Signings this week are latest example of O's working to improve international efforts

For the Orioles, the effort to get better on the international front continued this week with the additions of two players the club is high on. The Orioles purchased a 17-year-old first baseman, Carlos Diaz, from the Mexico City Red Devils. Diaz is from Baja California, Ensenada, Mexico. The Orioles signed 16-year old international free agent third baseman Jomar Reyes. Reyes is from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Orioles vice president Dan Duquette praised Fred Ferreira, the club's director of international recruiting, for adding the pair and threw some pretty high praise the players' way. "I think Fred has hit on two potential everyday major league players who can hit in the middle of the lineup. We've been developing pitching through the minor league system and these are two signings of two top quality position player prospects to add to the position player depth of our minor league system," he said. It will be interesting to track these young players who are expected to play for the O's Gulf Coast League team come June. Players this young often play a season or two in the Dominican Summer League to begin their pro careers, so starting them with Rookie-level Gulf Coast League team speaks to where the O's feel these players are already. Last year, three O's prospects were among the top 15 on the Baseball America list of O's young talent in Jonathan Schoop, Eduardo Rodriguez and Henry Urrutia. This year, five have a chance to be on that list with Dariel Alvarez and Dominican pitcher Ofelky Peralta having a shot to join them. Schoop, signed out of Curacao in 2008, has been a top O's prospect the last few years and could be the club's future second baseman. Rodriguez was signed out of Venezuela in January 2010. A Cuban outfielder, Urrutia was signed for $778,500 in July 2012. Another Cuban outfielder, Alvarez was signed for $800,000 in late July 2013. Peralta, a 16-year-old right-hander from Bonoa, Dominican Republic, was signed for $325,000 last Sept. 7. We've seen the Orioles add pitchers like Koji Uehara, Wei-Yin Chen and Tsuyoshi Wada over the last few years, as well. Last March, the club hired Nelson Norman, a former major leaguer with plenty of player development experience, to run its Dominican program. The O's fielded two teams in the Dominican Summer League in 2013 for the first time in three years and they plan to have two clubs next summer. Of the eight O's prospects that played for the Arizona Fall League champion Surprise Saguaros, four were international signings, with Schoop, Urrutia, Alvarez and Rodriguez on that team. The O's are not nearly an international juggernaut, but their efforts to upgrade are noticeable. They are also needed. Just walk into any major league clubhouse and the presence of international talent is apparent. If you want to compete with the Amerian League East big boys, you can't overlook this pipeline for more talent. The Orioles clearly are not. See you at FanFest: There should be another good crowd of O's fans today at FanFest at the Baltimore Convention Center. It is always a great day to talk baseball, be among those that love the game and see the O's players and coaches. If you see me today be sure to say hello. As usual, MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko and I will be posting tories from the event today, so check back here often through the afternoon. Be sure to stop by the MASN booth and if you are around the event late in the day, I'll be hosting the media fan forum at around 5:10 p.m.