The Pirates and Mexican right-hander Luis Heredia have agreed to a deal that includes a 2.6 million dollar bonus. Heredia, one of the most sought after pitchers in the international pool, will officially become a Pirate after a formal announcement early next week.
Heredia, 6 feet 6, 185 pounds, is considered by many scouts to be the best pitching prospect his country has produced in years. He turned 16 -- the age at which major-league teams can sign international players -- on Aug. 10, but the Mexican League sought a delay on offers for Heredia until after the majors' deadline to sign drafted players passed early Tuesday.
Because of the "posting process" for teams in Mexico, Heredia's former team in Veracruz will keep 75 percent of his bonus, while the remaining 25 will go to Heredia.
It is unclear how the Pirates will handle Heredia the rest of the season, but all signs point to him joining the rookie club in Florida before returning to Mexico for offseason Winter Leagues.