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Does no one remember Wagner Mateo?
Posted: 22 Aug 2025 09:28 am
by billybaseball
In 2009 the Cardinals signed the top international prospect out of the DR to a contract that was the 2nd highest ever for a Int prospect. Wagner Mateo was considered a phenom type talent but his deal was voided after a physical revealed a degenerative eye condition. The Cardinals and John Mozielak had been blacklisted by the top prospect broker in the DR ever since. That has now ended with Mo leaving as the Cardinals are projected to be signing one of the top prospects from the DR in 2026 Emanuel Luna. I don't know for sure he comes from that camp in the DR but it's very likely
Re: Does no one remember Wagner Mateo?
Posted: 22 Aug 2025 10:55 am
by HorseTrader
billybaseball wrote: ↑22 Aug 2025 09:28 am
In 2009 the Cardinals signed the top international prospect out of the DR to a contract that was the 2nd highest ever for a Int prospect. Wagner Mateo was considered a phenom type talent but his deal was voided after a physical revealed a degenerative eye condition. The Cardinals and John Mozielak had been blacklisted by the top prospect broker in the DR ever since. That has now ended with Mo leaving as the Cardinals are projected to be signing one of the top prospects from the DR in 2026 Emanuel Luna. I don't know for sure he comes from that camp in the DR but it's very likely
Then he signed with the DBacks and proved Mo right. He couldn't hit a lick.
Re: Does no one remember Wagner Mateo?
Posted: 22 Aug 2025 11:53 am
by billybaseball
HorseTrader wrote: ↑22 Aug 2025 10:55 am
billybaseball wrote: ↑22 Aug 2025 09:28 am
In 2009 the Cardinals signed the top international prospect out of the DR to a contract that was the 2nd highest ever for a Int prospect. Wagner Mateo was considered a phenom type talent but his deal was voided after a physical revealed a degenerative eye condition. The Cardinals and John Mozielak had been blacklisted by the top prospect broker in the DR ever since. That has now ended with Mo leaving as the Cardinals are projected to be signing one of the top prospects from the DR in 2026 Emanuel Luna. I don't know for sure he comes from that camp in the DR but it's very likely
Then he signed with the DBacks and proved Mo right. He couldn't hit a lick.
Well that isn't the point. The point is that we were blacklisted by his camp in the DR that handles all the top talent there. And it looks like it's over now that MO is gone.
Re: Does no one remember Wagner Mateo?
Posted: 22 Aug 2025 12:43 pm
by ScotchMIrish
billybaseball wrote: ↑22 Aug 2025 09:28 am
In 2009 the Cardinals signed the top international prospect out of the DR to a contract that was the 2nd highest ever for a Int prospect. Wagner Mateo was considered a phenom type talent but his deal was voided after a physical revealed a degenerative eye condition. The Cardinals and John Mozielak had been blacklisted by the top prospect broker in the DR ever since. That has now ended with Mo leaving as the Cardinals are projected to be signing one of the top prospects from the DR in 2026 Emanuel Luna. I don't know for sure he comes from that camp in the DR but it's very likely
That's interesting. Was that with the entire DR or just one prospect broker?
Re: Does no one remember Wagner Mateo?
Posted: 22 Aug 2025 13:01 pm
by TopofthePerch
I mean they have signed several players from the Dominican Republic since then. Also every deal is pending a physical and that's what the physical showed. This seems like a stretch here.
Re: Does no one remember Wagner Mateo?
Posted: 22 Aug 2025 13:14 pm
by CNYFan
My position is that for the past many years the FO has not gone for the top rated talent and paid large bonuses from the international bonus pool, but rather has "carpet bombed" by signing a dozen or so lower bonus guys.
It has not been a fruitful strategy, there is not one prospect I can think of who grew into a Major Leaguer from the StL international signings in the last many years.
So I am cheered to hear the new FO is abandoning that old way that lacked success. I wish it that the next crop is more abundant.
No idea if the Mateo thing had anything to do with it.
Re: Does no one remember Wagner Mateo?
Posted: 23 Aug 2025 08:23 am
by HorseTrader
CNYFan wrote: ↑22 Aug 2025 13:14 pm
My position is that for the past many years the FO has not gone for the top rated talent and paid large bonuses from the international bonus pool, but rather has "carpet bombed" by signing a dozen or so lower bonus guys.
It has not been a fruitful strategy, there is not one prospect I can think of who grew into a Major Leaguer from the StL international signings in the last many years.
So I am cheered to hear the new FO is abandoning that old way that lacked success. I wish it that the next crop is more abundant.
No idea if the Mateo thing had anything to do with it.
Yep I agree. The plan by FO was to spread the risk