Int'l Signings: Castro, Almonte, Pujols

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The 2012 international free agent signing period opened today and plenty of signings will be coming in as teams look to spend within their $2.9MM allotment.  We'll be keeping track of all of the day's major agreements under $1MM right here. 

• The Blue Jays signed Venezuelan shortstop Luis Castro, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America.  The 16-year-old right-handed hitter, ranked No. 9 by Baseball America, marks the second major signing by the Blue Jays this morning, who also inked Venezuelan prospect Franklin Barreto.  Terms of the Castro deal are not yet known but it could not be for more than ~$900K if Barreto's is worth roughly $2MM, as reported.
• The Red Sox signed Dominican right-hander Jose Almonte for $610K, according to Badler.  Almonte was BA's No. 17 international prospect for July 2 and is said to have a loose delivery and good projection.
• The Phillies signed Dominican corner outfielder Jose Pujols for $540K, Badler writes.  The 16-year-old is lanky at 6'4", 175 pounds but already has plenty of power and obviously has time to fill out.  The Phillies were believed to have the most interest in Pujols heading into today.

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