Urrutia has made it to the US

[JLee2027]

That's great news! He'll be interesting to follow this year.

[RVAbird]

Any preliminary thoughts if this guy could be an impact player and when? I did read Roch's blog with the initial assessment and it seemed very promising. Good stuff!

I haven't seen Urrutia play, but from what I have heard and read he's a potential average regular. Maybe a .280 hitter with average power and average defense in LF (ceiling). He should be able to step into at least a 4th outfielder role in 2014. Solid bat control and approach, questionable how the power will translate.

[sevastras]

From what I read think Hoes with more pop.

Being in the west, they call soda/coke "pop". Weird I know. But when I think of Hoes, I dont think with pop, I think with coke and booze.

[Emory Eagle]

This thread title sounds like a CDC warning about a disease. That said, good news!

[scOtt]

Any preliminary thoughts if this guy could be an impact player and when? I did read Roch's blog with the initial assessment and it seemed very promising. Good stuff!

That Ferreira quote above was from last year when he signed. Thinking he could have been in the bigs by (last) September. Now with almost a whole year in Haiti who knows what shape he's in? I think a Sep callup this year would be a best case.

[Don Quixote]

I think the Atlantic Ocean would object.

He got a loaner from Doc Brown...testing for the skyways that are going up soon.

Good news.

[Bohs&O's]

Well he's made it to Sarasota.

http://m.mlb.com/bal/news/article/2013022842093512/

[sevastras]

That Ferreira quote above was from last year when he signed. Thinking he could have been in the bigs by (last) September. Now with almost a whole year in Haiti who knows what shape he's in? I think a Sep callup this year would be a best case.

I have a hard time believing a kid that has played baseball all of his life would show up in bad shape. I guess he could have been sitting on his thumbs trying to not get injuried before he got a check. I would imagine though, that he was lifting and taking batting practice.

[Can_of_corn]

I have a hard time believing a kid that has played baseball all of his life would show up in bad shape. I guess he could have been sitting on his thumbs trying to not get injuried before he got a check. I would imagine though, that he was lifting and taking batting practice.

Have you seen Ryu Hyun-Jin?

[Sanfran327]

That Ferreira quote above was from last year when he signed. Thinking he could have been in the bigs by (last) September. Now with almost a whole year in Haiti who knows what shape he's in? I think a Sep callup this year would be a best case.

Could also be a worst case. If he pushes through AA and AAA, and Mclouth struggles, Urrita could potentially be our LFer, with Mclouth being the 4th OFer and Nolan the primary DH. That's definitely best case, but I'm not sure it's impossible based on the scouting report. Now, if he's in bad shape and has to play himself into shape, it won't happen.

[Frobby]

That Ferreira quote above was from last year when he signed. Thinking he could have been in the bigs by (last) September. Now with almost a whole year in Haiti who knows what shape he's in? I think a Sep callup this year would be a best case.

Thanks for pointing out that the quote was from last year. If Ferreira's assessment was correct at the time, then I think we could see Urrutia after the all star break this year. We have a lot of OF depth so he's going to have to earn it.

[jabba72]

Its good to see he's in ML camp already. Lets hope Urrutia looks like an exciting player, and forces his way up to Baltimore soon.

[Sanfran327]

Its good to see he's in ML camp already. Lets hope Urrutia looks like an exciting player, and forces his way up to Baltimore soon.

This has become the most interesting story line of the spring for me. Just a hair above BRob and Reimold, but I am certainly intrigued.

[Mayor McCheese]

I would love to hear the story of how his arrival went down. Probably boring, but you never know. Maybe he was smuggled in Luis Martinez's car.

[BillySmith]

He was basically a .400 hitter last time he played. Apparently that's normal in Cuba, because noone seems to make a big thing about it.

Send him to Brady for a couple of years and let's see what we have.