why he’s on the International FA list.. He’s been playing professionally Down Under since the age of 20. He has played also since 2014 in the Pecos League and the American Association. (Australian League is in our Winter – their Summer).
Excited and interested in seeing the three half-million dollar pitchers….Vargas, Betancourt, and Puello.
Romus is tols from oz. Dorthys dog??
rocco…hah…I think that is Toto.
But the write up on DR RHP Alfonso Puello from Jim’s friend was encouraging.
He is a big guy at 6’3″ and already 200 plus lbs for a 17 year old.
And Nick Fanti looks to be coming back soon.
Thanks Jim this is interesting stuff!