| Miguel Angel Sano | |
|---|---|
| Minnesota Twins — No. -- | |
| Shortstop | |
| Born: May 11, 1993 San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic |
|
| Bats: Right | Throws: Right |
Miguel Angel Sano (born May 11, 1993) is a shortstop from the Dominican Republic[1] in the Minnesota Twins organization.
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Sano was born in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic, to a poor family. He was discovered at a young age, and worked with scouts to develop his talent.[1] On September 29, 2009, Sano stated that he would sign a Major League Baseball contract with the Twins,[2][3] which included a $3.15 million signing bonus.[4][5][6] The bonus was the largest for a Latin American player from outside of Cuba in 2009, and the second highest bonus ever for a Dominican amateur, second only to the $4.25 million the Oakland Athletics paid lefthanded pitcher Michel Ynoa in 2008.[4] It was also the highest international signing bonus in Twins history,[5] more than the Twins spent on 70 international prospects from 2006-2008 combined.[7] Sano's deal surpasseed the $3.1 million the St. Louis Cardinals gave outfielder Wagner Mateo in 2009, though the Cardinals later voided the deal as a result of an eye condition. The New York Yankees gave catcher Gary Sanchez $3 million, which fell behind Sano as the second-largest deal of the year.[7]
The Pittsburgh Pirates were the first team to make Sano a deal, and appeared to be his most ardent suitor, but negotiations between the two sides were at a standstill after agent Rob Plummer rejected a $2.6 million offer from the team.[4][8][9] Sano elected to sign with the Twins over many other teams. Besides the Pirates, the Cleveland Indians also expressed interest in Sano, and even had him come to their academy in the Dominican Republic for a workout session.[10] The Baltimore Orioles pursued Sano for a short time; however, they believed his value was well below his $3 million price tag.[6][11] Other interested teams included the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.[12]
In early 2009, Major League Baseball conducted an age investigation, a prerequisite for every player signed in Latin America, that confirmed Sano's identity but could not verify his exact age.[7] Sano claimed to be 16 years old, but there had been rumors in the Dominican Republic that he was older.[5][13] Twins general manager Bill Smith stated that "Sano's age and identity have probably been scrutinized more than any player in the history of the Dominican Republic,"[5] and the issues and difficulties involved actually caused Sano to lower his asking price from the $3 to $4 million bonus he was seeking when the international signing period first opened.[12][14] Further, the contract was contingent upon Sano receiving a visa from the United States.[4] On October 20, 2009, Sports Illustrated reported that Sano was issued a work visa by the United States government, clearing him to play professional baseball;[15] this was later confirmed by the Twins on December 5.[16]
Prior to the 2011 season, Sano was rated the third best prospect in the Twins' minor league system by Baseball America.[17] Sano spent 2011 playing third base and shortstop for the Elizabethton Twins, the Twins rookie league affiliate in the Appalachian League, hitting .292 with 20 HR and 59 RBI. Following the 2011 season, Sano was rated the top prospect in the Appalachian League by Baseball America,[18] and the top Twins prospect by Baseball Prospectus.[19]