The Pittsburgh Pirates signed 17-year-old Nicaraguan outfielder Heiron Montalban on Thursday. He originally agreed to a deal with the team back in July, but at the time it was noted that he still needed to go to the Dominican Academy at a later date and take his physical before the deal would be completed.
Montalban is very strong kid, listed at 6’0″, 215 pounds, who just turned 17 two days ago. He bats and throws right-handed. He is already known for his above average power with potential for more, while the rest of his game is considered somewhat raw, which is common coming from Nicaragua. He gets nice marks for his above average speed (6.7 in the 60 yard) and his defense in right field, so he has a chance to develop into a very toolsy corner outfielder. He signing bonus is reported to be $80,000.
Here’s a video from when he was still 15 years old:
The Pirates have now signed 33 players since the July 2nd signing period started. While we don’t have the exact numbers, their remaining bonus pool from $6,731,200 is down below $500,000 and it may have been lower than that before Montalban signed based on what we know.
