58.16 Montreal Completes 2058 International Amateur Free Agent Class

[Bob Breum]

The Blazers were in on some of the premier international amateur free agents but ultimately had to settle for less ballyhooed players. Unnamed sources from the front office said that they were prepared to wildly exceed the $4,750,000 cap for one particular target but chose to remain below the cap when he signed elsewhere. They were very careful not to get caught in between, i.e., incur limits on next year’s class without signing a top tier prospect.

Here are the new additions to the Blazers International Complex:
Yic Lou
Outfielder Yic Lou from Taiwan, age 16. He fits the preferred Blazers profile: decent contact, good power into the gaps, strong defense, and the speed to take extra bases. He is said to have excellent work habits.
Alpi Laaksonen
Right-handed pitcher Alpi Laaksonen from Hungary, age 16. His two main pitches are a four-seam fastball and a split-fingered fastball, each featuring the strong movement that the Blazers organization looks for in their pitchers. He can throw either pitch for strikes on any count. He profiles as a long reliever unless he can develop another pitch. He is reputedly working on a changeup. Scouts admire his adaptability and work ethic but say that he is not the brightest player.

Nasser Irfan
Catcher Nasser Irfan from Kuwait, age 18. Older than most of his peers in the international complex, he has already demonstrated strong leadership. He is a very good receiver behind the plate, but his arm is not as strong as you would like. His bat is a work in progress, with no significant strengths or weaknesses, but he is constantly striving to improve.


Firas Kamil
Outfielder Firas Kamil from Bahrain, age 16. He is a left-handed outfielder who should be a decent defender in the corners with excellent base running instincts, but his lack of foot speed limits his effectiveness at either. At the plate, he uses the whole field, but he hasn’t shown the power that you would like to see in a corner outfielder. He is a hard worker who will make the best of what tools that he has.