Pirates Sign Top International Target, Dominican Outfielder Jean Eusebio

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed their top international target from this year’s July 2nd class on Tuesday. Outfielder Jean Eusebio was signed along with 21-year-old right-handed pitcher Osvaldo Bido. No bonus info was announced and we are waiting to hear back from the Pirates confirming the details. Eusebio was identified by Baseball America’s Ben Badler as a target for the Pirates, though as we pointed out in this June 29th article, he wasn’t eligible to sign until his 16th birthday, which was on August 22nd. That article also has seven video clips of Eusebio to check out.

Eusebio is a left-handed hitting, right-handed throwing outfielder, who has grown slightly since that June 29th post. I actually guessed in that article linked up top that he would, though it’s not saying much to think a 15-year-old isn’t done growing. Eusebio went from 6’0″, 160 to 6’1″, 170 pounds, with plenty of room to fill out his frame and add power.

The pitcher Osvaldo Bido is listed at 6’3″, 175 pounds and he is from the Dominican.

The Pirates have now signed 21 international players since July 2nd. Eusebio will likely be the highest priced signing, surpassing the $170,000 bonus given to 17-year-old Dominican outfielder Pedro Castillo on July 2nd.

UPDATE: I talked to Eusebio and he said he received a $550,000 bonus, which would be the highest the Pirates have handed out since Michael and Julio de la Cruz received $700,000 in 2012, and the eighth highest ever. They will likely surpass that next year with a $5.75 M bonus pool, but he received over 25% of their pool from this signing period.

Over the winter in the Dominican, Eusebio hit .314/.464/.462 in 45 games playing in a prospect league made up mostly of 16-18-year-old players. Eusebio played center field and participated in more games than anyone else.

John started working at Pirates Prospects in 2009, but his connection to the Pittsburgh Pirates started exactly 100 years earlier when Dots Miller debuted for the 1909 World Series champions. John was born in Kearny, NJ, two blocks from the house where Dots Miller grew up. From that hometown hero connection came a love of Pirates history, as well as the sport of baseball.

When he didn't make it as a lefty pitcher with an 80+ MPH fastball and a slider that needed work, John turned to covering the game, eventually focusing in on the prospects side, where his interest was pushed by the big league team being below .500 for so long. John has covered the minors in some form since the 2002 season, and leads the draft and international coverage on Pirates Prospects. He writes daily on Pittsburgh Baseball History, when he's not covering the entire system daily throughout the entire year on Pirates Prospects.

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Darkstone42

I like that batting line for Eusebio, and I like the build, too, especially since he’s still young enough to keep growing.

Bido at 6’3″ 175 might blow away in a firm breeze. I was a twig at 5’11”, 175 (more than a decade ago). He’s got to be a rail.

joe s

About time they got this done. Looks like the Banana peeled the Pirates by not allowing him to sign until he got the dough he wanted. Wonder who the Pirates will get from banana next year as its top international signing. With the extra money the Pirates will have they should try to sign someone not from the Banana plantation for a change. If they go back to him he will hold them up a bunch.

Stonecipher

Would it be appropriate to assume that the Pirates’ lack of participation in the international market in the preceding years was due to the broken bonus system? (incentive for deep pocket teams to make massive single year expenditures, thus inflating the price for the top talent in the market?) Is there any indication that the Pirates plan to spend most if not all of their bonus allotment?

Stonecipher

Does this signing count towards their 5.75M bonus pool? Or if you could redirect to a decent primer on how the international market is structured, that would be appreciated.

Stonecipher

Thank you that makes sense. I’m excited to see how the Pirates operate in the more structured international signing market. With it being just as important as the draft for prospect additions, it was discouraging to see them ignore the top of the class each year.

piraddict

Starling Marte II ?

Matthew R

Are bonuses like these paid out over several years? And does the organization build in time for a 16 year-old to further his education? It’s obviously a nice payday, and some won’t see another one like it for the rest of their working days.

Joe P

Michael and Julio de la Cruz received $700,000 in 2012, and the eighth highest ever? how are these guys doing?

BuccosFanStuckinMD

Bargain basement philosophy has been so successful, so why not continue with it….

Mike

Picking up where Bruce Humbert left off?

flackts

Almost but he would need to include an insult for P2s lack of originality on articles or any other of his 1000s of doom and gloom statements. I will gladly pay an extra subscription cost to have Tim ban him from the site.

Stephen H

This is one of many reasons I love Pirates Prospects: “I talked to Eusebio” Thank you for the hard work.

leefoo

I’m just curious where Eusebio ranks amongst the Top International Prospects?
Top 10, 20, 30?

Wilbur Miller

BA had a top 50. He wasn’t in it.

Mike G

What’s the process with these signings? Extended spring training, then Dominican Summer League?

Mike G

Thanks, John, that was really informative.

jedeweese

thanks for the reminder!

Roberrto21

Good news. Seems like the Dominican produces a lot of excellent players! Hopefully the talent to be the next Marte or Polanco but obviously years away too!

john fluharty

Was Bido a college guy? A guy that added velocity recently?

Gallatin

Wait – a young Dominican with extreme plate patience? That’s a 140 point difference between batting average and on base percentage. Don’t see that often…

piraterican21

Got hit by pitch every other at bat!

Bill Harvey

Good news, are they hoping for another Yeudy Garcia with Bido?

DanielF

Off topic but you guys have some great stock photos of PNC Park

leefoo

DF….if you’re a Bracket Buster, you still have time to join the PBC Asylum contest. Sign up with CBS Sports and send me an email at Leefoo@verizon.net.

DanielF

No thanks, brackets aren’t my thing. But I’ll be at PBC once the season starts!

leefoo

David Hague, The Pic Collector?

Darren G

I was wondering if they actually signed this guy. Now the big question is whether the Pirates will be spending more with the new international signing bonus rules.

Frank Koch

Good to hear they signed Eusebio. I had figured that another team had offered more bonus money and he had signed elsewhere. I hope he follows in the footsteps of Marte and Polanco.

hank21usa

Did he say why that was?

Bridgevillebuck

Philo Bido relation maybe??

leefoo

These guys are seemingly always boom or bust. I think we’re due for a couple of booms, right?

beaverjp

What is Portorreal’s most likely destination next year?

emjayinTN

He has made some substantial improvements in his balance of Walk/K percentage in the DSL and the numbers even after the promotion in the GCL were not bad at all for an 18 year old in his first exposure to the US.

Check the P2 Guide – he is listed at 6’0″ 195, but described as having a “tall, skinny frame”? Checked BA and they have him at 6’3″ 195 which better fits the description.

piraterican21

How is 5 mm a low pool, weren’t they spending around 2?

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