So tomorrow marks the second phase of amateur scouting.  With the most teams having locked up the players that they drafted in the MLB amateur draft, tomorrow is the day where they can go after all the international talent, well all that has reached the age of 16. Kiley McDaniel gives a great overview of how this has grown in just the last year, and with the A’s about break all records for signing an international guy by giving Michel Inoa $4.2 million dollars, I’m betting it won’t be long before international is not the way to find all the cheap labor available.  Anyway, we rarely hear about the July 2nd prospects, so thought a little light was in order.

As for other routes to the big leagues, well there are many, almost as many as there are batting stances.  John Shea writes about Justin Christian, the recently called up Yankee who took the most difficult path possible but is now playing in the cathedral in the Bronx.  Its a great story, and hopefully, like Aaron Small a few years ago, he gets to stay for a bit, and have his moment in the sun.