The New York Yankees have agreed to sign Dominican pitching prospect Manolo Reyes to a $600,000 contract, reports Ben Badler of Baseball America.
The deal is contingent on Reyes completing an MLB investigation into his identity and securing a visa from the U.S. Consulate, both of which may be difficult for the right-hander.
The 22-year-old Reyes, reportedly the owner of a 99-mph fastball, signed a contract with the Atlanta Braves in 2009 but saw that deal fall through when issues were found with his paperwork. Though his identity and birth date were not called into question, Reyes was suspended by the MLB for a year due to discrepancies in the location of his birth.
Even if Reyes is cleared by the MLB and the U.S. Consulate after July 2, when the new international free agent signing rules go into effect, his deal will not count against New York's international signing bonus pool for 2012-2013 because terms were agreed to prior to its implementation.