Joseph Deng becomes first athlete from South Sudan to sign professional baseball contract
The Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) announced the signing of 17-year-old right-handed pitcher Joseph Deng. He will become the first player from South Sudan to sign a professional baseball contract.
According to Baseball America, Deng impressed the scouts with a "fastball/splitter combination". His fastball tops 95 miles per hour (or 152 kilometres).
Deng is 6 feet 7 inches (or 201 centimetres) tall and weighs 185 pounds (83 kilograms). The scouting report says, "an extremely lanky, long-limbed frame with tons of space to fill out and continue to add velocity once he gets stronger."
The MLB International Signing period began on January 15. Most of the top 50 prospects come from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, including the No. 1 international prospect, Josuar de Jesus Gonzalez, a Dominican shortstop with a US$2.97 million signing bonus from the San Francisco Giants. The switch-hitting infielder represented the Dominican Republic at the WBSC Americas U-18 Baseball World Cup Qualifier.
Three players from Cuba are among the top 50, including No. 7 Kevin Alvarez, an outfielder who agreed to terms with the Houston Astros for a US$2 million bonus.
No. 12 Ayden Jonhson will join the Oakland A's from the Bahamas and receive a US$1.5 million signing bonus. The Giants signed No. 25 Dejan Macares (US$1.5 million) out of Aruba.